Saturday summary: "Extraordinary" Aeliana demolishes the boys in ATC Derby victory

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Aeliana beats the boys in the Derby

She’s just playing the boys’ games all season, and on Saturday, it was finally Aeliana’s (NZ) (Castelvecchio) turn to cement her place amongst the elite staying ranks with victory as the only filly in the field of the G1 Australian Derby.

A last-start second by a hair’s breadth in the G1 Rosehill Guineas to Broadsiding (GB), Aeliana comfortably stepped up to the 2400 metres, travelling a pair back from the leaders until she hit the last 400 metres, where jockey Damian Lane let her stride forward. As she hit the front, she was clearly going to be impossible to catch, crossing the line 5.16l in front of runner-up Firm Agreement (Yes Yes Yes). On pulling up, Damian Lane called the Chris Waller-trained filly “extraordinary”.

“It was a great performance and all credit to her,” said Waller. “She’s had a couple of near misses in Group 1s but she’s got her own, and she’s got it in good style.

“We’ve got some good fillies in the fillies’ races, so it just seemed logical. But when she was brave in the Randwick Guineas, the Rosehill Guineas she got beaten a whisker by Broadsiding who is a very, very good 3-year-old colt, and she’s done it herself today.

It was a well-deserved victory for the talented filly, and Waller was unsure if she would back up into the G1 Australian Oaks, where she would have to clash with boom filly Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express).

“My job is to look after her,” Waller said. “It would be unlikely that she would back up. But, wow, I can’t wait for the next chapter because she’s a rising star.”

“She left the barriers well, just travelled great from the outset and felt a winner a long way out,” Lane said.

“I’m not riding in the best form of my life, I’ve ridden well for a long time. You just slowly build up to these opportunities. Doesn’t matter how good you ride, if you don’t have the horse underneath you, you can’t produce.”

Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds paid NZ$180,000 for the daughter of Castelvecchio at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, and returned to Karaka this year to pay NZ$300,000 for her half-sister by Proisir. She is the second Group 1 winner for Arrowfield Stud-based Castelvecchio, whose oldest crop is just three.

Briasa shakes up sprint ranks in TJ Smith

The changing of the guard amongst Sydney’s sprinting ranks has been inevitable, and on Saturday, it was Smart Missile gelding Briasa’s turn to secure his place among the short course elite in a defiant G1 TJ Smith Stakes victory. The 4-year-old has now won seven from nine starts, and had taken his first swing at Group 1 level in his most recent start, running an eye-catching fourth in the G1 The Galaxy where he had to explode from the tail of the field.

Settling a pair back from the early leaders I Am Me (I Am Invincible) and Overpass (Vancouver), Briasa and jockey Tyler Schiller patiently stalked the speed around the home turn. Once straightening, they had to dodge a flagging I Am Me to catch up to Overpass - whose first up record dictated he would be a force to be reckoned with - with Briasa lifting off the canvas to score by 0.14l over the 6-year-old. It was a huge performance for the Hawkes Racing trainee.

Co-trainer Michael Hawkes has always thought the grey was something special, sharing, “I’ve just loved him from day one. I’m just lost for words. This is the moment that we dream of with a horse like this.

“We’ve had our ups and downs, we’re not big anymore but we’ve got quality.”

Hawkes has respect for the quality of the Group 1’s field; “Let me tell you, the horse on the inside (Overpass) is no easy horse to get past.

“It’s a great race. He’s not Chautauqua, because not many are. But he’s better than Chautauqua though because Chautauqua is not here.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Retained by his breeders, Briasa is the penultimate foal from Mary’s Grace (Twining {USA}), whose seven wins include the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes. Her extended family includes newly minted Group 3 winner North England (Farnan) and G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel). Briasa becomes the second Group 1 winner for Twin Hills Stud-based Smart Missile.

History-making victory for Vinrock with Sires’ double

When Matt Laurie-trained 2-year-old colt Vinrock (I Am Invincible) headed into the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes as an unbeaten winner of two races with a last start victory in the G2 VRC Sires’ Produces Stakes, he needed to break a 44-year-old hiatus with the last winner of the double coming in 1981 with Full On Aces (Kaoru Star).

In the end it was a blanket finish with less than 1l covering the first five home, with Vinrock taking the shortest run up the rail for jockey Mark Zahra and winning by 0.21l from Ciaron Maher-trained colt State Visit (Wootton Bassett {GB}) with David Atkins-trained gelding Buffalo (Written By) in third.

“Lost for words. Incredible. Great performance from the horse. Last race they really got out wide and they were smacking the line, I was a bit worried about the inside draw but he's tough as nails,” said Laurie, who won the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes last weekend with Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express).

“He's a ripping colt. He's got a good brain, he's fantastic to ride, he's got great recovery and he's just tough. You put it to him, I mean he was under siege there and he just kept coming. Incredible effort to do all this in his first preparation.”

Unbeaten in three starts, Vinrock becomes just the second juvenile Group 1 winner for Champion Sire I Am Invincible, who sired G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Move To Strike in New Zealand last season. I Am Invincible, also known by his nickname Vinny, took his record to 16 Group 1 winners with 117 stakes winners over all.

Purchased by his trainer and Wilannah Park Bloodstock for $300,000 from Rosemont Stud’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft, Vinrock is the third live foal of G2 Matriarch Stakes winner Girl Gone Rockin’ (Redoute’s Choice) whose first two foals are both winners, and she has a yearling filly by Pierro.

Girl Gone Rockin’ is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Syreon (Flying Spur) and both are out of G2 Queen Of The Turf winner Sorrento (NZ) (Just A Dancer {NZ}) whose seven wins included five at stakes level. Sorrento is a half-sister to three other stakes winners and this is the family of recent Group 2 winner Jamaea (Headwater).

Stefi makes Baker’s dreams come true in magical Doncaster Mile

A year on from when she burst into the elite levels of racing with victory in the G1 Stradbroke Handicap, Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) struck again with victory in the G1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick on Saturday.

A capacity field let loose for the 1600-metre Group 1, spreading across the track as they entered the straight - the game 4-year-old mare almost disappeared amid the spread, but she dug deep within the last furlong to power home, stretching her neck out to defeat Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by a 0.14l margin. It was a huge blanket finish with 10th place finisher Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) just 1.27l back.

“I had to win an iconic Sydney race,” trainer Bjorn Baker said, admitting that the win was a dream come true. “I’ve won Group 1 races here like the Winx Stakes and the Tancred Stakes but I needed one of these majors.

“The Doncaster is one of those big Group 1 races every trainer wants to win. It’s a great race and this has been a special day for my family.”

It was a particularly special day considering the success his father Murray Baker has had at this same meeting.

“I remember being here in 2008 when Murray won the Derby with Nom De Jeu and Chris Waller-trained his first Group 1 winner with Triple Honour in the Doncaster and it has always been a goal of mine to win a big one on this day.

“My father won five (Australian) Derbies on this day so it means a lot to me to win the Doncaster.

“Murray’s retired now but he still watches all the races and he still gives me plenty of advice. He tells me how I can do things better. No one has been more influential to my career than Murray – he would be very proud today.”

He credited the toughness of the All Too Hard mare for her victory, as well as the expert steer of Jason Collett, who collected his 112th win for Baker.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

It was Stefi Magnetica’s first victory since her Stradbroke win last year in June. Her dam Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force), who also won the Stradbroke, delivered a full brother in the spring.

Pizzazz takes out PJ Bell

She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar) has always been a classy filly, and the Dorrington Farm-bred and owned 3-year-old had that on full display in the G3 PJ Bell Stakes on Saturday at Randwick.

The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained filly camped near the back of the field and seemed to drift even further back coming into the home straight - but there never need to fear as she unleashed a devastating turn of foot once straightening to deny Flying For Fun (Spieth) by 0.26l.

“She’s got a wonderful family,” Moody said. “Bred and retained by Rob Crabtree, and it’s a family that he’s developed for a lot of years. This was a little target race for us. We thought she was unlucky at Caulfield the other day so it was well deserved, I think.

“I love seeing them hungry at the end of the day when they haven’t had a lot of success. I reckon the last time I was at Randwick at 5:50pm was about 15 years ago with a mare the same colour (Black Caviar) and she won a TJ.

“You might see her back here in a couple of weeks in the JB Carr. Crabby has got a big goal to win that. I’d love to see her in Brisbane for a Stradbroke. So if she’s here in two weeks, you’ll know the owner has won the battle.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

She’s Got Pizzazz is a full sister to G1 Canterbury Stakes winner Mizzy (Zoustar), out of Listed James HB Carr Stakes winner Missy Cummings (Magnus). Missy Cummings’ yearling Piazza (So You Think {NZ}) has been retained to race by Dorrington Farm, and she was served by Ozzmosis in the spring.

Belle Detelle denies favourite in brave Adrian Knox victory

Spring saw several 3-year-old fillies rocket to stardom within their first few starts, and it was the same story for Chris Waller’s Belle Detelle (Zed {NZ}) on Saturday at Royal Randwick, who made a victorious first leap into stakes company at her fifth start in the G3 Adrian Knox Stakes. Breaking her maiden at just her previous start at Sandown, the 3-year-old filly had to overcome being shuffled to the outside of the field - despite drawing barrier 3 - and entering the home straight as almost the widest runner on the track.

You Wahng (So You Think {NZ}) took the plunge first once straightening, pushing to the front, with ante-post favourite Polymnia (Dundeel {NZ}) hot on her heels. Still, it was Belle Detelle that let down most impressively out of the three, pushing past the pair to hold on by 0.35l for victory, even with Polymnia fighting hard beside her.

“It’s very special,” Waller said. “We’ve always had a soft spot for her and we knew when we got her to 2000 metres, she would start to excel because of that pedigree. But until you do it on race day, it’s easier to talk about it than do it, so it was great to see.”

The race hung in the balance at the 400 metres with jockey Damian Lane - who rode a stakes double - having to urge the filly into the running, but Waller was full of praise for how she closed off the event, saying, “she was really strong the last 100 metres.

“Look, she’s had a long prep, she’s going to be fit enough if we decide to, but at the same time, do we back off and go to Queensland for a Queensland Oaks? I’ll have a talk to Damian and see what he says.

“It’s (this race) always been a target for the last month or so, where we got to from here wasn’t so much in the sights. So today was the target.”

The daughter of Zed (NZ), sire of the great Verry Elleegant (NZ), was bred and has been retained to race by Nicholas Bishara and associates, who paid NZ$2000 for her dam Black Lace (NZ) (Towkay) in 2012 as a yearling. Black Lace is herself a winning half-sister to Verry Elleegant and her 14-time winner brother Verry Flash (NZ) (Zed {NZ}). She has yearling and weanling colts by Dundeel (NZ) to follow, and visited Admire Mars (Jpn) in the spring.

Evaporate scorches his competition in Carbine Club

The NZ$3.5 million NZB The Kiwi runner-up Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) reminded everyone of his talent on Saturday at Randwick with a scintillating 2.16l victory in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes. The Lindsay Park-trained 3-year-old patiently sat in second spot eventual third placegetter Depth Of Character (Deep Field) for the majority of the 1600-metre trip, allowing the Hawkes Racing trainee to set a comfortable pace out in front, before making his move.

Once the pack straightened, the son of Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto (USA) launched his attack under Blake Shinn, speeding past a game Swiftfalcon. It was too good a performance for the rest of the pack, and the gelding sailed home unchallenged with Swiftfalcon (Exceedance) bolting home into second from the rear of the field.

Co-trainer Ben Hayes has believed in the horse from the start, and was delighted to secure another victory with him; “He’s a horse that we’ve always had a high opinion of. He ran in a Cox Plate, he ran third in a Caulfield Guineas, and this prep, he hadn’t had much luck.

“His first three runs, he had excuses. He got caught three-wide in the weight-for-age Group 1 and over in The Kiwi, we were a little bit unlucky, we got shuffled back, where today in a smaller field Blake (Shinn) was able to get him into a great rhythm.

“He just gave Swiftfalcon too much to do and he was strong to the line - but he was carrying the two extra kilos and he won quite convincingly, so we’re thrilled.

“I’m thrilled for the whole team. Will and JD, they’ll be very happy in Melbourne.”

Plans turn to the gelding’s spring and Hayes already has a plan of attack, saying, “he’s going into his 4-year-old year and there’s a really nice race in Sydney called the Golden Eagle.

“If we could get him to a race like that - we haven’t mapped out a path or anything, or I haven’t spoken to my brothers - but that would be a grand final kind of race to get to, and he’s done a great job this prep.

“He’s travelled to New Zealand, travelled back, and he’s just thrived. He looks to have pulled up fantastic.”

“He felt amazing,” Shinn shared. “This is a really good horse. He’s proven that he’s on the cusp of Group 1 level.”

A $330,000 purchase for his trainers from Sledmere Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Evaporate is the third foal from Savanna (NZ) (Animal Kingdom), a half-sister to Group 3 winner Belluci Babe (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), whose first foal by Zoustar sells this weekend in the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 297. Savanna is a close relation to two further stakeswinners by Per Incanto - Magnum (NZ) and Pure Incanto (NZ) - as well as G2 Chairman’s Handicap winner Philosophe (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).