‘We had this race in mind for a long time’ – Strictly all Business in VRC Oaks demolition
Ballarat-based trainer Thomas Carberry showcased his training expertise on Thursday when he saddled up his filly Strictly Business (Grunt) to produce a stellar showing in the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) at Flemington, providing the native Irishman with his maiden Group 1 success.
In the space of just 13 days, the three-year-old daughter of Grunt (O’Reilly) has broken her maiden, ran second in the Wakeful Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) and then taken out Thursday’s 2500-metre fillies’ Classic.
“It’s an incredible journey, racing, and I think everybody’s proud of it. You meet people here today and they’re legends and to think you can do it, it’s great,” Carberry said.
Having made her debut with a seventh-placed finish in the Vobis Gold Plate (1400m) at Headquarters back in March, Strictly Business was then spelled and returned with a light barrier trial at Donald over 1050 metres on September 18 – in which she finished fourth.
Returning to the racetrack proper, the filly scored a half-length maiden success under John Allen at Ballarat over 1400 metres on October 24, before then lining up as a $12 chance in the Wakeful and running a 1.3 lengths second behind the easy winner Getta Good Feeling (So You Think).
Lining up five days later for Thursday’s showpiece, Strictly Business was once again tasked with trying to defeat Getta Good Feeling, with that rival sent off the strong $1.85 favourite to back up her Wakeful victory on Saturday.
However, Carberry’s filly was not for stopping this time as she came wide down the home straight and swept to the front under Allen, leading with just under 200 metres left to race before powering home for a 3.5 lengths win over the Chris Waller-trained The Pearls (Proisir) as the $7.50 second-elect. There was a further 0.4 lengths back to the Dom Sutton-trained third placegetter After Summer (The Autumn Sun) while Getta Good Feeling could only manage a 6.3 lengths sixth.
“It takes a really good horse to do what she did, even in her maiden,” Carberry said. “It just put the Wakeful on the radar. It became possible after she ran so well, she needed a trip to show her best.
“I think I’m very, very lucky. John Allen and Declan Bates have been such a great help to me in my business. They always help me and give me good advice. That said, John Allen doesn’t give you advice because that’s not his thing. His thing is to ride the horse, and he just does that so well.
“2500 metres, who else would you want on other than Johnny Allen, especially at Flemington.”
In winning Thursday’s Oaks, Strictly Business added her name to an illustrious roll of honour that includes Jameka (Myboycharlie) (2015), Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice) (2006), Rose Of Kingston (Claude) (1981), Surround (Sovereign Edition) (1976), Denise’s Joy (Seventh Hussar) (1975), Light Fingers (Le Filou) (1964) and Furious (The Welkin) (1921).
“She’s a filly on the up. We had this race in mind for a long time,” Carberry said.
“She missed a run at Geelong and we were put on the back foot a bit, but we found a race that suited Johnny and us at Ballarat a couple of weeks ago and she came through that so well we decided to take our chance in the Wakeful because she’s that type of horse.
“Today came on the radar because she ran so well there. She looked like she needed the 2500-metre trip and that was what happened.”
Strictly Business followed on from Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) hero Half Yours (St Jean) as recent feature-race winners to have been prepared out of Ballarat.
“Ballarat is a happening place, winning the Melbourne Cup for the McEvoy’s and we’re very happy with this result today,” Carberry added.
Having landed the VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) on both Hitotsu (Maurice) (2021) and Extra Brut (Domesday) (2018), winning rider Allen was registering his first success in Thursday’s Oaks.
“What a filly to win her maiden only two weeks ago,” Allen said. “What a great effort by Tommy [Carberry]. He rides his own work. Tommy is a neighbour of mine, he only lives two doors down from me.
“She’s got no early speed so we weren’t going to go changing tactics today. We went back to last, hugged the rails for as long as we could. We were following the right horses into the straight and I knew at the 600 [metres] we were going to run the trip, so my confidence grew at that stage.
“It’s hard to imagine, she was as raw as you could possibly be. It was obviously a great win at Ballarat, but she was just that raw and inexperienced.
“And then Tommy rang me and said there wasn’t much coming up for her, only the Wakeful, and I said why not have a crack and see how he goes.
“She ran so well there, we had to come to the Oaks. So look, what a great filly too, to do what she’s done. She’s pulled up, not a bother on her, and hopefully she’s something to be getting pretty excited about.”
On the race itself, where Allen rode Strictly Business cold at the rear of the field, the rider said: “Nice tempo. The plan was always to go back, she doesn’t have any speed, and she can over-race at times too, so I was happy to take my medicine early.
“They went a good gallop, and she actually was behind the bridle a bit early, but once they steadied it up mid-race, she got on the bridle, and I was kind of following the right horses at that stage. I had James McDonald [on The Pearls] just outside me, he was following Ben Allen [on Classic Gem] who was following Mark Zahra [on Getta Good Feeling], who were probably three of the main dangers.
“And then, when they peeled off, I was able to come up and underneath them. And to be honest, I knew it was all over. The way she rounded off her race the last day, I knew it was nearly all over turning in.”
Thursday’s win was made even sweeter for Allen given Strictly Business is owned by an Irish syndicate and trained by fellow Irishman Carberry.
“She runs in the Munster colours too, it’s where I’m from, so it’s a group of Irish people that own her, all from my area at home,” Allen, who is from Cork, said.
“Unreal, and I’ve got a suspension to start off with today, so I’m going to have plenty of time to celebrate!”
James McDonald, who rode the runner-up The Pearls, said of his mount’s effort: “She was fantastic. Stayed well.”
Billy Egan, who partnered After Summer to third, said: “Dom has done a great job with her this prep. This was her grand final and she ran right up to how we felt she would. So, a big effort from her for her first prep.”
Having hit the front with just under 400 metres left to run, Getta Good Feeling failed to stay the longer distance according to Zahra. “[I] had to peel a little bit earlier than I wanted but still I was found wanting late,” he said. “I think she probably didn’t stay the 2500 metres and two runs in five days on Good 3s probably paid a toll today.”
Taking her earnings to $736,150, Strictly Business became the second individual Group 1 winner and fourth individual stakes winner for Yulong Stud stallion Grunt.
She is a half-sister to Tasmanian Derby (Listed, 2000m) runner-up and VRC St Leger (Listed, 2800m) third Kicking King (Highland Reel) being one of two winners out of the winning Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) mare Tivoli Lass, herself from the extended family of The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) hero Ka Ying Rising’s sire Shamexpress (O’Reilly) and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun).
Tivoli Lass was purchased by breeder Martin Falvey for just $600 during the 2020 Inglis September (Early) Online Sale and has a two-year-old filly by Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) named Refuse To Curtsy – who is also in the stable of Carberry – and also foaled a colt by Churchill (Galileo) in August this year.