A memory for the ages
Invoking memories of Phar Lap (Night Raid) for any comparison might be a sign of over-enthusiasm. The reverence surrounding Phar Lap places him in the untouchable category as he was in a world of his own in 1930 and has been ever since.
Yet newspaper reports of his win in the Weight-for-Age King’s Plate, staged at Flemington on March 8, 1930, are eerily similar to the performance from Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) which we all witnessed on Saturday at Randwick.
A phenomenal powerhouse, Phar Lap had run up four successive wins during the spring of 1929 but the following autumn the King’s Plate was his third in a sequence that would extend to nine by the end of the season.
He began that week with a five-length win in the VRC St Leger on March 1. Five days later he added the Governor’s Plate by four lengths but it was the King’s Plate victory which grabbed everyone’s attention as, mid-race, he was half a furlong ahead of his rivals. At the post he was eased down yet still 20 lengths in advance of the second runner.
Four wins later, in the Australian Jockey Club Plate, his winning margin was ten lengths, defeating the New Zealand champion Nightmarch (Night Raid), and in Australasian record time.
Phar Lap was so superior he simply broke his opponents hearts by bounding to the front, setting up big margins and coasting to the line. The racing world had seen nothing like him.
After Pride Of Jenni’s spectacular effort in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), industry commentators were largely lost for words. One can only imagine that when Phar Lap destroyed his rivals in much the same manner, the effect was the same.
Everyone knew that Pride Of Jenni would lead. Her pattern was well established. However, when the lead was 30 lengths at the 800 metres, how many thought that she couldn’t possibly keep up that pace? Certainly, the riders of the chasers must have thought so but the mare was unstoppable. At the same point of the race, Darren Flindell’s commentary included: “I have never seen a lead this big in a Group 1.”
Pride Of Jenni arrived at the 300-metre mark at least 50 metres in front and the margin had not shrunk when she reached the 200-metre. Past the 100-metre mark the field had gained but their chase was all for nothing and at the post she still had more than six lengths up her sleeve.
Flindell’s description of “demolition” was entirely appropriate but so was the comment from champion jockey James McDonald, aboard runner-up Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock), whose one-word observation said it all: “Embarrassing.” The most commonly used adjective was “unbelievable”.
Nevertheless, we saw it with our own eyes and even on replay her performance is simply staggering. We will be talking about Pride Of Jenni’s Queen Elizabeth in the same breath as the Bonecrusher (Pag–Asa) – Waverley Star (Star Way) battle up the Moonee Valley straight during the 1986 Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m).
Trelawney treasure
Bred by Brent and Cherry Taylor of Trelawney Stud, Pride Of Jenni is the first foal of Sancerre (O’Reilly), herself a four times winner including at Te Rapa. Sancerre’s dam, Vouvray (Zabeel), scored the 2004 Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m), adding elite top-flight placings in the Rawson Stakes (Ranvet Stakes) (Gr 1, 2000m), the BMW Stakes (HE Tancred Stakes) (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). Vouvray was fourth to champion Grand Armee (Hennessy) in the 2005 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The latter was the victor in her Rawson and Mackinnon placings.
Trelawney have a major interest in this family as they bred Group 1 winners A Touch Of Ruby (Pins) and Loire (Redoute’s Choice) from Syrah (Traditionally), a half-sister to Vouvray. Loire foaled a colt to Frankel (Galileo) last August.
Vouvray is bred on the same Zabeel (Sir Tristram)-Success Express (Hold Your Peace) cross as Savabeel (Zabeel), her dam, Real Success a three-times Group winner. This family has its roots in North America and the best known performers are successful sires Alzao (Lyphard) and Tom Rolfe (Ribot).
Gold and black
The Lindsays of Cambridge Stud had reason for dual celebrations during The Championships when, firstly, their own filly, Joliestar (Zoustar), took her superb record to three wins and three seconds in just six starts with a quality win in the rich Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (Gr 2, 1200m).
Joliestar was having her first start since minor surgery subsequent to comfortably taking out the Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Caulfield last November. In a hot Arrowfield Sprint field of three-year-olds she needed to be good. At the 400 metres she was behind a wall of horses. A kind split at the 300 metres saw her drive through, lead narrowly at the 100 metres and even if the winning margin was a head she looked as if she had something in reserve.
The filly was expensive at $950,000 but she has banked all that and more, her balance standing at $1,717,225 million. Her purchase price was due to her being out of Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock), a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed sister to Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock), winner at Royal Ascot of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) and the Coolmore Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). In other words, royalty personified.
She is by the hugely in-demand Zoustar (Northern Meteor) whose progeny at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sales sold up to $2.2 million, averaging $693,333 for an aggregate of $18,720,000. Accounting for three of the top six lots, the hype surrounding Zoustar does not appear as if it will wane any time soon.
Joliestar’s value is through the roof and her potential to add to her already super record is enormous. Perhaps the best feature is that the Lindsays are breeders and her foals will find their way to the one of the three premier sales some time in the future. In the meantime, we can look forward to her racetrack performances next spring.
Coming into his own
Cambridge Stud’s second reason for celebration is a notable stakes double due to their resident sire Almanzor (Wootton Bassett), who is coming into his own.
Who can forget the impact Almanzor made when his first crop included the Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m) winner Dynastic, who was so impressive that night. Given that Almanzor’s own form was best shown as a three year old, it was a bonus that Dynastic gave him such a promising start to his stud career.
Yes, shuttler Almanzor was a Listed winner himself at two but at three he scored at Group 1 level three times including the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2100m) then defeated champion Found (Galileo) twice, in the Irish Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) and in the Ascot Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f). From Almanzor’s same 2019 southern hemisphere crop emerged Manzoice, winner of the VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) as well as Group 3 winner Cheval d’Or.
His 16 black-type winners are evenly divided between the two hemispheres and two of the northern-bred stock, Circle Of Fire and Athabascan, provided the quinella in Saturday’s Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m).
In addition to the 16 are a further 23 stakes placed performers of which five are classic placed, namely: Mehzebeen, Virtuous Circle, Andalus, Blue Solitaire and Qali Al Farrasha. A shade more luck and Almanzor’s record might look considerably different.
Proving his versatility Almanzor’s 16th stakes winner is Qali Al Farrasha’s younger brother, Nucleozor, winner of Riccarton’s Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and unbeaten in three starts.
His last two wins have been clear cut affairs. On March 23 he ran away by more than three lengths over 1000 metres and on Saturday lengthened stride from the 200 metres and cruised to the line more than four lengths clear.
Expect him to be sent north in the spring. The stable will be keen to test him against his northern counterparts. He is not eligible for the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m) but the The NZB Kiwi (1500m) is a worthy goal.
Not offered for sale, Nucleozor was bred in partnership by Te Akau Stud from Necleonic (Burgundy), a winning half-sister to Melbourne Group 2 winner Tijuana (American Pharaoh). Their dam, Mexican Rose (Volksraad) was a champion in Singapore, winning three Listed races there.
About time
Little Avondale Stud have had to be patient regarding local stakes results surrounding Time Test (Dubawi) and Panic could provide something of a turning point for the young sire.
Representing Time Test’s second Southern Hemisphere crop, Panic had to be brave when scoring the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) as he was vulnerable from inside the 400 metres when sharing the lead. At the 100 metres he put his head in front but, to the line, had to pull out all the stops, lifting gamely over the final few strides for his fourth win in six starts.
The three-year-old won on debut at Nowra last September, landed two starts later at Newcastle and after a short break returned in March for a good win from a wide draw at Wyong. Saturday’s effort was a step up in class yet he handled it well, carving out the 1400 metres in a slick 1:21.98.
An all-Little Avondale Stud product, Panic is from a Per Incanto (Street Cry) sister to triple Group 2 winner and twice Group 1 placed Saracino (Per Incanto). His family is essentially one driven by Haunui Farm as he descends from the Dopff (Tights) branch of their Foxona (Foxbridge) family. Haunui Farm has been breeding from this line for nine equine generations.
Within the last 14 months the Dopff branch has also been responsible for 2023 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Zourion (Zoustar), Pearl Of Alsace (Tavistock), winner of the 2023 Cuddle Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) and Positivity (Almanzor), winner of the 2024 Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 2100m) and second in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). This is a prolific family.