Home Affairs puts up challenge to Lightning elders
Coolmore colt bidding to become first three-year-old since Fastnet Rock to win Flemington sprint
The Coolmore syndicate behind star three-year-old Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) does not underestimate the mammoth challenge their flourishing colt faces in today’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at Flemington, but believes the potential upside of landing a blow to his more seasoned elders by far outweighs the risks of defeat in taking on Australia’s best credentialed sprinters.
Home Affairs, who as a juvenile won the Silver Slipper (Gr 2, 1100m) on this weekend’s corresponding Rosehill card a year ago, trailed five lengths behind his stablemate and today’s race favourite Nature Strip (Nicconi) when taking on his elders for the first time in The Everest (1200m) in October, but duly responded when back against his own generation to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) down the Flemington straight on October 30, a win that secured his berth on Coolmore’s prestigious roster.
“We’re under no illusions how difficult the task is in taking on those champion horses that have been very consistent over the last three years,” said Coolmore’s racing manager Rob Archibald. “If we can pull it off, it would mean a huge amount to Coolmore.”
Coolmore knows the required traits in an aspiring three-year-old colt to claim the Lightning Stakes, but you have to go all the way back to 2005 to find it, with the last three-year-old to prevail in Victoria’s premier weight-for-age five furlong sprint being their stud stalwart Fastnet Rock (Danehill).
Indeed, for stallion prospects of all ages, success in the Lightning has been of rare occurrence, with Nicconi (Bianconi) the last entire to win the straight-track contest in 2010.
Since then, the race has been dominated by high class females and geldings, including three-time winner Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), while 2019 winner In Her Time (Time Thief) breaks up the winning streak of triumphant geldings, which includes on its honour roll Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago), Terravista (Captain Rio), Redkirk Warrior (Notnowcato) and most recently Gytrash (Lope De Vega) and last year’s winner Nature Strip (Nicconi).
Following Fastnet Rock’s neck success over Alinghi (Encosta De Lago) in 2005, 35 three-year-olds have tried and failed at weight-for-age level in the Lightning, including the likes of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), Starspangledbanner (Choisir) and Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible), while last year’s contest saw three-year-old fillies September Run (Exceed And Excel) and Swats That (Shamus Award) fill the placings.
Such has been the dominance of the geldings among the male sprint division at weight-for-age level, only Hellbent (I Am Invincible) and Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) – the former in the 2018 William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and the latter in the TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) of the same year – have won as colts at Group 1 weight-for-age level since 2015.
Today’s market leaders Nature Strip and Eduardo (Host) have claimed four Group 1 weight-for-age sprints up to 1200 metres in the last two years.
“We’re hoping we can draw on some of that luck (with Fastnet Rock) and you’ve obviously got to be a very good horse to win it as a three-year-old. We’ve had Fastnet Rock and let’s hope Home Affairs can get the same result,” Archibald said.
“Of course, there’s an element of risk to it, but at the same time there’s a huge amount of upside and we wouldn’t be going there if we didn’t think he could run well.
“All you’re trying to do as his owners is enhance (his value), and I think there’s limited downside, only upside to taking on these seasoned sprinters. I think the market appreciates where they’re at and where their ability is at. As long as he can perform at some stage this preparation in one of these big Group 1s that would be OK.
“I think he’s already put himself as an extremely commercial stallion prospect after his Coolmore victory, but if you go and win at weight-for-age over 1000 metres at Flemington he would certainly be one of the most desirable prospects to go to stud in a long time.”
Archibald said the decision was left to trainer Chris Waller as to Home Affairs’ starting point this autumn campaign, with Victoria’s premier Group 1 sprint handicap in the Newmarket (Gr 1, 1200m) and the TJ Smith Stakes back at weight-for-age remains on the agenda, while a subsequent trip to Royal Ascot has also been mooted.
“It was really left up to Chris, and he felt that this race was the right preparation for the Newmarket and he’s really happy with the way he’s returned. Chris felt this was the way to get the best out of him,” Archibald said.
Home Affairs is set to be ridden by James McDonald, with the champion jockey electing the colt over his more fancied rival Nature Strip, who McDonald steered to a first Everest success in October.
McDonald was in the saddle for his second trial ahead of this preparation in which he finished second at Rosehill over 900 metres.
“His two trials have been great and he jumped out well down the straight. It’s obviously a huge task taking on the field that he has to, but he’s run well down the straight over 1000 metres before and Chris felt this was the best way to start his campaign and all the owners have faith in that,” Archibald said.
Home Affairs will jump from barrier eight in today’s nine-runner field, for which he is a $6 chance behind Nature Strip ($2.70) and Eduardo ($4.40), with William Reid Stakes winner Masked Crusader (Toronado) and 2020 Lightning Stakes winner Gytrash also among the market favourites.