Shooting To Win, Hampton Court Aussie Winners
Description:
Shooting To Win got the best of hot favorite Rich Enuff in a stretch duel that produced a close finish in the Aus$1 million Caulfield Guineas (Aus-I) Oct. 11.
The race was among four group I wins at Caulfied and five overall on Saturday in Australia, including the Moet and Chandon Spring Championship at Royal Randwick won by Hampton Court.
In the Caulfied Guineas, Shooting To Win scored by a neck from Rich Enuff, a two-time group winner who saw a three-race win streak snapped in his first try at the group I level.
Breaking from post 10, Rich Enuff burned across the track with Michael Rodd and took up the early running, with Alamalad, Moonovermanhattan, and Stingray in close pursuit in the strung-out field of 14. Shooting To Win, who started from the 8 hole, settled in midfield under James McDonald.
Rich Enuff was still in command around the turn, but Shooting To Win moved ever closer and then angled to outside into the stretch with aim on the leader. Getting to within a half-length of Rich Enuff at the 300-meter mark Shoot To Win stuck his head in front in the closing stages to prevail.
Final time for 1,600 meters (about one mile) was 1:35.58 on a turf rated good.
Wanjina and Kumaon finished on nearly even terms for third, with outsider Wanjina winning the photo.
Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden for the partnership of Sydney owners Trevor Stuckey and Penny Yan, Shooting To Win is a son of deceased Northern Meteor. Shooting to Win was a three-length winner of the Stan Fox Stakes (Aus-II) Sept. 27 at Rosehill Gardens after a third in the Golden Rose (Aus-I) there two weeks earlier. Perfect in both starts as a 2-year-old last season, his career line stands at 4-1-1 from seven starts.
John O'Shea Racing bought Shooting To Win for $160,000 ($168,048 in U.S. funds) from consignor Edinglassie Stud's agency at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale. The colt, bred in Australia by Balmoral Operations Ltd., was produced by the stakes-winning Elusive Quality mare Listen Here.
Saturday's card also included three other group I races. The Caulfield Stakes went to Fawkner, who stamped himself as the favorite for the upcoming W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-I); the David Jones NBCF Toorak Handicap was won by favorite Trust In A Gust; and the Schweppes Thousand Guineas was captured by Amicus for trainer Chris Waller.
Fawkner, a 7-year-old Reset gelding, repelled a strong challenge from runner-up Criterion for a nose win in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) Caulfield Stakes, with early pacesetter Side Glance third.
Into the stretch, the top three finishers made their dash to the finish line, with Fawkner and Criterion dueling to the finish. The time was 2:01.68
Trust In A Gust nailed down his second straight at the top level with a three-quarter-length win over Speediness. The 4-year-old Keep The Faith gelding led into the straight and held off threats from Speediness and third-placed finisher Desert Jeuney. The winner, trained by Darren Weir for a large partnership, covered 1,600 meters in 1:35.20.
Amicus pursued pacesetter Traveston Girl from second and powered past with 100 meters to run in the Thousand Guineas. Trainer Chris Waller's Fastnet Rock filly won by three-quarters of length in 1:36.46 for the 1,600 meters after finishing second in the Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (Aus-II) Sept. 28. Sabatini was third, and favorite Lumosty was eighth in the 10-horse field.
Elsewhere in Australia Saturday, Hampton Court stamped himself as a horse to watch for the Victoria Derby (Aus-I) with a clear win over favorite First Seal and second choice Sweynesse in the Spring Championship at Royal Randwick.
Hampton Court rallied smartly from off the pace and won by 2 1/4 lengths under Joshua Parr. He finished 2,000 meters in 2:00.19. The win was the first in a group event for the son of Redoute's Choice, who is campaigned by a partnership that includes breeder Milburn Creek Thoroughbred Stud. The Victoria Derby is set for Nov. 1 at Flemington.