A weekend of uncertainty for owner Neville Morgan over whether his
three-year-old colt Kermadec (Teofilo) would gain a start in the A$3 million
Doncaster Mile (Aus-G1) ended in the best possible way when the bay stormed down
the middle of the track Monday to hand Morgan his second win in the coveted
race.
Second on the also eligibles, Kermadec had drawn into the field when the race
was originally slated for Saturday, but when the skies opened up, causing the
postponement of opening day of The Championships at Randwick, the withdrawals
were re-instated and Kermadec was once again on the fringes. Godolphin hope It’s
Somewhat (Dynaformer) was scratched Monday morning, and trainer Chris Waller
withdrew Moriarty (Clodovil), allowing his other charge a run with the lightest
impost in the lineup.
Breaking from barrier 19 in the capacity field of 20, Kermadec and jockey
Glen Boss traveled wide in the second half of the field as longshot Ninth Legion
(Fastnet Rock) carved out the pace and Japan’s Real Impact (Deep Impact), winner
of the George Ryder S. (Aus-G1) first-up March 21, stalked the leaders in third.
Real Impact hit the lead at the top of the lane but Kermadec found a seam at the
150-meter mark and burst through, drawing clear to score comfortably from the
Japanese raider.
Kermadec’s stablemate, the 2013 Australian Oaks (Aus-G1) heroine Royal
Descent (Redoute’s Choice), made an eye-catching run up the middle of the track
to grab third, her fifth Group 1 placing since her classic score.
It is the second Doncaster Mile win for Morgan, who was also victorious with
the Waller-trained Rangirangdoo (Pentire) in 2010; the fifth Doncaster for
Waller and the sixth for Boss.
Morgan revealed that he was preparing to tee up in Queensland when he got the
call at 7:30 a.m. that his horse had drawn in.
“We were in our golf gear when the call came and then booked the plane
tickets (and flew down to Sydney),” he said. “We weren’t taking anything for
granted. It is worth it now. You wouldn’t miss this.”
Kermadec didn’t see the racetrack as a juvenile but has certainly made up for
lost time. He won first-up going seven furlongs at Warwick Farm September 29,
and after finishing second in a benchmark 73 contest he earned his first stakes
score in his black-type bow in the Carbine Club S. (Aus-G1) going a mile at
Flemington. A summer holiday ensued, and Kermadec was fourth when returning over
1200 meters in the Eskimo Prince S. (Aus-G3) at Rosehill. Third behind the dual
Group 1 winner Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) and another of Monday’s opponents
in Sweynesse (Lonhro) in the Hobartville S. (Aus-G2) two weeks later, Kermadec
returned to Victoria to be beaten less than 1 1/2 lengths after a troubled trip
in the Australian Guineas (Aus-G1). Making his fourth start in six weeks in the
George Ryder two weeks ago, Kermadec was a fast-finishing third behind Real
Impact.
Asked about his colt’s lack of luck prior to Monday, Waller said, “He’s a
Group 1 horse and he obviously proved that today. It’s irrelevant now though —
he’s won his race now and being a colt, he’s obviously got a very bright
future.”
Two days after its original start date, the Australian Derby (Aus-G1) finally
got underway Monday with persistent rain ensuring the 2400-meter contest was a
true test of stamina. One horse already proven over the trip was Mongolian Khan
(Holy Roman Emperor), and he clinched his second Derby with a gritty victory
over Hauraki (Reset), who just got the better of Volkstok’n’barrell (Tavistock)
for second.
Breaking smartly from an inside draw under jockey Opie Bosson, Mongolian Khan
had a great position throughout the contest as Hampton Court (Redoute’s Choice)
led at a stop-start pace. Approaching the straight as the leaders began to bunch
up Volkstok’n’barrell got a dream run up the inside rail and looked a likely
winner; however, he was soon tackled by the both Hauraki and Mongolian Khan as
Omeros (High Chaparral) blew his chance by hanging violently across the track.
Once Bosson got serious with his mount he responded generously, and Mongolian
Khan galloped on strongly to the line to win by a length and give his trainer
Murray Baker his third victory in the event. The winning jockey has experienced
the ups and downs of racing, having struggled with his weight over the years,
and he commented, “He jumped, got himself into the race and travelled
beautifully throughout.”
Those thoughts were echoed by trainer Murray Baker, who did a fine job in
producing the horse in such good shape after a disappointing run in the Rosehill
Guineas (Aus-G1) in his Australian bow March 21. He credited a spell swimming
with helping bring the horse back to peak, and the long term target is Melbourne
with a horse Baker describes as “a real (2400 meters) horse who keeps going at
the one speed — which is quite fast.”
Ten-for-11 in his native New Zealand, including the New Zealand Derby (NZ-G1)
over Volkstok’n’barrel, Mongolian Khan was a well-beaten fifth behind that rival
when making his first start in Australia in the Rosehill Guineas two weeks ago,
but he appeared much more at home Monday and was able to turn the tables on that
rival. Baker said he thinks Mongolian Khan would be well suited to the Caulfield
Cup (Aus-G1), but appeared cautious when asked about the horse’s chances of
staying the 3200-meter trip of the Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1), a race the owner is
keen to take in.
Mongolian Khan is owned by Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry, an
organization founded in 2006 by entrepreneur Lang Ling that advertises itself as
the largest non-farming horse breeder and feedstock trader in China.
Immediately after Pride of Dubai (Street Cry) opened his account in the Blue
Diamond S. (Aus-G1) February 28, trainers Peter and Paul Snowden had suggested
the Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum homebred would bypass Australia’s
richest juvenile contest, the 1200-meter Golden Slipper (Aus-G1), in favor of
the Sires’ Produce S. (Aus-G1) where they felt the extra furlong would suit him.
The father-and-son combination stuck to their decision when the colt gained new
connections including Coolmore and the China Horse Club, and their master plan
came to awesome fruition Monday when Pride of Dubai became the first horse to
complete the Blue Diamond-Sires’ Produce double.
Halfway through the race, however, things were not going according to plan.
The strapping bay, who had come from the back of the field in all his previous
starts, found himself trapped four wide without cover and seemed to over race
badly under Hugh Bowman. Sent for the lead at the top of the lane, he was
clearly headed by fellow Sheikh Khalifa colorbearer Rageese (Street Cry) passing
the 200-meter mark, but digging deep, he fought back gamely and pulled clear to
score by three-quarters of a length. Rageese and Odyssey Moon (Snitzel), who had
less than a length between them in the Pago Pago S. (Aus-G2) March 14,
dead-heated for second.
“I must admit I was very worried halfway through the race, when he was four
deep and over racing” Paul Snowden said. “He has never done that before but he
was true to his word and carried on where he left off in the Blue Diamond. He is
a really exciting colt going forward and there is plenty of upside to him.”
Drawing comparison with one of the best horses he was associated with during
his days with John Hawkes, Snowden continued, “I’ve been lucky enough to be in a
situation where I’ve worked with some very good horses and this is what good
two-year-olds do, they do things they shouldn’t be doing and they do them with
ease. Octagonal was never a two-year-old but he almost won a Golden Slipper. I’m
not saying this horse is in that category yet but he’s doing things that he
shouldn’t be doing. He should have got beat today the way he raced and where he
was in the run, but he showed some championship qualities and pulled out plenty
at the end.”
Bowman, who was winning his first Sires’ Produce, also lauded his mount’s
tenacity, saying, “Full credit to him, he had to do it the hard was. He’s an
exciting horse going towards the Champagne S. (Aus-G1), but wait till you see
him as a three year-old.”
China Horse Club manager Teo Ah Khing indicated after the race that the
decision whether or not to press on to the Champagne S. would be made in concert
with the colt’s other owners.
Although twice Group 1-placed since last November, Chautauqua (Encosta de
Lago) has boxed along largely in the wings as five-time Group 1 winner Lankan
Rupee (Redoute’s Choice), Terravista (Captain Rio) and more recently the Royal
Ascot-bound Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) have battled it out for the title of
Australia’s best sprinter. That all changed in a shade over 1:11 Monday,
however, when the gray swooped from last over a speed-favoring heavy track to
take the A$2.5 million T.J. Smith S. (Aus-G1), a Win and You’re In qualifier for
the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).
Dropping back to last, more than 10 lengths off the lead, immediately after
the break, Chautauqua and rider Tommy Berry bided their time as Lankan Rupee
traveled in third and Terravista was wide in midpack. Longshot Lord of the Sky (Danerich)
grabbed the lead approaching the 200-meter mark as Lankan Rupee failed to
respond to the whip on the inside and Chautauqua drew even with a rallying
Terravista out wide. The gray quickly put Terravista away and got up just in
time to nail Lord of the Sky on the wire. Terravista stuck on for third, and
Lankan Rupee beat just one home.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes had no reservations in proclaiming his charge not
only the best sprinter in the land, but on the globe.
“We all know who is the best sprinter in the world now,” Hawkes said. “He is
a super horse, has been knocking on the door and has been unlucky in his last
couple of runs — you just have to have a bit of luck on the right day.”
Chautauqua was ridden by Tommy Berry for the first time Monday, and the rider
remarked, “I didn’t know whether I’d won it or not so I went back to check the
photo as quick as I could. I was in an awkward spot coming to the corner. I just
let him relax and come around them.
“It was a hard-run race — I didn’t see much happening in front of me. So I
just bided my time. It’s nice when they let down like that. He’s a super horse.
How often do you get chances to ride sprinters like this for the first time?”
Defending race winner Lankan Rupee, who had emerged from last month’s
Newmarket H. (Aus-G1) with sore muscles and stifle issues, recorded the worst
finish of his career in ninth.
“Very disappointing — he needs to go to the paddock and start again,” said
jockey Craig Newitt.
Chautauqua got off the mark at third asking at Geelong a little over a year
ago. Second in the Gosford Guineas in his black-type bow next out, he was
seventh in the Royal Sovereign S. (Aus-G2) two weeks later and has been worse
than second just once since. He rebounded to take the 1400-meter Hawkesbury
Guineas (Aus-G3) a further two weeks later, and slipped to fifth in Scone’s
Inglis 3YO Guineas to close out his sophomore campaign last May.
Chautauqua kicked off his four-year-old campaign with a pair of wins going
1200 meters at Flemington last spring, in the Bobbie Lewis Quality (Aus-G3) and
Gilgai S. (Aus-G2), and finished a narrowly beaten second, between Terravista
and Lankan Rupee, in his Group 1 debut in the Darley Classic November 8. Put
away for a summer holiday thereafter, Chautauqua took Caulfield’s Rubiton S.
(Aus-G2) on seasonal debut February 14, and was once again second at the highest
level a month later in the Newmarket H., this time behind Brazen Beau, with
Lankan Rupee — who had kicked off his season with a win in the Lightning S.
(Aus-G1) over Brazen Beau — again in third and Lord of the Sky in fourth.
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