Spy fulfilled its elite-level potential when it won the Coolmore Classic (G1) on March 11 following a fascinating three-way challenge for the winning spot.
The Espiona, trained by Chris Waller and owned by Star Thoroughbreds, burst onto the stage with a stellar performance across the board when it won the desired Share at Flemington in November 2021, on the very first day of his career. two, and was subsequently named the next queen of the court after a performance that was critically acclaimed.
The chubby girl, however, only earned one win in her next eight starts, including a well-defeated eighth place finish as favorites AU$3.10 in last year’s Coolmore Classic, because such lofty ambitions seem to have gone up in smoke. But Espiona is back this fall with renewed interest, and that’s followed by a Mannerism Stakes (G3) final win at Sandown with her first group 1 success at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. .
Disqualified by Mick Dee for the first time in 12 career starts, Espiona was assigned to play in midfield. Jenny’s Pride Set an honest pace in the lead.
The mare trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace went straight to bid to go home, but Espiona came in with a powerful late run along the fence to deny her all-out victory, winning by nose, while Sheeza Belter had just failed in an attempt to grab both opponents by the throat as he rushed outside, finishing third, a short distance from the winner.
Waller admitted after the race that he had ‘lost faith’ in the mare after two lethargic campaigns, but was pleased to see Espiona play to his obvious talent and claim his fifth career win.
“We lost faith in her a little bit,” said Waller. “But it happens, it’s sport, but you don’t give up.
“They still have their abilities, you just need to find the key again. It’s amazing that you can turn them around and win a big race like this.”
Bought by Star Thoroughbreds in association with Brett Howard of Randwick Bloodstock Agency for A$190,000, Espiona was the first of a series of winning O’Reilly Dahooil mares.
In secret shows excellence as three-year-olds dominate new markets
secret put an exclamation point on her unquestionable ability as she beat an elite group of sprinters to win the time-honored Newmarket Handicap (G1) at Flemington Racecourse .
sublime strikewho finished first in the group of smaller horses in the stands. I wish I wonthe AU$4.60 favorite and also the closest, finished a long way and was a quarter behind third place winner.
In Secret, who entered the open-age company for the first time in his nine-year-old career, achieved his second group 1 success in Flemington, after winning the Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1) in spring.
The Dirty was ridden by Dean Holland after the pre-booked racer Jamie Kah was injured by a fall during the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (G2) earlier on the card. Kah and teammate Craig Williams were taken to hospital following the incident, but initial scans showed that Kah had no broken bones or brain damage. Williams has broken his collarbone.
While In Secret became the fifth 3-year-old in the last 25 years to win Newmarket, along with the likes of Sunlight and Alinghi, Godolphin clinched his second Newmarket win in four years following a 2020 win for Bivouac .
Coach James Cummings’ first thoughts were with the standing jockey, Kah.
“We really feel for Jamie and we hope she’s okay and that’s the most important thing,” Cummings said.
“Then you have to move on. It’s a job trying to find people available at 51.5 (kg) and it’s not an easy thing because Victoria’s weight limit has increased to 54 (kg) and it is quite rare for regular riders to be available to ride with such a light weight.
“He’s a pretty optimistic guy, he doesn’t seem to have any phase with me for any minute and he’s been riding her to that.
“I have to give him credit for filling the big boots there and getting the job done.”
Cummings has confirmed the next In Secret will move from the group 1 disability condition to weight-for-age and join the TJ Smith Stakes (G1) in Randwick on April 1.
“She’s gained weight with age in the three weeks ahead of the best sprinters in the country, but she’s a very, very good horse and we’re grateful as a team that has made it,” Cummings said. get her.
“For His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, winning another Newmarket here – the second in the last four years – is a huge result.”
In The Secret was a AU$900,000 purchase of Godolphin from the Segenhoe draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Annual Sale. She was outside the group of 3 Eloping winners, who have a 2-year-old child. chubby next to Snitzel was purchased by GW Racing Bloodstock and James Bester Bloodstock from the Thoroughbred Longwood draft at this year’s Gold Coast sale.
