Saturday summary: A third Golden Slipper for Snitzel and Emirates Park

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Snitzel's third Slipper winner solidifies his position at the top

Snitzel’s domination this season continued with his third G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner as filly Marhoona won a dramatic race. Snitzel is currently leading the Australian Sires’ Table by stakes winners and leading the Australian Broodmare Sires’ Table by stakes winners with 14 individuals in each table.

Early in the race, Bjorn Baker filly Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}) went through the running rail, and fortunately both her and jockey Jason Collett were uninjured. Marhoona was well placed by jockey Damian Lane, sitting in behind the leaders until half-way down the straight, when she found space and shot to the lead with the rest of the field all attacking the line. She clung on and won by 0.14l from Chris Waller trained-colt Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) with Godolphin’s filly Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) in third, 0.65l from the winner.

“A huge thrill. You know, we've been through the ups and downs with the family over a lot of years with these sort of good results, bad results. But, yeah, it's a huge thrill for my team. I mean, I've got a lot of young, up-and-coming stars in the industry, I think, and they've had such a big part to play in this, probably a lot more than me,” said trainer Michael Freedman.

“For Sophie, who you know well, and Ben Duckworth, who's sort of been in the team for about a year now, I'm as happy for them as I am anything else because they just put so much work in.”

Lightly raced, Marhoona won on debut, then was second in the G2 Reisling Stakes last start, and this was only her third start. She now has earnings of over $3 million for owner-breeders Emirates Park.

“If I'm being honest, I said to a few people, earlier today, I thought maybe it would have been nice to have had one more run under our belt, but she's a special filly. When she won at Canterbury at first start, she ripped half a foot off winning that race, and I thought you're tough. And she bounced back from it, went to the Reisling a month later, and it's a bit of an unusual preparation, I guess, going into a Slipper at your third start. But, yeah, she's a special filly.”

She becomes the 23rd Group 1 winner for Snitzel and his 155th stakes winner. He recently surpassed his own sire Redoute’s Choice and grandsire Danehill (USA) with his 83rd individual 3-year-old stakes winner. His other two Slipper winners are Shinzo and Estijaab, who is also owned by Emirates Park.

Emirates Park have nurtured this family for several generations and their broodmare Salma (Encosta De Lago) is something special as Marhoona is her fourth stakes winner from five foals to races. The unraced mare’s first foal is Listed Greyville Gatecrasher Stakes winner Trojan Harbour (Harbour Watch {Ire}), her second live foal is Listed Nudgee Stakes winner Salateen (I Am Invincible), and her third foal is G2 Stan Fox Stakes winner and G1 Sires' Produce Stakes-placed and G1 Champagne Stakes-placed Hilal who stood his first season at New Zealand’s Grangewilliam Stud in 2024.

Salma’s 3-year-old filly Silaaleh (Tassort) is unraced, and Marhoona is, obviously, her current juvenile and now a Group 1 winner from only three starts. Unfortunately Salma has missed for the last three seasons.

Salma is a half-sister to Listed Dulcify Stakes winner Big Time (Danewin) and is a daughter of G3 Fernhill Stakes winner Salameh (Secret Savings {USA}), who in turn is a half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Al Maher. This is the family of Group 1 winners Umatilla, Hurricane Sky, Redoute’s Choice, Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}), and so many others.

The future for Godolphin is Broadsiding

Champion 2YO Colt Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) showed his class in winning his fourth Group 1 in Saturday’s G1 Rosehill Guineas. “He's a really important horse for our business. He's got a lot of his father in him, and Too Darn Hot would be an incredibly popular sire if he was coming back,” summed up trainer James Cummings.

“So, there's a lot to be said for having a colt as classy as Broadsiding ready to take his place on the roster one day. But today was something of an audition for Broadsiding, and it gives us a good guide as to exactly where we want to go with him in the future.

“But there's plenty of desire there to be still here on the track, fighting out these finishes. I thought he was good in the Randwick Guineas last time, and he showed that he's been brought on by that run in being able to do so much work and hold on to that victory today.”

Broadsiding dug deep for jockey James McDonald to win by 0.03l from the fast-finishing and tough filly Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio), trained by Chris Waller, while Team Hawkes-trained gelding Swiftfalcon (Exceedance) was close by in third, only 0.73l away. The win was part of a stakes treble for McDonald on the card, who also enjoyed success in the G1 Ranvet Stakes and the Listed Darby Munro Stakes.

“He's a class colt, and class carries a long way. I suppose, from the draw, he's had to do a fair bit of work, and James just rode him with confidence and stuck to his plan, which was essentially to keep an open mind and not give away too much ground today on a track like this.

“But that filly, who's been so good, and James knows well, Aeliana, has just laid away and done no work. They can launch at you, and it takes a very good horse to hold them off.”

A dual Group 1 winner at two, Broadsiding is now a dual Group 1 winner at three, with the G1 Golden Rose in the spring, as well as a last start second in the G1 Randwick Guineas. He also ran third over this distance in the G1 WS Cox Plate over the spring behind Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), who continued to prove her outstanding ability with a win in the G1 Ranvet Stakes on the same card.

Broadsiding has won seven of his 14 starts, with earnings over $3.9 million, and is one of three Group 1 winners from the first crop of Too Darn Hot (GB), who is now too expensive to shuttle and remains in the Northern Hemisphere. Broadsiding’s dam, Speedway (Street Cry {Ire}), won at Wyong and Newcastle and unfortunately died after in 2022 when Broadsiding was only three weeks old.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Speedway is a half-sister to G1 MRC Thousand Guineas winner Flit (Medgalia D’Oro {USA}) and a full sister to Group 3-placed winner Flow, out of G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (fillies) placegetter Glissade (Redoute’s Choice). This is the family of Group 1 winner Tropical Squall (Prized Icon).

Via Sistina continues to bless connections

Champion trainer Chris Waller said Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) “lit up our lives 12 months ago”, and her amazing career continued with her eighth Group 1 win in the G1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

She was simply too strong inside the final furlong of the 2000-metre feature, powering home to win by 1.53l, with Lindermann (Lonhro) rounding out a quinella for the Waller stable, and star hoop James McDonald aboard.

Fastnet Rock was one of the most celebrated stallions of modern times, twice Champion Sire in Australia, before he was retired from stud duties by Coolmore last year.

And now 7-year-old mare Via Sistina - who won last year's Ranvet Stakes - is the best horse in the nation for Yulong Investments.

“She's a lovely, big, unassuming horse. But come race day, she really turns it on. We don't dare light her up in the mornings because what she's capable of, like she's a real powerhouse,” Waller said.

“Her track rider, Chris Harwood, said, ‘oh, if we get her flying like one day she might just keep going’ as we saw. So, yeah, she's a gentle giant that graces the turf.”

Triumphant champion jockey McDonald said Via Sistina deserved to be known as the queen of Australian racing.

“She's well up there, that’s for sure. She’s definitely good,” he said.

“She turns up each and every time which I'm so proud of her because if she was going to get beat it could have been easily a race like this.”

McDonald also reserved praised for Harwood, ahead of Via Sistina’s next target which is likely to be the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 12.

Gallery: Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

“Chris Harwood does a really good job, because as it was well documented, she was supposed to gallop here last Saturday, I wouldn't have the strength to hold her because she just tanks around so Chris does a good job,” McDonald said.

“Same with all the other guys there. He's got a fantastic team there, and they work the horses brilliantly, so they don't need my help, but it's nice to be partnering them on race day, and it's a really good feeling.”

This was Waller’s 15th Group 1 victory this season, six of those coming with the all-conquering Via Sistina.

Schwarz 'best-ever performed colt' of Zoustar

Delighted Rosemont Stud Principal Anthony Mithen said Schwarz’s commanding 1l win in the G1 William Reid Stakes at The Valley confirmed he was the best-ever performed colt son of Zoustar.

That is quite the compliment, given Widden Stud’s Zoustar has now sired 10 Group 1 winners, and 64 at stakes level.

But finally, Rosemont Stud has now sired 10 Group 1 winners, and one with a very bright future at stud.

“That's an unbelievable performance from a horse that has got an unbelievable pedigree. He's the best performed colt son of Zoustar there's been,” Mithen told Racing.com when asked about his 4-year-old.

“To win a weight-for-age Group 1, he's become the winningest son of Zoustar that’s still a colt. He'll go to stud a very attractive prospect.”

Schwarz – now with six wins from 12 starts and over $1.3 million in career prizemoney – was bought by the Rosemont Stud-Victorian Alliance and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) from Widden Stud for $1.25 million at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“The fact we paid yearling sale price, not the silly money these stallion syndicates put together means everyone can enjoy that,” Mithen said.

“That’s what this Victorian Alliance was about – giving back to breeders and the breeding scene. It's emotional for a lot of reasons.”

Mithen paid credit to his brother-in-law Nigel Austen, who has been “unbelievable support”.

“For him to keep stumping up and saying ‘yeah, go again' and his reaction being, ‘oh, you’re not doing it again this year’. He’s such an enthusiastic part of what we do and a motivator for us all,” he said.

“The other investors, we thought we would get a stitch eventually, so we thought we would lay a bit of faith in those horses and one of them was Schwartz and he's delivered for us today.”

Doyle's boyhood dream reaches stratospheric levels in The Galaxy

Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle achieved something he’s dreamed of ever since he was a kid after Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}) saluted by 0.79l in the $1 million G1 The Galaxy over 1100 metres at Rosehill. It was Doyle’s first victory at Group 1 level.

“I dreamt of this as a kid, all I wanted to do was train horses. The Group 1, Ash (Morgan), the staff, Kurrinda (Bloodstock). Thanks so much. I can't stop shaking,” he said.

Private Harry showed great endurance to run down a game runner-up Front Page (Magnus), who kept fighting until the end.

He now has five wins from five starts, including the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight 3YO Plate by 2.43l last start at the Sunshine Coast on January 4.

Doyle thinks his 3-year-old colt still has plenty of potential for improvement.

“He just can eyeball up in front on a hot speed and just boot off it, and they just can't chase him,” he said.

“They've got to run exceptional sectionals. Even (fourth-placed) Briasa (Smart Missile), they went a quick tempo and loomed into it, but he just keeps fighting. He's just got that will to want to win races. It's amazing.”

Private Harry was a $115,000 purchase by Kurrinda Bloodstock and Doyle Racing from Rheinwood Pastoral Co at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

His sire, Harry Angel (Ire), now has 18 stakes winners, and and Private Harry gives him his second Group 1 winner. Harry Angel stands at Darley for $38,500 (inc. GST).

It was the first stakes winner for Private Harry’s dam, Happy Pilgrim (Congrats).

Gringotts came ready for G1 glory

Little Avondale stallion Per Incanto (USA) notched up his ninth Group 1 win as a sire when Gringotts (NZ) edged out star mare Fangirl (Sebring) by 0.02l on the line in the $1 million G1 George Ryder Stakes over 1500 metres.

It was a courageous effort from the 5-year-old, which was his first at the elite level, with Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) third.

The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding progressed from handicap grade to winning million-dollar races – the Big Dance and The Gong – this season before his maiden weight-for-age success on Saturday.

Winning jockey Tommy Berry praised Gringotts for the way he came back after Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) led at the 750-metre mark.

“I was smiling for a different reason – it wasn't for winning, but it was just good to see him come back the way he did,” Berry said.

“You pay the believers, and we’re guys that are part of the ownership team, and Ciaron and Joh (Johann Gerard-Dubord) and all the team at home there.”

The G1 Doncaster Mile is Gringotts’ main aim at Randwick on April 5, but Maher knew he was ready for a massive fight on the straight on Saturday.

Gallery: Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

“He (Maher) came to me in the middle of the mounting yard today and he said 'I know the Doncaster is our main aim but I couldn't have him any better for today',” Berry said.

“He turned up and he's just a war horse, he knows where the line is and he fought hard to win today.”

Gringotts's victory was the first at stakes level for his Savabeel dam, Miss Bluebell (NZ).

A win Sunline would be proud of

In true Sunline (Desert Sun {GB}) style, Grinzinger Belle (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) was simply unstoppable in the G2 Sunline Stakes, powering home to win by 2.75l.

It was all over at the 400-metre mark in the G2 feature over a mile and worth $300,000, where the 4-year-old mare led by 4l.

Residing at Windsor Park Stud in Cambridge in New Zealand, it was Shamexpress’s (NZ) 14th stakes victory.

Victorious trainer Danny O’Brien was confident Grinzinger Belle would be very hard to stop from the turn for home, before going on to notch up her fifth win from 17 starts.

“She’s a mare that when conditions suit and she gets rolling, she’s very hard to get on the back of, let alone get past,” he told Racing.com.

“She’s headed for the Queen of the Turf in three weeks in Sydney. If she got a Heavy track up there, we’d give her that opportunity then.”

Winning jockey Declan Bates said Grinzinger Belle was a genetically-gifted mare.

“She’s such a lovely big mare to ride. She has a nice, high cruising speed, and it’s just a matter of letting her use that in the right way,” he said.

“She was just better than them today.”

It was the first stake winner for Grinzinger Belle’s dam, Ripsomemore (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}).

Mare Of Mt Buller reigns in Epona Stakes

Dundeel’s (NZ) impressive 2024/25 season continued in the G3 Epona Stakes, with Mare Of Mt Buller’s 0.92l victory in the $250,000 feature over 1900 metres.

Under the urgings of a great ride from Zac Lloyd, the 4-year-old mare powered home inside the final 200 metres to win comfortably for top Sydney trainer Chris Waller.

Arrowfield stallion Dundeel opened the 2024/25 season with three new Group winners in Melbourne, all from his 2021 crop – colts Red Aces and Kingofwallstreet, and the filly Jasmin Rouge.

He now has a total of 36 stakes victors. It was Mare Of Mt Buller’s fourth victory from 15 starts to now register $447,825 in career prizemoney.

Waller said he might look at spelling his mare after her second-up start.

“We said we might just try and keep her as fresh as we can. That’s how she seems to race best at her second and third starts. So yeah, we'll see what's left after today,” he said.

“Otherwise, she might just have a few weeks off or easier training and then be ready to go again.”

Lloyd said Saturday’s victory was Mare Of Mt Buller’s ideal distance in what was her first salute in 11 starts.

“Today was none and a half furlongs, about 10 furlongs and she travels really well,” he said.

“I think anything further might take away that turn of speed, but there’s plenty of good races in her keeping for sure, especially if she can show that turn of foot.”

Saturday's win was the first stakes victory for Mare Of Mt Buller's Redoute's Choice dam, Aliberani.

Mare Of Mt Buller was a $250,000 purchase by Yes Bloodstock from Torryburn Stud at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.