Sofitel Girls' Day Out: Racing Recap

PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes (Group 1) 1600m

The $3 million Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) is likely to be the final target for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained I’m Thunderstruck after he produced a dazzling sprint to take the Group 1 PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) in the last stride.

It appeared that the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Alligator Blood - a Group 1 Australian Guineas winner the last time he tackled the course and distance - was off and gone, with rider Tim Clark sending him four lengths clear of his rivals.

However, Mark Zahra on $2.60 favourite I’m Thunderstruck managed to time his run to the millimetre and managed to get the baldy nose of his mount to the line in front by the barest of margins. The Annabel Neasham-prepared Mo’unga was a further three lengths away in third.

“It was a massive win, a great performance and a great effort by the horse," Zahra said, with Price adding: "He was pretty brave, wasn't he? He was in an awkward spot again, behind heels, and Alligator Blood was off and gone.I thought, 'He's probably the best horse in the race Alligator Blood, we're not going to run him down, but it's probably the beauty of Flemington."

Price said that I’m Thunderstruck would likely step up to 1800m next for the Group 1 Underwood Stakes before heading to the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m) on his way to the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m). That would then see his campaign culminate in the VRC Champions Stakes on November 5.

Alligator Blood is also likely to travel the same path through to the Cox Plate but may be more likely to line up in the $3 million Group 1 VRC Kennedy Champions Mile (1600m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Furphy Let's Elope Stakes (Group 2) 1400m

A $1 million bonus is on offer for former Western Australian mare Kissonallforcheeks should she win the $1 million Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on Derby Day after she produced a classy win in the Group 2 Furphy Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m).

Now prepared by Flemington trainer Nick Ryan, Kissonallforcheeks firmed to start $3.60 favourite and didn’t let her backers down under Mark Zahra. She overhauled long-time leader Lady Of Honour to win by a neck with Group 1 winner Yearning a further short half head away in third, landing a trifecta for horses trained on trak.

"She's a classy mare and I'm grateful that she's got the job done," Ryan said. “There are a few different paths but all are heading towards the Empire Rose.”

Kissonallforcheeks joins Imperatriz, Nimalee and Startantes among those mares eligible for the $1 million bonus, offered to the winners of 12 different fillies and mares races staged right across Australia and New Zealand should they also win the TAB Empire Rose Stakes. Established last year, the bonus was claimed by the James Cummings-trained Colette.

The next race which sees the winner qualify for the bonus is the Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 23.

Bobbie Lewis Quality (Group 2) 1200m

One of the stories of the early part of the spring has been the dominance of Queensland horses in Victoria and that continued when the Tony Gollan-trained Baller produced a strong fresh performance to take the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m).

Formerly prepared in Sydney, Baller was making his Victorian debut at his 30th start and he took to the straight six like a duck to water, holding off Group 1 Yulong Stud Newmarket Handicap (1200m) winner Roch ‘n’ Horse to score by a nose. Another Flemington specialist, Group 1 placegetter Swats That, finished less than a length from the winner in third.

Perth sprinters Red Can Man and Graceful Girl finished fourth and fifth to further invoke that interstate rivalry for which the spring is known.

The trifecta is set for a rematch in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 1 before they step up to the $3 million Group 1 VRC Darley Champions Sprint (1200m) on November 5.

Baller’s win completed a remarkable treble for Zahra, who had earlier won the Group 1 PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) on I’m Thunderstruck and the Group 2 Furphy Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) aboard Kissonallforcheeks.

The Sofitel (Listed) 1400m

Another Queenslander to take the spoils on Saturday was the Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted-trained Scallopini, who benefited from a terrific front-running ride from Damian Lane to take out the Listed The Sofitel (1400m).

Perfectly rated on speed, Scallopini extended away and proved too strong late, holding a two and a quarter length margin over the returning Pinstriped with the lightly raced El Rocko producing a career best effort in third.

“I’m mainly just so happy for the horse, he’s well deserving of this,” Hoysted said. “He’s an eight-year-old but racing in career-best form at the moment. He had no luck at all last start, it was still a really good run considering and he’s been so well.”

His spring sojourn to Melbourne is likely at an end with a freshen-up in Queensland likely before he targets the Magic Millions Carnival in January.

Exford Plate (Listed) 1400m

The Listed Exford Plate (1700m) has produced some top-shelf winners before - horses like Brutal, Long John, (Lord) Tavistock and Hit The Roof come to mind - but few have been as visually impressive as the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Berkeley Square.

While the margin of a head over runner-up Fast Witness and a neck over third-placed Tijuana may not sound like much, it was the manner in which he burst through under Craig Williams that was most eye-catching.

Upon straightening, Berkeley Square was back near last and travelling powerfully but could not find a way clear. Right through to the clock tower, Williams was sitting patiently just waiting for the gap to open and, when it did come, he sprinted sharply to land the spoils.

“It’s a bit hard to keep a lid on it now, isn’t it? He’s a pretty smart horse I think," O'Sullivan said. "He’s only had four starts, he was down the outside the first two times then led up, so he’s pretty versatile which is pretty pleasing."

While the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) looms as his first target, the $2 million Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m) also shapes as a likely goal should he continue to progress.

Winning Edge Poseidon Stakes (Listed, 1100m)

The opening race on Sofitel Girls’ Day Out, the Listed Winning Edge Poseidon Stakes (1100m), has set up one of the rivalries of the spring after the Matthew Smith-trained Buenos Noches was promoted to first at the expense of James Cummings’ Spacewalk

Spacewalk was first past the post under Blake Shinn but Craig Newitt, who rode the fast-finishing Buenos Noches, quickly lodged a protest after interference over the concluding stages. Stewards upheld the objection, giving four-time Flemington winner Supido his first ever stakes winner as a stallion.

"He's a good horse, simple as that,” Newitt said. "For a horse that's very lightly-raced, he's a pretty good colt. He'll go to the Danehill in a couple of weeks and I think you'll find he'll take a power of beating and I presume then onto the Coolmore.”

The pair are likely to clash again in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) before heading to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

CAP D’ANTIBES STAKES (Listed, 1100m)

Nanagui led home a $23,000 trifecta when she bloused a strong group of three-year-old fillies to take the Listed Cap d’Antibes Stakes (1100m) under Luke Nolen.

Second in the Group 3 TBV Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) down the straight in March, the Peter Moody-trained Nanagui sprinted home from near the rear to score by three-quarters of a length over Pakenham maiden winners C’est Magique and Typhoon Titmus.

“She’s done nothing wrong her whole career this filly, she was unlucky not to pick a stakes race up as a two-year-old, but she’s done a massive job,” Moody’s assistant Katherine Coleman said. “She’s only a lightly framed filly, so to get this win today is a great result for Rosemont Stud and the team. She’s such a tough little filly, she had to push her way out there, but it doesn’t faze her, in fact, she really seems to relish a bit of a fight, so it definitely opens up for some nice races and a bit of fun later in the spring.”

Like Buenos Noches and Spacewalk, she is likely to target the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on October 29.

The Sally Chirnside (2500m)

A first victory in two years for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained High Emocean has her poised to chase a start in the $8 million Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) through the Group 3 Lexus Bart Cummings (2500m) after she took out The Sally Chirnside (2500m) over the same course.

Named for the late Mrs Sally Chirnside, who was the first woman elected to the board of a Principal Racing Authority in Australia when she joined the Victoria Racing Board (VRC) in 1991, a full field of stayers was seeking to lay a marker for next month’s Lexus Bart Cummings, which offers one of three Golden Tickets for the Lexus Melbourne Cup.

High Emocean put her claim forward with a two-length win over Mohican Heights with 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare a very good third with 61kg, suggesting he could potentially seek to become the first horse ever to win two Cups three years apart.

“She’ll head now to the Bart Cummings; she’s earned her chance to try and get the Golden Ticket,” Maher said of High Emocean. “She’s tricky to get right, because she needs her runs spaced and she needs to be fresh and well. I think the team has done a great job with her at Ballarat getting her right.

“She’s been a little bit frustrating for the owners, but she’s obviously coming right at the right time of year.”

Maher and Eustace have won the Lexus Bart Cummings the last two years with Grand Promenade and Persan, with the pair finishing sixth and fifth respectively in the race that stops a nation™.

Australian Childhood Foundation Plate (1700m)

English import Makram demonstrated again his affinity for the Flemington 1700m, scoring his second course and distance win at just his fourth Australian start.

Trained by Ben and JD Hayes, Makram was the first leg of a race-to-race double for Luke Nolen, relishing his light impost to score by a half length over fellow lightweight Hezashocka.

Great House, who won a Lexus Melbourne Cup Golden Ticket in last year’s Group 3 Lexus Hotham Stakes (2500m), impressed under 60.5kg to charge from last into third and will likely head to the Group 1 TAB Turnbull Stakes (2000m) next, as will fourth Young Werther - runner-up in the Turnbull last year.

"We always thought he could be a horse that could get to a Caulfield Cup, so he obviously needs to win a couple more and continue, but he's going to have his chance now to head in that direction,” Ben Hayes said. "If we don't get there, there are lots of races through the spring."

Makram holds an entry for the Lexus Melbourne Cup as well.

Main image: Mick Price with I'm Thunderstruck (NZ) after winning the PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)