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‘That was breathtaking’ – star filly Sheza Alibi dismantles Doncaster field
By Trevor Marshallsea
@ANZ_News
Peter Moody was left pinching himself after Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) confirmed herself as the latest superstar filly in his care with an unforgettable victory in Saturday’s Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick.
Sheza Alibi, the $10,000 weanling purchase for her sole owner, central Queensland grazier Fred Noffke, pushed her earnings to $3.7 million with her seventh victory in ten starts, her fifth win in a row and her second Group 1 in succession.
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And she did it in emphatic, effortless style, making a field of quality older milers look second-rate on a Soft 7 track.
Jumping from gate 13 of 16 for Jamie Melham under her featherweight 49 kilograms, Sheza Alibi settled second-last as a solid pace was set up front. She came as the widest runner around the home turn, but in just a few strides after the 350 metres, the filly flew past her rivals to turn the event into a procession, streaking home to score by 4.3 lengths as $1.90 favourite.
In doing so, she put herself in rarified company, becoming the first three-year-old filly to take Australia’s greatest mile race since the mighty Sunline (Desert Sun) won the first of her two Doncasters in 1999.
And with the ease of her victories – including a 3.2-length romp in the Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at her previous start – Sheza Alibi has quickly earned mention among some extremely illustrious names.
She’ll not finish unbeaten, thanks to three minor placings in her formative first five starts, but Moody was still left pondering how lucky he is to have the rising star, having also trained the 25-from-25 phenomenon Black Caviar (Bel Esprit).
“I’ve been blessed to train one of the greatest we’ll ever see, but this filly is just amazing,” Moody said. “I’m not saying she’s Black Caviar, but that was just – how good?
“It’s emotional. She’s a special, special horse. Where’s the ceiling? You don’t know.”
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Moody, who now trains in partnership with Katherine Coleman, was led to invoke the name of another special female – who is unbeaten so far – in the 11-from-11 Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), who’s been outstanding over the mile and is also set to grace the Randwick carnival in next Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
“It’s special. I’m happy Autumn Glow wasn’t here, I can tell you that. She’s a superstar,” he said.
“The day will probably come – let’s hope it does for Australian racing – where they meet. I’m happy to stay away from her for as long as we possibly can, but I don’t think we’re going to hide from too many, when you see a performance like that. She’s just a very special horse.”
In the other race within this one, that for second place, Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) took the honours, as he did behind the same filly in the Randwick Guineas, as a $10 second elect. His Chris Waller-trained stablemate Militarize (Dundeel) was third at $41.
The fact Sheza Alibi started odds-on in a Doncaster, and was the only horse in single figures in the market of a 16-horse edition of the history-steeped race, speaks volumes for her rare and exciting quality.
“That was breathtaking,” Moody said. “The second colt is a super colt and what she does is just amazing. Quite phenomenal, and she’s so nondescript. She doesn’t stand out at home in training, she’s just a tradesman. She’s got a great hip, a big deep girth and a hell of a lot of ability.
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“I thought she had the perfect prep. She won the Guineas, got the ballot exemption [for the Doncaster], we missed the penalty and it just set up beautifully.
“The only thing was the soft ground. Good horses like to be close to on top of the ground, any good horse does. Nothing goes faster with cut in the ground.
“[But] crikey –- hard to go much faster than her, her last couple.”
Melham was equally enraptured after riding Sheza Alibi for the first time, with regular partner Luke Nolen unable to make the weight.
“What a horse,” said Melham, who made a special effort to make the 49 kilos given the horse involved.
“I trialled her the other day and she gave me a nice feel, but with blinkers on today, Jesus Christ, I’ve never sat on a horse that has given me goosebumps like that before.
“I got pushed a bit wide and got back a bit too far, but we got there in about a few strides and she just sailed away from them.
“They have a very, very special horse on their hands. I’ve sat on some very special horses before, but I don’t think any come close to the feel she just gave me then.
“I’m very happy to be hungry to be riding a horse like this.”
Moody, celebrating his 63rd Group 1 and his sixth with Coleman, was delighted to sit his first Doncaster trophy alongside those of Australia’s other main shorter-distance handicaps.
“It’s very special. This is one of Australia’s great races. I’ve won a Newmarket [with Black Caviar and Wanted], I’ve won a Stradbroke Handicap [with Mid Summer Music]. Now to win the Doncaster – that’s the big three handicaps in Australian racing,” he said, perhaps forgetting in the excitement the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups, the latter of which he won with Incentivise (Shamus Award) in 2021.
And Moody was also thrilled to take the Doncaster on the same day that Brett Cavanough, his old childhood friend from Charleville, Queensland, won the $1 million Country Championships Final (1400m), with Chidiac (Better Than Ready).
It was a teenaged Cavanough who convinced a 16-year-old Moody to join him strapping at Randwick for the great TJ Smith in the mid-80s.
“I’ll tell you what is very special to me, my great mate Brett Cavanough won the Country Championships earlier in the day,” Moody said.
“We are two boys from Charleville, a small town of 2000 people in Western Queensland and we’ve just won two feature races at Randwick on Doncaster Day.”
Bred by Queensland hobby breeders Fred and Desley Monsour, Sheza Alibi was bought by Noffke for that bargain $10,000 on Inglis Digital.
She is the sole winner from four to race out of Sheza Gypsy (Shaft), a half-sister to a Hong Kong Listed winner who was covered by Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact) during his third of four seasons at Coolmore Australia in 2021 at a fee of $13,750 (inc GST).
However, Sheza Alibi’s younger half-brother Nomadic (King’s Legacy) was stakes-placed in his third start at Randwick last weekend, running third in the Baillieu Handicap (Gr 3, 1400m) for two-year-olds.
The sole Australian stakes winner for Saxon Warrior, Sheza Alibi is one of two Group 1 victors worldwide for the son of Deep Impact (Sunday Silence), after his first-crop son Victoria Road won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf (Gr 1, 8f) in 2022.
Saxon Warrior hasn’t shuttled to Australia since his fourth stint in 2022 and is currently standing in Ireland for €10,000 (approx. AU$16,524).
Sheza Gypsy wasn’t served in 2023 or 2024, but was covered by Newgate’s Ozzmosis (Zoustar) last spring.
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Campione D’Italia cements stud future with Sires’ Produce success
Newgate-China Horse Club colt Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) might not yet have the champion status hinted by his name, but proved himself a special colt in the making with a commanding victory in Saturday’s ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick.
After a poor tenth on debut was followed by a barnstorming win in the Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), Campione D’Italia was one of the unlucky runners of the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m), drifting back to last by the home turn but making up many lengths to finish a 2.1-length fourth behind Guest House (Home Affairs).
The run indicated the extra 200 metres of the Sires’ would be ideal, and that’s how it panned out for the Chris Waller-trained juvenile.
Drifting late to lose favouritism and jump as a $4.20 second elect, the half-million dollar yearling was taken back again from barrier three by James McDonald, settling eighth of the 13.
With only a moderate tempo set, McDonald improved a few places on the fence by the home turn, and eased into the clear at the 350 metres. At that point he still had five lengths to make up as leader Rachini (Zoustar) found the kick expected after an easy time in front.
But Campione D’Italia settled in for the fight and hauled in Rachini at the 150, and had enough in reserve at the end to win by 0.8 lengths from Gai Waterhouse and Adrain Bott’s fast-finishing $15 shot Miss Chanel (Tagaloa).
Another Waller-trained colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) – Fireball – was the same margin further back in third, 3.1 lengths ahead of fellow $18 chance Rachini.
Streisand (Magnus) – the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner and Golden Slipper runner-up who was bought during the week by Yulong in a $5.5 million deal – appeared to disappoint running seventh as a $3.30 favourite, one place behind another recent Yulong acquisition in Paradoxium (Extreme Choice), at $8.
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The victory of Campione D’Italia in the Inglis-sponsored Sires’ Produce brought together Australia’s two major auction houses.
Magic Millions boss Gerry Harvey bred the colt and sold him via his Baramul Stud draft at the Gold Coast last January to the China Horse Club, Newgate and partners for $500,000, but stayed in for 20 per cent.
Harvey was thus delighted to receive the winners’ trophy from Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch, not missing the opportunity for a few cheeky digs at his rival auction boss.
Harvey told reporters: “The colt got passed in in the ring and I told [Newgate managing director] Henry Field, ‘I want $600,000’, and he said, ‘I’ll give you $500,000’, and I said, ‘Get lost’.
“In the end I took it and luckily I kept 20 per cent for myself.”
Waller was full of praise for Campione D’Italia, who cemented his stud future at Newgate with his maiden Group 1 success.
“He’s a young horse. Today was his fourth career start and each run has got a little bit better,” Waller said after his 194th Group 1 victory.
“His run in the Golden Slipper was amazing. He just got too far back. It was no-one’s fault, and the horse is learning all the time.
“He got a lovely draw today, and that was the difference between having him in the firing line or going back like he was last start. It was good to see him knuckle down and get the job done.
“He’s got raw talent. His first start he did everything wrong, just because he thought, ‘Right, let’s get the race over and done with.’ We had to harness that a little bit and bring him back. He’s a lovely colt.”
While the style of his win suggested Campione D’Italia would be suited by the extra distance of the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) in two weeks, Waller was non-committal on a start. He said the colt would thrive at the distance in a Guineas race as a three-year-old, but is unsure about tackling the Champagne at this stage of his development.
“We’ll see how he comes through it,” Waller said. “Obviously it’s a big deal to win for a colt, but there’s so much to come for him. That’ll be the only thing swaying us. He’ll get a Guineas trip, it’s just a matter of whether he’s ready for it now.”
McDonald agreed the future looked especially bright for Campione D’Italia.
“He’s a sensational horse. He’s been a work in progress and Mr Harvey told me, ‘Make sure I keep my hands down. I don’t want that horse throwing his head’,” McDonald said.
“He’s beautifully bred and is a horse with a real future, I’m sure he’ll run the 1600 metres right out.
“It was great to see him put it together today. We’ve always had a big opinion of him. Chris and the team have done such a good job to keep him improving with each start.”
Campione D’Italia comes from a well-performed family. He’s the fifth foal of 1200-metre winner Medaglia Valore (Medaglia D’Oro), who’s had four winners from five runners and has also thrown the Group 2-placed Snitzel Miss (Snitzel) and the Group 3-placed Flashing Steel (Not A Single Doubt).
Second dam Military Rose (General Nediym) won five stakes races including the STC Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) which helped her become second top filly on the 2009-10 Australasian 2YO Classification. She’s also the second dam of dual Group 3-winning two-year-old Espionage (Zoustar).
Medaglia Valore’s colt by Zoustar (Northern Meteor) sold for $750,000 to trainer Mick Price at Magic Millions Gold Coast in January. She missed to the late Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) in 2024 but was covered by Zoustar again last November.
Campione D’Italia becomes the 27th individual Group 1 winner for Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and is one 170 stakes winners worldwide from 1,717 runners for the stallion – a stakes winner strike-rate of 9.9 per cent. The Arrowfield titan died last June but is still a runaway leader on the Australian general sires’ table, seeking his fifth champion’s title.
Joliestar all set for Royal Ascot raid after fifth Group 1 success
The TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) was the next on the card and Chris Waller’s Joliestar (Zoustar) delivered the champion trainer his second Group 1 of the day and her fifth overall, before a Royal Ascot mission was confirmed for the flying five-year-old.
Randwick’s weight-for-age autumn sprint highlight was an intriguing betting race, with both Joliestar and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) attracting late support, the mare starting a $3.90 favourite and the gelding a $4.60 equal second elect.
And that assessment proved accurate as Joliestar lived up to the punters’ support, outsprinting Giga Kick at the finish to score by 0.6 lengths.
Settling midfield of the nine on the inside for James McDonald, Joliestar assumed the lead from Overpass (Vancouver) at the 250 metres while Giga Kick was winding up after travelling deeper in the field.
Despite racing on the inferior section of the track, Joliestar took a one-length lead by the 150 metres and was able to comfortably withstand Giga Kick’s finish, in a win which took her earnings past $9 million.
Skybird (Exosphere) finished another 0.4 lengths back in third in spite of the $41 hope’s barrier antics pre-race.
Meanwhile, the boom lowered further on Godolphin colt Tentyris (Street Boss). Another who was backed in, from $5 to start $4.60, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained sprinter didn’t look at home in his first attempt on wet ground, travelling last and finishing last.
At the other end it was all almost routine for Joliestar, who was scoring a third straight success and back-to-back top tier wins after taking Randwick’s Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m) the start previous.
She may have to battle for air time alongside two contemporary females Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) and Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior), but such is Joliestar’s ability – and maturity after 21 starts – that Waller had no hesitation in confirming a Royal Ascot mission post-race, targeting the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) in June.
“I would go to Royal Ascot and bring her back for The Everest – she has just started to mature as a racehorse,” Waller said.
“I think we will probably go for the Jubilee at Royal Ascot. We had the trip planned well before today but we wanted to see her run well in the TJ to cement her place for England.
“She’ll have a little bit of down time now and then we’ll work our way back from Royal Ascot. We’ll do our usual jump-outs and trials and get her on the plane.
“She goes so well fresh and no doubt will represent Australasia very well on the grand stage,” the expat Kiwi said of the Cambridge Stud-owned mare.
Waller said Saturday’s victory highlighted the development of Joliestar over the past year.
She was good enough to win Flemington’s Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) in March last year, but then disappointed in the T J Smith when ninth as a $3.30 favourite.
“That is the difference between her this year compared to last year,” Waller said.
“Last year, she could pull out a belter but wide draws and luck in running could get her beaten. But she is a more complete racehorse now.”
McDonald, after taking his Australian Group 1 record to 134, said any doubts from earlier in her career had been erased by Joliestar now.
“She has had her doubters before, but they have no leg to stand on now. She is a grand final winner,” he said.
“I just let her gallop [today]. I learnt not to organise her too much. Even though I would have preferred to be on the outside, I wasn’t too deterred by the inside because I had room, she was organised and as it happens so often, us jockeys overplay the bias a little bit.
“When I walked the track I didn’t think it was that bad, where I was.”
Asked about Royal Ascot, McDonald said: “It’s very exciting and no doubt she’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”
A $950,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Joliestar now has ten wins and seven placings from 21 starts.
With prize money of $9.03 million, she is the highest earner for reigning champion sire Zoustar, and one of the Widden Stud flagbearer’s 79 stakes winners from 1,187 runners, at 6.7 per cent.
It was a red-letter day for the son of Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago), having also sired two new stakes winners across the country in Plaintiff and Zoupurring, who scored in the PJ Bell Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Randwick and the Railway Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Oakbank respectively.
Bred by Chris and Jane Barham, she is the best of six winners from six to race out of the Group 1-placed and Group 2-winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Jolie Bay, herself a sister to both Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Merchant Navy and Listed winner Setanta.
Cambridge also bought Jolie Bay’s filly by Anamoe (Street Boss) at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, for $470,000.
The mare now has a Joliestar’s weanling brother at foot, and was covered by Darley’s Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) last spring.
Baker’s Green Spaces a cut above in Australian Derby
Trainer Bjorn Baker was thrilled to emulate his father Murray in winning the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Randwick on Saturday as Godolphin colt Green Spaces (Street Boss) continued his sire’s hot run of success with a dominant victory.
Well supported at $4.40 and ridden superbly by Rachel King, Green Spaces settled midfield while a moderate pace was set by Godolphin’s more fancied runner Observer (Ghaiyyath), the $3 favourite.
So dominant in winning the VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) last spring and the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) earlier this preparation, Observer was a beaten force by the 300 metres as another son of Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) Storm Leopard ($4.60) – took the lead soon after straightening.
But while that $4.60 chance gave his backers hope early in the straight, Green Spaces was unwinding with an irresistible run down the centre of the track, and he came away to win by 3.2 lengths.
Dezignation (So You Think) – the rank outside of the field at $151 – again showed trainer Matt Smith’s knack with longshots in major races, finishing stoutly to be the best of the rest in second place, while Storm Leopard held on for third and Observer managed fifth.
Green Spaces follows his three-quarter brother Trekking (Street Cry) in becoming the second Group 1 victor from six runners for their dam Outdoor (Redoute’s Choice).
Baker, the Warwick Farm-based expat Kiwi, is renowned for never letting slip the chance to celebrate, but this win meant more than most.
New Zealand-based Murray Baker has a powerful reputation as a trainer of young stayers, and has won the Australian Derby five times, as well as – by Bjorn’s recollection – the VRC Derby, two New Zealand Derbies (Gr 1, 2400m) and a Wellington Derby (Gr 2, 2400m).
And thus a breakthrough Derby victory had Bjorn high on emotion at Randwick, saying he’d spoken to his father about the race several times in the past week.
“He said, ‘Don’t leave him short son, don’t leave him short’,” said the younger Baker, who’d assured his father he hadn’t. “I said, ‘Murray, we’re not training for jumps!’ It’s not Warrnambool.
“But you know what - fitness always wins.
“It’s so special. We’re very proud.”
Baker, who also saddled Blue Door (Stay Inside) for a tough debut success in the Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) in the opening race on Saturday’s card, was high on confidence about Green Spaces following his fast-finishing second in the Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) but also based on his trackwork during the week.
“I was very confident he would win and I thought he might put a space on them, and he did,” Baker said.
“When they are in the zone like that – his trackwork has been in the zone – I was very confident. I couldn’t have had him any better going into today.
“Every time I looked at him in the box, his coat was great. He’s in the zone and his work on Tuesday was great.
“The rain came this morning and I was very confident he was fit enough.”
Celebrating his 12th Group 1, Baker was also delighted for his jockey and friend King, who scored her eighth.
He forecast the pair might aim to bring up another one with Green Spaces at Flemington in November.
“She’s done so much work for our stable and she delivers, she delivers on the big stage. She rode him perfectly today, it was an exceptional ride,” he said.
“And I love taking Victoria’s money, so Melbourne Cup – bring it on!”
King was in turn full of praise for Green Spaces, and his trainer.
“It’s just satisfying,” the winning rider said. “I’ve had so much belief in this horse, the whole team has. They’ve done an amazing job and Bjorn has just timed it to perfection.
“He’s a beautiful horse and it set up perfectly for him today. I was very confident it would. He just relaxed so well, did everything I asked – a very satisfying win.”
Bred by Darley, Green Spaces is one of three stakes winners for Outdoor, with dual Group 1-winning sprinter Trekking also joined on that list by Winnie Star, a Listed victor in Macau. Outdoor has also thrown the stakes-placed Plymstock (Ribchester).
A three-time winner for Anthony Freedman, Outdoor now has a yearling colt by Pinatubo (Shamardal) and a weanling colt by Harry Angel (Dark Angel), and was covered by new Darley sire Traffic Warden (Street Boss) last December.
The 21-year-old Street Boss, who stood at Darley’s Northwood Park last spring for $66,000 (inc GST), is enjoying an exceptional run of form.
With elite winners this year in Tentyris, Tempted and Pericles, he headed into Saturday ranked seventh on the Australian general sires’ table and emerged one place better, after a previous best finish of tenth in 2023.
Green Spaces became Street Boss’s 14th Group 1 victor, among 88 stakes winners from 1,517 runners at 5.8 per cent.
