Smith’s Flyer nothing like Idle as she lands huge Group 1 in Queen Of The Turf
By Trevor Marshallsea
Underrated filly Idle Flyer (Dundeel) gave more proof her sire’s gender tide was turning by upsetting a supposed three-horse race to score her elite breakthrough in Saturday’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
The $1 million Randwick feature was promoted as a clash of three star mares. Chris Waller’s Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) started favourite at $3.50, marginally ahead of Matt Laurie’s Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) at $3.80 and Ciaron Maher’s Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) at $4.
But it was Idle Flyer – from the boutique Warwick Farm stable of Matt Smith and a $6 fourth elect – who stole the show in the fillies and mares’ event.
The four-year-old wasn’t without her backers, firming from $6.50 in light of her previous start victory in Rosehill’s Emancipation Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m), and she rewarded their faith with a thoroughly professional display.
Pride Of Jenni set the pace, of course, and held a Pride Of Jenni-like five-length lead passing the 800 metres. But perhaps sapped by her heroic near-stealing of the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) two weeks earlier, this would not be her day. She ended up on the bottom of the highly rated three, weakening in the straight to finish fifth.
James McDonald on Lady Shenandoah had the job of taking the field up to Pride Of Jenni before the turn, while Treasurethe Moment stalked her in third.
But while Lady Shenandoah and Treasurethe Moment made their runs after straightening, it was Idle Flyer behind those two who was travelling the strongest.
Set loose by Zac Lloyd, she had a battle with Lady Shenandoah for 100 metres, but gained the ascendancy in the last 50 to beat her by 0.9 lengths.
Treasurethe Moment held third, a further 0.8 lengths away.
Sold by breeders Torryburn Stud to Smith and Randwick Bloodstock for just $70,000 at Inglis Classic in 2023, Idle Flyer has now earned $1.27 million from 15 starts for eight wins. Saturday’s was her third stakes victory in a neat progression, having first earned black type in October’s Angst Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Randwick.
“I just can’t believe she’s won. I knew she was going good but I didn’t think she’d win that so we’ll take it,” said Smith after his sixth elite success.
“It was a proper Group 1. We’ve got a great crew in the horse and great supporters of the stable. It’s what we get up in the morning for, it means a lot to us.
“She’s always looked like she’d run a strong mile here and you need to be able to run a strong mile to win one of these good mile races. You’ve got to be able to run further probably.
“When she won here last time here over the mile we thought this was the race for her. It was just a matter of getting here fit and well.”
Smith was full of praise for the 22-year-old Lloyd, who also completed a sixth Group 1 win.
“I was happy he was on the back of the right horses,” Smith said. “The three to beat were in front of us. We were just hoping that Pride Of Jenni had a bad day and we were able to get home over the top of them.”
Lloyd has built a superb association with Idle Flyer, riding her eight times for seven wins, including all three stakes races.
“Fantastic to win on her. I love her as a horse and that just shows in our record together,” he said. “For her to go into that race, it was a proper horse race against the best milers in the country. They’ve got a proper horse on their hands.
“She can travel at a high speed. Obviously that’s the key when you’re versing [racing against] Pride Of Jenni. I got a lovely run today in behind Lady Shenandoah and Treasurethe Moment. I was in the perfect spot at the 600 and my horse delivered.
“I’m very happy to get the Group 1 for Matt [Smith] because I love riding for Matt and he’s been a good supporter of me.”
With Idle Flyer only three runs into her campaign, Smith said he may push on to the Brisbane carnival, with the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) in mind.
Lloyd, however, feels the mare would be better suited over longer.
“I actually said to Matt when she was trialling back in this prep, ‘this filly could probably get further now’,” Lloyd said.
“She’s just started to mature and relax. Today was probably the most she’s been in the bridle, so Matt had her nice and fresh for the occasion and wasn’t worried about her pulling with having Pride Of Jenni in the race. But I’m sure Matt will figure it out.”
Idle Flyer is the fifth foal out of Progressive (Street Cry), a Sydney city winner of four races from the uber-successful American-bred family of her third dam Dancing Show (Nijinsky), and that mare’s granddam Best In Show (Traffic Judge).
Progressive’s yearling filly by Harry Angel (Dark Angel) was bought from Torryburn by Broodmares P.L. at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000. She now has a weanling colt by Tassort (Brazen Beau), and was not covered last spring.
Idle Flyer became the tenth Group 1 winner for Dundeel (High Chaparral), who stood at Arrowfield Stud last spring for $88,000 (inc GST).
While Dundeel’s sons made virtually all the early running for the stallion on the track, his daughters have been addressing that gender imbalance of late.
Dundeel’s 40 stakes winners include 26 sons, but of his ten Australian black type victors last season, seven were female.
Of his past 14 stakes victories, fillies and mares have accounted for 12, while his past two top-tier winners now have been female, with Idle Flyer joining last season’s SA Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) heroine Femminile.
Dundeel’s stakes winners come from 735 runners at 5.44 per cent.
