Waller Strikes With Two Group I Exactas

Trainer Chris Waller tallied two group I exactas Oct. 4 at Royal Randwick, the first in breathtaking fashion when French-bred He's Your Man bested stablemate Royal Descent by the slimmest of margins in the Epsom Handicap.

 

Two races later, the Waller-trained pair of Junoob and Opinion finished a respective first and second in the Metropolitan, Junoob holding on to the win after a stewards' inquiry into a claim of interference by the rider of the runner-up was dismissed.

 

He's Your Man prevailed over Royal Descent in a tight photo that took several minutes to determine the outcome. 

 

Both relaxed off the early pace set by Pheidon before Royal Descent made the first move of the two when quickening in the stretch and past rivals to lead just past the 100-meter mark. He's Your Man closed rapidly on the outside with Joao Moreira to get to his stablemate at the 50-meter mark. With a powerful lunge he edged past nearing the post. 

 

He's Your Man covered 1,600 meters (about one mile) in 1:33.34 on turf rated good and earned his first group I win. A stakes winner in France and stakes-placed in England under the name I'm Your Man, the 6-year-old Cape Cross gelding has a 5-3-3 record from 18 career starts. He was making his ninth Australian start and came in to the Epsom Handicap off a win in the Kingston Town Stakes (Aus-III), his first group win, Sept. 13 at Rosehill Gardens. 

 

Waller trains He's Your Man for a partnership. The gelding is out of the Arazi mare Via Saleria, a half sister to French group I winner and leading French sire Poliglote. He is a half brother to French group III winner Perfect Hedge.

 

Waller had to wait out a stewards' inquiry before Junoob's half-length win with Blake Shinn aboard in the Metropolitan became official. 

 

Tye Angland, rider of runner-up stablemate Opinion, alleged interference by Junoob as his mount approached the home turn. Junoob made the lead at the 300-meter mark and Opinion pursued, but Junoob gamely dug in for the narrow win while finishing 2,400 meters (about 1 12 miles) in 2:26.51.

 

The 7-year-old Haafhd gelding was bred in Great Britain, where he won the 2012 Winter Derby Trail Stakes at Lingfield. Campaigned by a partnership, he tallied three previous stakes win in Australia, included two group events last season, before breaking through at the top level in the Metropolitan. 

 

Junoob is out of the Bahri mare Faydah, a half sister to group I winner and sire Lahib. Second dam Lady Cutlass is a half sister to French group winner and successful sire General Holme.

 

One race prior the Metropolitan, Shinn rode the winner of the Flight Stakes (Aus-I) for 3-year-old fillies, First Seal, who exploded down the stretch for a three-length triumph as the favorite.

 

Prominent from the start in the 1,600-race, the daughter of Fastnet Rock kicked strongly at the 300-meter mark and proved uncatchable. Winx was second, and Thinking of You was third in the seven-horse field. 

 

First Seal was timed in 1:34.71. The victory marks her first in a group I race following a win in her stakes debut in the Coolmore Tea Rose Stakes (Aus-II) Sept. 20 at Caulfield. 

 

John Thompson trains the winner for the China Horse Club, who bought her with intention of racing her in Australia before eventually sending her to mainland China for the nation's emerging breeding program. The filly is out of Australian group I winner Episode and is a half sister to Australian group II winner Book of Kells.

 

Also in Australia Oct. 4, New Zealand mare Lucia Valentina stamped herself the favorite for the Oct. 18 Caulfield Cup (Aus-I) with victory in the Turnbull Stakes (Aus-I) at Flemington. 

 

The 4-year-old daughter of Savabeel was settled just behind the speed on the rail and deftly wove between rivals in the stretch under Kerrin McEvoy. She scored by a half length from the Peter Moody-trained pair of Lidari and Brambles.

 

Lucia Valentina won for the fifth time in 12 career starts for trainer Kris Lees as she completed 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in 2:01.84 on turf rated as good.

 

"She's got a good turn of foot and that's what you need at the end of a Caulfield Cup," McEvoy told www.abc.net.au.

 

Favorite Puissance De Lune was 2 1/4 lengths back in fourth while highly regarded Happy Trials had no luck in the straight and finished 14th in the 16-horse field. Emirates Melbourne Cup (Aus-) favorite The Offer finished sixth.

 

Luca Valentina was produced by the Montjeu mare Staryn Glenn, who also is the dam of New Zealand group III winner Maladrino.

 

Waikato Stud resident sire Savabeel also is the sire of Costume, the 52-1 upsetter in the Livamol Classic (NZ-I) at Hastings in New Zealand, also Oct. 4.

 

Puccini was the favorite in the 15-horse field but ultimately faded to finish ninth after racing on the pace for much of the race about 1 1/4-mile contest.

 

Ridden by Michael Coleman for trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson, Costume scrambled home in a desperate finish after threading through the field. She just managed to stick her head out in the final lunge, defeating Shuka with Costume's stablemate Soriano a head back in third.

 

The time was 2:02.66 on a good turf course. 

 

Costume added a second group I win to her record for owner-breeder Garry Chittick of Waikato Stud. She won the International Herbie Dyke Stakes (NZ-I) from Shuka in February. 

 

The O'Reilly mare Disguised is the dam of Costume, a half sister to stakes winner Masquerade.