Three-year-old summary: Cross-Tasman celebration with 1000 Guineas wins for Another Prophet and Captured By Love

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything & Race Images South

Love captures all in New Zealand Thousand Guineas

Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) emerged victorious over Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton Park on Saturday, turning the tables from their last meeting in the G3 Gold Trail S. earlier in the spring. Alabama Lass was brave in defeat, digging deep one last time in the home straight when she felt Captured By Love looming behind her, but the Te Akau Racing-trained filly surged past her for a 1.3l victory.

Co-trainer Mark Walker indicated that jockey Joshua Parr had been brought out specially for the race, and he rode a second winner for the team later in the day, followed by a close second to round out his three Kiwi rides.

“That was a great win,” Walker said. “Well done to our racing manager Reece Trumper for getting the services of Josh Parr.

“At the top of the straight, it could have gotten ugly, but Group 1 jockeys make Group 1 decisions and Josh got a lovely run through on the inside.

“Big thanks to Dave (Ellis), who bought the filly without any owners. It takes great nerve to buy the ones you want, and full credit to Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) for filling the syndicate. It’s been an interrupted preparation for Captured By Love, but the 1000 Guineas was the one we wanted.

“Full credit to Sam (Bergerson, co-trainer), as I’ve spent a lot of time at our Melbourne stable during the spring. He held his nerve by not giving her a hard gallop on Tuesday, just didn’t think she needed it, and the result was a very satisfying win for everyone involved.

“She’s only going to improve heading into the autumn, so very exciting times ahead.”

“It’s a privilege to win this race for the seventh time,” Karyn Fenton-Ellis said. Te Akau Racing most recently won the 2021 edition with The Perfect Pink (NZ) (Savabeel). “Congratulations to David Ellis for buying this filly, the owners who understand how good she is, and Mark and Sam for the way they have managed her through a somewhat difficult preparation.

“Today she showed all the spirit and class that she possesses, and thank you to Josh Parr for coming over and riding such a great race.”

A $525,000 purchase for Te Akau Racing Principal David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) from Milburn Creek’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Captured By Love was bred by Makybe Racing and Breeding out of Snitzel mare Moldova, who is closely related to stakes-winning Savabeel brothers Savvy Nature (NZ) and Addictive Nature. Moldova delivered a filly by Toronado (Ire) last spring, before missing to Justify (USA).

Another Prophet shocks in Thousand Guineas

A 2-year-old maiden in May being her only other victory, Another Prophet (Brazen Beau) certainly shocked a few at Caulfield with her surprise 0.4l victory in the G1 Thousand Guineas over the favourite Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio). The $31 outsider had finished as the runner up by 3.5l to Aeliana in the G3 Carbine Club S. last start but put in a tough effort to emerge victorious at their rematch.

It was a 50th win at the highest level for trainer Ciaron Maher and a third Group 1 winner for Darley's Brazen Beau, out of 27 stakes winners in total.

“We knew she was on the right trajectory,” Maher said. “We thought there was a little bit of improvement in her coming out of her last run and she actually ran a peak last start so that gave us the confidence going forward.

“I was actually just watching (Ethan) Brownie and wanting her to drop her head after the first furlong or so. Once I saw her nose drop, I thought ‘Gee, we’re in business here’!

“It was obviously a bit of a roll at the stumps but that was the science behind it. She’d thrived and I said to Brownie going out, ‘Well, I think we can win this.’ He rode her so confidently. It was a very comfortable watch.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

“The team has done a super job with her, and it’s just fantastic for the Ferguson family - they always said they were going to send me a good one!”

Bred and retained to race by Bell River Thoroughbreds and Bob Hogno, Another Prophet becomes the third stakes winner for Set To Skelter (Reset) who missed to Farnan last season and produced a filly by Harry Angel (Ire) this spring.

Maiden victory is sweet for Jasmin Rouge

Victory was sweet for Clinton McDonald’s Jasmin Rouge (Dundeel {NZ}) in the G3 Thoroughbred Club Of Australia S. at Caulfield on Saturday, where the relatively unexposed 3-year-old filly skipped away past G3 Thoroughbred Breeders S. winner Tobeornottobe (Pierata) to score by 0.75l.

It’s quite the step-up from Jasmin Rouge’s debut in October, where she ran third in a maiden at Bendigo, beaten 2.75l by Always Enuff (Capitalist), who finished far down the field behind her on Saturday.

“I’m a bit shocked, actually,” said stable representative Ali Kennedy-McDonald. “We expected her to run well and finish off well, but she’s still green and still learning and for her to do that, she’s tough.

“We wanted to ride her quietly like in her trials, where we thought when she got back she finished off a lot better. Ben rode on the fence for luck and it was a great ride.”

Ben Melham had been dubious about the filly’s chances, but partner Jamie Kah, who rode the filly on debut, urged him to take the ride.

“I’m happy to be wrong on this occasion,” he said. “(She's a) really nice filly.”

Bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Australia and offered through their draft at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Jasmin Rouge was bought by her trainer for $70,000. She is the third winner from the well-related G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) placegetter Sweetener (Snitzel), half-sister to G1 Robert Sangster S. winner Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt).

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Sweetener delivered a filly by So You Think (NZ) last season, which will be offered as lot 1019 by Segenhoe Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January, and a colt by Capitalist this spring. Jasmin Rouge gives Dundeel (NZ) a stellar 33rd stakes winner.

Snitzanova digs deep at stakes level debut

Snitzanova (Snitzel) made a tough late race move in the G3 Spring S. at Newcastle on Saturday to down French Ruler (Nicconi) by 0.12l on her way to victory, with Dame Commander (So You Think {NZ}) 0.57l back in third.

Winner of a super maiden at her last start, it seems to be an upward trajectory now for Snitzanova.

Maher’s Sydney assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord was trackside to witness the result, “It was very tight, but great to get that filly to win. She’s very lightly raced, she’s a well-bred filly, and great to get a win for Bennett Racing, they’re good supporters.

“She can travel a bit keenly, but she got into a nice rhythm and she was too tough late. Now she’s a stakes winner, she will have a break and I think she will come back a much better horse next prep.”

He was full of praise for Brown McMonagle, who had previously spent two months at Maher’s Victorian operation last year, “I think it’s the right time of year for him to be here in Sydney. He’s a very hard worker, very talented, and it’s good for him to win a stakes race as his first win this time back.”

Bred by Pacific King Pty Ltd, Snitzanova was sold through Arrowfield Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft to Bennett Racing for $200,000. She is the first stakes winner for unraced Galileo (Ire) mare Albanilla (GB), who descends from the blue hen Alouette (GB) (Darshaan {GB}).

Gallery: Images courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Albanilla’s last foal, a 2-year-old full sister to Snitzanova called Hiatus, was a winner on debut at Murray Bridge last month. Snitzanova gives the mighty Snitzel his 152nd stakes winner.

Pisces keeps it frosty at Caulfield

Pisces (Frosted {USA}) stepped up to the plate on Saturday and granted his sire a fifth stakes winner in Australia by taking out the G3 Sapphire S. at Caulfield on Saturday. Twice a winner as a 2-year-old, the well-related 3-year-old gelding was having his third crack at stakes level and improved on his last start second in the G3 Red Anchor S. behind Bittercreek (Snitzel). James McDonald continued his hot streak in the saddle, having won his last two rides of the Flemington carnival and starting off his Saturday with another win.

“It’s an outstanding effort from that horse, he’s improved beautifully into that second up run,” trainer James Cummings said. “It’s great for the Melbourne team to bring the horse on from that excellent first up run.

“It’s (the Sapphire S.) a rich race so it’s been worth targeting. He’s done well today. We go fishing for races like this, so it’s good to catch one. He’s an exciting horse heading into his future as a lightly raced 3-year-old.”

Cummings indicated that the long-term plan may be to return next year for the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S.

Pisces is out of G3 Belle of the Turf S. runner-up Pleiades (Redoutes Choice), a daughter of G3 Breeders Classic winner Steflara (Zabeel {NZ}) and full sister to G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies)-placed Glissade, dam of G1 Thousand Guineas winner Flit (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and granddam to the talented Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}). Steflara is also a half-sister to Squalls (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), dam of G1 Flight S. victress Tropical Squall (Prized Icon).

Pleiades visited a stallion outside of the Darley ranks for the first time last year and foaled a filly by Yarraman Park’s Hellbent this spring.

Homebred filly has hearts in mouths at Ascot

Storyville (Overshare) added her name to the honour role of fillies scoring maiden stakes victories on Saturday with a 1.78l win in the G3 Champion Fillies S. at Ascot, and for her trainers Grant and Alana Williams, who also bred her, the win is all that more special.

“We had our hearts in our mouths,” said co-trainer Grant Williams. “We’ve had a really good run with her from day dot.

“We were probably riding her a bit too confidently for her first few runs, which was probably setting her up to be racing like she is, but he (Pike) knows her really well and it’s good to see her perform.

“They’re only three once, and she’s in really good nick. If she pulls up well, then we will have a look at the (G2 WA) Guineas. She really blew me away.”

Bred by her trainers, Storyville is the third stakes performer for her dam, New Orleans (Time Thief), her half-brothers are Listed Aquanita S. runner-up Crescent City (Fiorente {Ire}) and Listed JC Roberts S.-placed Axeman’s Jazz (Dundeel {NZ}). New Orleans is a half-sister to 11-time winner Battle Hero (Stratum), who won the G3 Roma Cup and G3 Northam S., as well as five Listed contests. She foaled a filly by Toronado (Ire) this spring. Storyville is the second stakes winner for Widden Victoria-based Overshare.

Wind And The Lion roars to Placid Ark victory

Untapped Wind And The Lion (Written By) made it two wins from three starts with a 0.56l victory over London’s Image (Headwater) in the Listed Placid Ark S. at Ascot on Saturday. Fourth in the $100,000 Placid Ark Prelude two weeks ago and stepping up to stakes level for the first time, the Sean and Jake Casey trainee entered the Listed contest as the favourite, rolling out under Chris Parnham to victory.

“We obviously set him for this race and to pull it off is great,” said Jake Casey.

“We’ve been getting good crowds here for the last few meetings and the occasion got to him a little bit last start. Today he was a lot better and lot more composed and it showed in the run. He’s nominated for the Winterbottom and all going well, I’d say we’d be taking part in it.”

Originally offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by breeders Riverdene Stud, the 3-year-old gelding was bought for $62,500 by Shaun Nolen. He returned to the Gold Coast in the spring for the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale in the draft of JCS Thoroughbreds, where Hancock Quality Bloodstock (FBAA) purchased him for $200,000.

Wind And The Lion is the only foal from Mandalong Sera (Sebring), half-sister to the dam of G1 Toorak H. winner Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) and Listed CS Hayes Memorial Cup victor Royal Rumble (New Approach {Ire}).

He gives his sire, Widden Stud resident Written By, a fourth stakes winner and his second in Western Australia after Ripcord, winner of the 2023 edition of the race.