Doomben 10,000 and SA Derby day in review [May 13]

Check out our review of racing around the country on Saturday, highlighted by the Group 1 wins of Giga Kick and Dunkel, as well as a scintillating Melbourne Cup trial by Lunar Flare.

Lunar Flare (Flemington R7 – Andrew Ramsden)

It takes a big win to upstage Giga Kick’s G1 Doomben 10,000 success but Lunar Flare’s performance in the Flemington feature was quite extraordinary. A strong pace set up by Jordan Childs on White Marlin – the overall time was over 35L above standard – saw Lunar Flare flex her staying muscles, sprouting wings over the final furlong to romp home. It was a brilliant Melbourne Cup trial from the Begg-trained mare, who at this very early stage looks the best of the locals. The sectionals suggest Childs went far too quick in front on White Marlin, who weakened but scrapped hard to hold 2nd.

LUNAR FLARE IS INTO THE MELBOURNE CUP! ðŸÂ†

WHAT A WIN IN THE ANDREW RAMSDEN. 😱@Grahame_Begg pic.twitter.com/cyqHcPfgw4

— 7HorseRacing ðŸÂŽ (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

DOOMBEN

Giga Kick honoured his odds-on quote to win the Doomben 10,000 at just his 10th career start, to add to his burgeoning CV. It capped a raceday double for star Melbourne jockey Craig Williams. Rob Heathcote chalked up an early double for the locals via Ekaterina ($4.40) and National Choice ($6.50). He was denied a treble narrowly in the last, when Extremist ($5.50) was run down by the Grant Allard-trained Majestic Shot ($11).

Another Qld win was the $26 victory of the Rex Lipp-trained Cifrado in the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic. The Toowoomba galloper knocked off Waller (Armed Forces) and O’Dea/Hoysted (Appin Girl) to claim the $300k race. Kalapour ($3.80F) was too good in the G3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) for trainer Kris Lees, while Waller won the G3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) with his third-stringer Special Swey ($26). He also had Yasuke ($19) in the race, while the stable had to scratch boom horse Kovalica on raceday morning due to an abscess. They insist Kovalica remains on track for the Queensland Derby, and will run in seven days’ time all going well. 

Majestic Shot ($11) burst onto the scene earlier in her career winning five of her first seven starts, but winning luck had evaded her for her past 15 outings – only to burst home and snap the run of outs in the last on Saturday.

Queenslander CIFRADO causes a boilover in the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic for the Lipp Racing stable!@_damienthornton @BrisRacingClub pic.twitter.com/cm3ODoVOCO

— RaceQ (@RaceQLD) May 13, 2023

MORPHETTVILLE

Two individuals stole the show in Adelaide, Dunkel and Jason Holder. More on the latter later (see: Pearler, punters).

The money came for Dunkel late and he didn’t let his supporters down with a brilliant display in the South Australian Derby, delivering trainer Patrick Payne and jockey Billy Egan their first Group 1s. Crunched from $14 into $8 just before the jump, the exciting young stayer put a forgettable performance in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes behind him and showed his true colours, eating up the 2500m of the Derby to improve his record to six wins and a second from eight starts.

Egan found a lovely spot just behind the speed early but when Mark Zahra slowed the pace on early leader and favourite Promises Kept down the back, the race changed complexion. The field tightened right up, some were shuffled back and others pushed wider, but Dunkel was able to overcome those obstacles. Promises Kept kicked a couple of lengths clear in the straight and it looked like the others wouldn’t catch him, but Dunkel had other ideas and got down to business, rattling home to hit the front with 20m to go. Payne won 19 Group 1s across a decorated career in the saddle – including the 1994 SA Derby with Bullwinkle – but this is his biggest success as a trainer. More than 50 of his winners as a handler have come with Egan in the saddle and they’ve now enjoyed success together at the highest level.

DUNKEL WINS THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DERBY! 😱

FIRST GROUP 1 FOR PATRICK PAYNE & BILLY EGAN! 👏@TheBeeegan pic.twitter.com/PtPvfm4zF5

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

FLEMINGTON

The highlight at HQ was clearly the jaw-dropping performance of Lunar Flare in the Lexus Andrew Ramsden (see Star Performer). The Begg-trained mare surged into Melbourne Cup calculations with a brilliant 5.5L victory under Michael Dee. Sportsbet reacted to the win by slashing Lunar Flare’s Cup odds from $41 into $13. She now shares the same line of betting as the horse she thrashed in White Marlin, who was turned out from $9. 

A couple of Hawkes-trained gallopers, both sporting the silks made famous by the mighty Chautauqua, announced themselves as potential Listed or Group horses. Altivo kept his unbeaten streak going with a dominant win in race four, while 3YO sprinter Airman sailed home in the last to take his record to four wins from just five starts. 

Airman swoops down the outside! 💨

Final favourite wins at Flemington. 💰@JyeMcNeil @HawkesRacing pic.twitter.com/14krFFIYir

— 7HorseRacing ðŸÂŽ (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

SCONE

Day two of the Scone carnival saw 6YO mare More Prophets ($13) claim the Dark Jewel Classic for the girls, an emphatic winner to snap a drought of 18+ months of not having even featured in the placings. The Thompson-trained galloper had the odd good run in that time, but winning luck had evaded her since the Listed Mona Lisa at Wyong in September 2021. Earlier, the Luke Pepper-trained Opal Ridge ($3.90F) dominated the Luskin Star Stakes. Apprentices Dylan Gibbons and Reece Jones took riding honours with respective doubles, while Godolphin trainer James Cummings was the only trainer to pick up multiple winners with a double (Athelric and Red Card). He had a couple of narrow defeats early with Dipsy Doodle (0.04L) and Shipshape (0.02L) beaten by a freckle, but the karma might’ve been in his favour when Athelric fell-in to beat the luckless Quantico. 

Jason Holder (Morphettville)
Evergreen jockey Jason ‘Stubby’ Holder had an afternoon to remember at Morphettville with a fabulous five-timer, including a feature-race double. It had been more than 25 years since the hoop had collected his only other quintet in Australia – at this venue on November 1, 1997 – but his efforts on Saturday showed he’s ageing like a fine wine and still riding as well as ever. The highlights were a couple of black-type victories for the Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas stable, with Air Assault ($21) taking out the Group 3 South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes and Party Princess ($2.60) capturing the Listed Adelaide Guineas. The 47-year-old complemented those with wins aboard stablemate Manhatten Times ($4.20), Grant Young’s Santelmo Fuego ($10) and Tapinforpar ($6.50), from the Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle stable. A dollar on the all-up would’ve returned $14,905.80.

3️⃣ for @MacdonaldRacing ✅✅✅
5️⃣ for Jason Holder 🤯

Party Princess gaps them in the Adelaide Guineas 🙌 pic.twitter.com/K7WIMOFRjm

— Racing SA (@RacingSA) May 13, 2023

Chris Parnham on She’s Fit (Morphettville, R7)
Parnham was a victim of circumstances somewhat but it was a horror watch for those who backed the gun Western Australian filly in the SA Derby. A fortnight after she should have won the Group 1 Australasian Oaks, she had bugger-all luck again. From barrier 10 she was trapped three-wide without cover early – the only horse in the field of 16 stuck out on a limb – and it got progressively worse from there. When Jarrod Fry on Dunwoody made a mid-race move, Parnham pushed up as well but when Dunwoody slotted outside the leader, She’s Fit was again stuck three-wide without cover and had done some more work. After that Ain’t He Grand came up outside her and she went again, now trapped deep without cover right outside the two leaders. Parnham went for home on the turn and, unsurprisingly there weren’t many petrol tickets left, but she did a remarkable job to finish 10th (earning a cheque) and only finishing 6.5 lengths off the winner Dunkel. It was a messy sort of race but it’s one Parnham would love to have back.

I’ve seen some carve ups in big races but She’s fits ride 🤮🤮🤮

— coby hewitt (@cobyhewitt1) May 13, 2023

She’s Fit?

Seemingly not enough to race three wide the journey and then asked to sprint 400m out.#Morphetteville

— James Bing (@JamesBingTheO) May 13, 2023

She’s fit was a massive run she covered 2miles and made 3 runs as bad as a ride you will see Willo rides it it wins

— coby hewitt (@cobyhewitt1) May 13, 2023

Party For One & Blake Shinn (Flemington, R3)
The talented but frustrating mare has gone from sinner to saint after exploding late to register just her 2nd win at start number 19. It took a nice patient ride from Shinn but when Party For One ($3.30F) found clear running, she really put her BM78 rivals to the sword.

Party For One darts away for a big win!

Nice bit of steering from @blake_shinn 😮‍💨@MickPriceRacing pic.twitter.com/RUV7NWbKhh

— 7HorseRacing ðŸÂŽ (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

Altivo (Flemington, R4)
Betting suggested he was much better than BM78 grade and the $1.80 favourite proved that with his fourth win from as many starts. The unbeaten gelding ticked the mile box in emphatic fashion and looks destined for black-type success.

Altivo storms home with big strides!

IMPRESSIVE. 👀@HawkesRacing @JyeMcNeil pic.twitter.com/Pvf9keJmN2

— 7HorseRacing ðŸÂŽ (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

It’sourtime (Flemington, R6)
The O’Brien-trained galloper snapped a long winning drought to take out the Listed Straight Six (1200m) over $2.35 favourite D’jumbuck. His last win, prior to today, came over 1100m at Flemington way back in November 2021.

It’sourtime takes out the Listed Straight Six! @DOBrienRacing pic.twitter.com/FqeLrleSeF

— 7HorseRacing ðŸÂŽ (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

King Magnus (Flemington, R8)
There was no second-up syndrome for King Magnus, who surged late to deny Crosshaven and Packing Waltham in the eighth. He’s really hit the ground running with two strong showings since spending over a year on the sidelines.

King Magnus gets up in a driving finish!@GriffithsdeKock pic.twitter.com/6WSb3RvA99

— 7HorseRacing ðŸÂŽ (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

Giga Kick (Doomben 10,000)
It might not have been a dominant win margin-wise, but he is a line-chaser this guy and he kept finding to get over the top of The Quokka winner Overpass and claim his second G1 victory. He’s now an earner of about $9.6m in 10 starts after tipping another $900k into his kick on Saturday. This time last year, he was a Sale maiden winner from his only trip to the races, and now he’s one of the best horses in the land.

GIGA KICK CLAIMS THE DOOMBEN 10,000. ❤ï¸ÂðŸ¤Â@CWilliamsJockey @c_douglasracing pic.twitter.com/AN6NHy7dHp

— 7HorseRacing ðŸÂŽ (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

Craig Williams (Doomben)
The consummate professional chalked up a double, including the feature with his trusty associate Giga Kick. 

Sweet ride by Willo. Giga Kick not as dominant as many expected but back-to-back G1 wins for the gun sprinter

— Punters+ (@Punters) May 13, 2023

James Cummings (Scone)
The Godolphin trainer had 10 runners at the main NSW meeting, and only three missed a drum – two got the choccies, and he had two narrowly beaten.

Shane and Cassie Oxlade (Morphettville)
On a normal day they’d get more than a few lines but a terrific job by the father-daughter combination at Morphettville on Saturday, getting their first metro double together with Sghirripa and Queman. The former is a really exciting three-year-old, driven home by apprentice Campbell Rawiller, while the latter is a gutsy sprinter you’d just love to own with Justin Potter in the saddle. A great effort from the team.

Sghirripa toughs out a win to get us going on #SADerby day 💪 pic.twitter.com/4VdJAl646R

— Racing SA (@RacingSA) May 13, 2023

Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas (Morphettville)
Two black-type wins among a treble for the team, it was a terrific day out for one of the state’s leading stables. Air Assault, Party Princess and Manhatten Times. They’re enjoying a really good carnival.

Lethal Thoughts (Flemington, R5)
The Maher and Eustace colt enjoyed a nice run in behind the leaders in race five but didn’t fire a shot when clear, just labouring home for 6th, beaten nearly 5L. 

Hezashocka (Flemington, R7)
It was a shocker alright, an absolute stinker. The $4.60 second-favourite lobbed in a nice position in the Andrew Ramsden but the hot tempo exposed him. He just didn’t stay the journey at all.

Yaphet (Doomben, R3)
He’s won two-from-18 – a Moe maiden and a Sale BM64 – but he’s also ran in some high calibre races (the Australian Cup) after graduating from his 3YO season with a big run for 2nd in the SA Derby. The stable clearly has some faith in his ability running in Listed/Group grade for all bar one start in his 4YO season, but he hasn’t been able to have an impact and finished last in Saturday’s G3 over 2000m.

Yaphet was putrid there…not sure how I got sucked in

— Punting Baron (@PuntingBaron) May 13, 2023

Quantico / Jason Collett (Scone, R5)
The O’Shea galloper was a genuine ‘how?!’ job, only getting out late to flash and miss. Horror show.

“Never Second has got herself into a mood behind the gates. Perhaps she backed Quantico earlier”

More gold from Darren Flindell 😆😆😆

— Mike Johnson (@mikes_mail_) May 13, 2023

 
Star Vega (Morphettville, R8)
Well-backed, the Freedman three-year-old never looked likely in the Listed Adelaide Guineas. Party Princess was a class above and he was nowhere to be seen when it mattered. That’s only his third start but he’s only got a maiden win to his credit and might not be as good as advertised.