Skybird takes flight to strike an upset Lightning win
Mitchell Freedman paid tribute to a “damn good racehorse” after Skybird (Exosphere) led home a mares trifecta in a boilover in Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning (Gr 1, 1000m) at Flemington.
All the talk in the lead-up to the first elite-level sprint of the year had focused on the clash between a trio of high-class colts raced by three of the world’s biggest operations, but Skybird and her jockey John Allen tore up the script as the $110,000 purchase exploded first-up to take her career earnings to $1.275 million.
Skybird left the likes of the Coolmore-raced Switzerland (Snitzel), Godolphin’s Traffic Warden (Street Boss) and Yulong colt Growing Empire (Zoustar) all trailing in her wake as she became the first elite-level winner for her late Oaklands Stud sire Exosphere (Lonhro).
Stretan Angel (Harry Angel) and Benedetta (Hellbent) chased her home but were no match for a mare – finishing a length and 2.8 lengths behind her respectively – as she scored as a generally unwanted $26 chance. Favourite Switzerland finished fourth.
Described by her trainer as “high maintenance”, Skybird showed she had the talent to compensate for her quirks as she notched a second Group 1 for the Ballarat-based trainer.
While she is unlikely to scale the heights of last year’s winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), who retired with ten Group 1 wins to her name, the lightly raced mare is building a very handy profile with five wins and three minor placings from her 12 starts.
“She brought her ‘A game’ and proved she’s a great sprinter today,” said Freedman.
“I couldn’t believe people were saying she’s not sharp enough for 1000 metres, she certainly proved a few people wrong today. She can be quite high maintenance, and she gets a lot of love and close attention in the stables, as all our horses do. But you don’t mind that when she’s such a damn good racehorse.
“We just built her towards the race. Her trial at Horsham ten days ago and her work on Tuesday were both phenomenal, so we were thrilled with her coming into the race. I knew we were up against it, but I was happy when the rain started to fall because I thought the softer track would suit her.
“She was coiled up behind them there and I was just wanting a gap to come. When it did, she burst through and galloped away from them for an incredible win. It was fantastic to see.”
Having raced over a mile previously in her career – winning the 2023 Fillies Classic (Gr 2, 1600m) at The Valley on just her third start before finishing third behind Joliestar (Zoustar) in the Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) – Skybird has the versatility to match her undoubted talent. But at least for the foreseeable future, Freedman has vowed to keep her at sprint distances.
The four-year-old is now likely to return to Flemington – where she is yet to finish outside the top three in three stakes outings – for the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) in three weeks’ time, before another Group 1 test awaits at The Valley in the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) a fortnight later.
“There were many factors that were telling us she’s a sprinter,” said Freedman.
“Not only her gene tests, but a number of things she does at home. We just knew that she was flying. We’ve always thought that she’d be a sprinter and that we’d get back to these shorter trips once she had matured and knew what her job was.
“We had to try her out over the longer distances as a three-year-old to race in those bigger races, and as a four-year-old as well. A few people were telling us she wasn’t fast enough for Group 1 sprints, but I think everyone can see she’s a sprinter now.”
Allen, who was in the saddle for the first time having taken over from regular rider Beau Mertens, echoed those sentiments but admitted he was somewhat surprised by the dominant manner of Skybird’s victory.
“I was expecting her to run well today because I knew she had been flying, but I might have been a bit cocky thinking she’d be a winning chance today,” the Irish-born winning rider said.
“I couldn’t believe how well we were going. I was following Switzerland, halfway up the straight I was going to stay on his back and try to follow him through, but I was going that well I just had to come off him and try and find my own path.
“She quickened up and put the race to bed very quickly. To be honest, from about the halfway mark I just felt like she couldn’t get beaten.
“She’s always shown a lot of potential and Mitch thought she’d come back in even better order this prep. He’s always had big belief in her, and he’s been proven right today.
“I’m really pleased for Mitch, I’ve known him since I came to Australia and he’s doing a great job with his team of horses. I’ve had a bit of a barren spell myself in Group 1s over the last couple of years, but it’s good to get one up the famous Flemington straight.”
Skybird (4 m Exosphere – Real Desire by Wanted) is the third foal and third winner out of winning Wanted (Fastnet Rock) mare Real Desire, whose dam Forest Finch (Waajib) is a half-sister to Snippets’ Lass (Snippets) – the dam of champion sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice).
Real Desire is herself a half-sister to the Listed-placed multiple winner Flying Along (Belong To Me), and has since produced an unraced colt by Deep Field (Northern Meteor) named The Real Man, as well as a colt by Pierro (Lonhro). Real Desire was covered by Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) last October.
Of the high-profile beaten brigade, persistent rain which led to the track being downgraded to a Soft 7 may have hindered their prospects. However, James McDonald, who forsook the ride on Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) in the Apollo Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick to resume his partnership with Switzerland, was reasonably satisfied with the colt’s performance.
“I thought he ran well,” said McDonald, who drew a very rare blank. “We got bottled up and were crowded for a bit which he didn’t appreciate that, but he dashed late.”
More questions could perhaps be asked of Growing Empire, who was very wayward in the home straight and found little under pressure, eventually finishing seventh of the ten runners.
“I didn’t want to be on the inside of the leaders but I had no choice, and then he was very green off the bridle,” said his rider Mark Zahra.
Traffic Warden made a pleasing enough return for James Cummings, shooting up the inside rail from near last to grab fifth under Jamie Melham.
“He went very, very well today,” said Melham, who like McDonald also failed to ride a winner on the day.
“He was playing up in the gates and missed the start, but he will benefit from today for his next start.”