Xtravagant filly plays starring role in Inglis Millennium
Tony McEvoy creates history as Seymour Bloodstock-bred and owned two-year-old takes the $2 million feature at Randwick
During his racing days, Xtravagant (Pentire) was affectionately nicknamed “sex on hooves” – a reference to his Calvin Klein model looks as well as his excitable pre-race nature – but perhaps the Newhaven Park stallion went some way towards justifying that nickname in the breeding barn when Xtravagant Star became the headline act of his second crop in taking out the $2 million Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) at Randwick yesterday.
Racing in the colours of breeders and part-owners Seymour Bloodstock, usually more associated with imported stayers than two-year-olds, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Xtravagant Star (2 f Xtravagant – She’s A Danica by Sebring) put herself right among the best of her generation with a dominant display, sprinting clear of favourite Paris Dior (Pierro) to score by a length and a half with a further short head to the previously unbeaten Sejardan (Sebring) in third.
The time of 1:04.14 was 0.15 seconds quicker than Profiteer (Capitalist) recorded last year, on a similar Soft 5 surface, when racing away to score by five and a quarter lengths – all from a filly who, before yesterday, boasted only a narrow Geelong maiden win to her name.
With yesterday’s Inglis Millennium victory, the elder McEvoy became the first trainer to have claimed both of Australia’s major sales-restricted features for two-year-olds, having taken the 2018 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) in his own right with Sunlight (Zoustar) before sharing the spoils with his son yesterday.
“It’s her first trip away from home and the way she has handled herself and accepted everything, magnificent,” Tony McEvoy said. “It’s a big thrill and she is a really good filly.
“She always showed us a bit of talent and we went to that race at Geelong pretty confident. She had a fight to win it and showed she’s got speed and she was tough. The ownership group was very comfortable to come to this race and we’re so excited.”
The Inglis Millennium also marked jockey Chad Schofield’s first metropolitan stakes winner since returning from Hong Kong late last year, marking his most lucrative victory since taking out the 2013 Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) aboard Shamus Award (Snitzel).
“It’s nice to win a feature race like this and hopefully it can help me build momentum going forward,” Schofield said. “It was very painless, really. She was first to leave the machines. Pre-race I thought we may have to drop her in as there was a bit of speed on our inside but she was way too fast and cleared them easily.
“I had a perfect run with cover throughout, Gai’s horse (Athletica) led and gave me a lovely cart into it while Sweet Ride held the rail so she travelled very well with the cover.
“I hit the front a long way from home so for a Melbourne two-year-old filly it was a good effort, she was strong to the line.”
McEvoy added: “She pinged the gate and Chad thought she’d lead but he was a bit nervous there was going to be too much pressure so he was just very quiet. She didn’t really want to come back, she threw her head at one stage but then she accepted it. She is a quality, quality filly.”
The big question now: does Xtravagant Star chase diamonds in Melbourne or gold in Sydney?
“We’ve got some beautiful decisions to make,” McEvoy said. “We can go to the Blue Diamond in three weeks or we can just concentrate on the Golden Slipper. It’s a bit hard to do both I think. I think we just enjoy today and make some decisions in a few days.
“She has come a little bit out of left field. At home she’s solid but she’s not a ‘wow’ sort of horse and sometimes they’re the best but I am liking her more and more.”
It was a timely win for Newhaven Park’s Xtravagant with the Boorowa nursery set to offer four yearlings by the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, including one – Lot 101 – early this afternoon.
He also has three yearlings catalogued for the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, from which Xtravagant Star emerged last year.
Remarkably, both of Xtravagant’s stakes winners have been out of She’s A Danica (Sebring), with this season’s Mitchell McKenzie Stakes (Listed, 1200m) victor He’s Xceptional the first in August.
Owned by Seymour Bloodstock, She’s A Danica descends from champion New Zealand filly Ballroom Babe (Citidancer), who produced stakes winners Just Dancing (Fusaichi Pegasus), Tahni Girl (Redoute’s Choice) and Hidden Dragon (Danehill).
A three-time winner at the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, She’s A Danica has had four foals to race for four winners. Only three have gone through the sales ring, with Nowra and Goulburn winner Deepstar (Deep Field) a $15,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase, He’s Xceptional sold for $40,000 at the same auction and Xtravagant Star knocked down to McEvoy-Mitchell Racing for $150,000 at last year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
She’s A Danica missed to Sidestep (Exceed And Excel) in 2020, but she produced a filly by Xtravagant in August who is certain to be popular at next year’s yearling sales if sold. She was served by Leneva Park newcomer Fierce Impact (Deep Impact) in September.
Impressive two-year-olds for Spendthrift, IRON
Spendthrift Australia and the International Racehorse Owners Network (IRON) may be at different stages in their respective life cycles but both organisations were celebrating yesterday as they earned stakes wins with their juvenile debutants.
In Melbourne, the Spendthrift-owned Sebonack (2 c Capitalist – Profound Wisdom by Al Samer) emerged on the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) scene with a dominant victory in the Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m).
Sent out as the $6 second favourite, the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes trainee enjoyed a lovely trail behind market elect Renosu (Exceed And Excel) before Jye McNeil managed to extricate the colt off the fence as turn became stretch.
While every other horse was under a drive, McNeil was coasting on Sebonack before clicking him up past the 200 metres as he raced on by the favourite. Nanagui (Sebring) and Kiko (Capitalist) made ground late but Sebonack clearly had the race by the scruff of the neck, scoring comfortably by a length and a quarter.
“That’s a good benchmark performance for us,” said Wayne Hawkes. “It was good to get that one out of the road. Now I know where the rest of them sit and I’m not telling you if you ask me. It was a good level to see where some of our others are. We’ve got a few lined up over the next couple of weeks and I’m happy.
“His first jump-out was pretty impressive, he trialled up enormous and he did everything right and got here today and did everything beautifully well. You never quite know with them when they’re at home and then you come to raceday and you parade them. I was impressed by the way he paraded and looked so well. He got the job done.”
McNeil, who rode five of the nine winners on the Caulfield card, was taken with the victory and suggested Sebonack could continue to climb through the ranks.
“That was pretty straightforward,” the rider said. “He’s a big strong horse and we used that to our advantage right on the point of the turn. I took a few strides to keep him balanced and was hopeful that he’d let down well and he put them away nicely.
“He was explosive. He was fantastic the way he let down and he feels like he’s a class horse so he’ll keep progressing from here.”
The last to complete the Chairman’s Stakes-Blue Diamond double was Capitalist’s (Written Tycoon) Newgate barnmate Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) in 2016. Sebonack had been wound into $8 second favourite for the first juvenile Group 1 after yesterday’s win but Hawkes was reluctant to confirm that the colt would head in that direction.
“I don’t know,” he said. “This was a 1000-metre race around Caulfield and the Blue Diamond is 1200 metres. There’ll be a full field and about ten times the pressure of today.
“There’s a little bit to go yet, but winners are grinners and we’re happy.”
A $260,000 purchase from last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Sebonack is the second foal out of Adelaide winner Profound Wisdom (Al Samer), herself a half-sister to Group 2 winner Santos (I Am Invincible) and Japanese Grade 3 winner Melagrana (Fastnet Rock). It is the family of Mutawaajid (Redoute’s Choice), Adeewin (Snaadee) and Fat Al (Al Maher).
Profound Wisdom has a yearling filly by Rubick (Encosta De Lago), a filly foal by Dundeel (High Chaparral) and was served by Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) in November.
While the Spendthrift operation may be winding down, with the Victorian farm currently for sale, the IRON operation made a huge statement with their first ever runner as Cythera (2 f I Am Invincible – Helena’s Secret by Five Star Day) took out the Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m) at Randwick.
IRON, which features a world-first blockchain method of racehorse ownership, bought seven yearlings at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with $420,000 purchase Cythera the first to make it to the track.
Sent out as the $5.50 second favourite, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Cythera burst clear under Tommy Berry before holding off favourite Lady Laguna (Overshare) by a long head.
“We were pretty confident she could run well,” said Paul Snowden. “It’s her first time at the races and things can go wrong, she did a lot wrong to tell you the truth. I was glad when Hughie (Bowman) on Spacewalk kicked up and gave us something to chase because she is still very new and you saw her idle down late when she did hit the front. She has still got a lot more to offer, this filly.”
For Berry, it was a reunion of sorts as he partnered once more with IRON principal David Boehm. Berry and Boehm combined for two wins in the Singapore Airlines International Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) with Dan Excel (Shamardal).
“She is a lovely filly,” Berry said. “I really liked her off her trial and it was a very good effort for her to come here off just one trial, usually Peter gives them a couple. Obviously 1000 metres, usually they can do that off just one.
“She’s been immature the whole way through, she hasn’t been the one from day dot that jumped out of the ground and said this is going to be the best two-year-old but she has been the horse that has kept improving and there is a lot of substance about her, she’s a lovely type, nice size.”
Cythera was introduced as a $26 chance for the Golden Slipper as she attempts to become the first Lonhro Plate winner to take the world’s richest two-year-old race, but Snowden will wait and see how she pulls up.
“You’ve just got to let her tell the story,” he said. “There is still a bit of water to go under the bridge after today. Most importantly I’m just ecstatic for the owners, IRON, it’s their first runner for us and it’s a winner, so they’ve got a very handy filly on their hands.”
Cythera is the final foal of seven – and the seventh winner – out of late American mare Helena’s Secret (Five Star Day), who herself is out of a half-sister to Street Cry (Machiavellian) and Helsinki (Machiavellian), the dam of Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway).
Helena’s Secret has now produced two stakes winners, with Cythera joining Australia Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) victor and Widden Victoria stallion Thronum (Snitzel).