Quinella for Moore as Hostwin Achilles lands Derby Trial
A perfectly executed ride by J B Hamel gave Nick Moore his second Group victory when Hostwin Achilles (Deep Field) took out Saturday’s Group 3 Derby Trial (1500m), defeating his much more fancied stablemate Circuit Miles (Fastnet Rock).
Moore was bullish all week about the chances of Circuit Miles, the horse that he has set for the Derby, with Hostwin Achilles ending up in the race purely as an afterthought.
“I’m absolutely stoked, what a surprise that was; and to quinella the race as well. I do think Circuit Miles should have won, only bad luck beat him, but I am thrilled with the win by Hostwin Achilles and so happy for the owners Mr. and Mrs. Tam,” said Moore. “Jason (Tam) has been a huge supporter of mine, and was also a great supporter of my Father as well.
“We won the Guineas with Hostwin Saturn last year and now we’ve got a Group 3 with this horse.
“Initially I wasn’t going to run him, as he is by Deep Field and more of a 1200-metre sprinter; he can get a bit hot and fired up. But the way he ran on late in his last run over 1200 metres, I thought ‘well the race is for four-year-olds and I’ll just give it a shot’.
“But I’ve got to say that I never expected him to be knocking off my main runner Circuit Miles, but J B (Hamel) gave him a beautiful ride. He found cover and got him to relax and just hit the front right at the right time.”
From barrier six, Hamel parked Hostwin Achilles in fifth spot, one off the rails with cover on the back of Cherry Road (Niagara). Initially wanting to over race in the early stages, the Frenchman got the gelding to switch off and relax beautifully.
A crucial move from the 600-metre mark by Cherry Road who went forward to sit outside the leader, ultimately proved to be the undoing of Circuit Miles. Hamel followed Cherry Road forward and that put him alongside Circuit Miles and kept him locked away on the back of the leader.
Timing his move to perfection, Hamel set his mount alight at the 250-metre mark and sprinted quickly to hit the lead. Corrales on Circuit Miles was held up momentarily and had to wait until Hamel went to find clear running.
Circuit Miles really lifted late and cut the margin back to a half-length on the wire. Race favourite Beauty Bolt (Redoute’s Choice) ran on strongly for third, a further half-length away after having to come wide from the 600-metre mark to get into the race. Both Circuit Miles and Beauty Bolt will relish the Derby trip of 1800 metres.
Hostwin Achilles was originally with Team Snowden at Rosehill where he raced as Devan, placing in four of his seven starts around the provincials. The horse was then sold and ended up in the hands of Adam Duggan at Gosford, who won two races from three starts with the chestnut at Quirindi and Taree.
“My brother James sourced the horse for me. He was well bred and we initially bought him to sprint. He was very high strung and nervous when he arrived, and would run his races before he started,” said Moore.
“I’ve just taken my time with him trying to get him to relax. I changed his feed and we take him walking around a lot in the evenings to give him a pick of grass and relax him. He’s really turned a corner of late.
“I’ll run both him and Circuit Miles in the Guineas, but I can’t see Hostwin Achilles in the Derby. I couldn’t see him getting 1800 metres, but Circuit Miles will love it.”
Smith’s Star smashes record
Star Of Yiu Cheung (Casino Prince) returned to the racetrack with a record-breaking all the way win in Saturday’s Class 1 & 2 (1200m) under Shogo Nakano.
Prepared by Wayne Smith, last year’s Derby and Macau Gold Cup runner-up simply destroyed his opposition and smashed the long standing 1200-metre record set by Warcat (Felix The Cat) in October 2008. When the clock stopped it was a super slick 1.07.2 recorded by Star Of Yiu Cheung, snipping .01 off Warcat’s old standard of 1.07.3.
Beginning smartly off his inside gate, Star Of Yiu Cheung quickly took command of the race to lead on the bridle. At the top of the straight, Nakano gave him more rein, and the big bay lengthened his stride to power away from his rivals and win by almost seven lengths untouched.
“I knew he would win, but I never thought he would do it that easy and break the track record on the bridle, that was mind blowing,” Smith said.
“He had not run since January after he pulled up with muscle soreness in his back after he ran on the sand. Plus, he had to have a sinus operation as well, so it’s been a bit of a trying time, it’s a relief to see him back like this. He was only 80 per cent fit for this race, so there is still some improvement there.
“He got a really bad sinus infection and needed an operation. Dr Grant Scott assured me that he had great success with horses he had done in the past, and he did a great job with him.”
Smith has earmarked the Class 1 on June 12 over 1500 metres as the gelding’s next start. “I’ll aim him for that and we’ll see what comes along after.” Smith said.
“In any other year without Covid we would be having some fun. It’s a pity we can’t travel to Hong Kong or Dubai with him.”
The Class 1 on June 12 will prove to be a thrilling contest, as Star Of Yiu Cheung will run into his Derby nemesis Sacred Magnate (Foxwedge), who snatched victory from him in the last stride in the race last year.
Sacred Magnate also went around on Saturday’s program in the second division of the Class 1 & 2 Handicap (1200), but was denied victory by the speedy Crispy Biscuit (Written Tyccon) ridden by Fausto Henrique.
Crispy Biscuit, prepared by Patrick Lee, was given a gem of a ride by Henrique to park off the speed set up by Loxwood (Pierro). Once in the straight, he soon got the better of Loxwood and looked as though he would win comfortably, however Sacred Magnate sprouted wings over the final stages and only came up a nose short at the line.
Interesting to note the difference in the run times of 1.08.3 Crispy Biscuit, compared to Star Of Yiu Cheung’s 1.07.2.