HP Thoroughbreds’ Anthony Evans admits his wedding day and the birth of his two children “are supposed to be the best days of your life’’ but Saturday’s win by farm graduate Skybird (Exosphere) in the Gr1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington is now in his top four.
Skybird (John Allen) wins the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington Racecourse on February 15, at Flemington (Pic – Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)
An emotional Evans, who bred Skybird with his wife Kristen, couldn’t believe what he was seeing when Skybird exploded away to win the Lightning Stakes down the famous Flemington straight, defeating some of the best horses in the land in doing so.
“She didn’t just win, she blew them away,’’ an ecstatic Evans said of Skybird, who HP Thoroughbreds sold to trainer Mitch Freedman at the Classic Yearling Sale for A$110,000.
“I was chatting to Mitch during the week and he said she was flying and that she’d give it a shake but these were some of the highest profile colts in Australia and she toyed with them.
“This is our best day by a mile, it’s unbelievable. I know they say having kids and getting married are best days of our life but I almost had a heart attack cheering her home.
“We watched it at home, Kristen and the kids and I, everyone was screaming, everyone was crying, it was amazing.
“I was just getting over my hangover from Classic, where HP Thoroughbreds sold all four lots offered including a Pinatubo colt for A$380,000, but I reckon I might have another one coming up after this!’’
Trainer Mitch Freedman was mobbed at Flemington by Skybird’s owners and friends following the win.
“How good’s that?!’’ Freedman said, “Everyone wanted to say she wasn’t fast enough for 1000m and she’s not this and not that but she’s a damn good racehorse and she’s just continued to mature.
“She’s hard work at home, the stable staff battle away with her at times and she’s high maintenance, she gets her muscles looked at every week, she gets A1 care like the rest of them, that’s just an unbelievable win.
“I couldn’t get over that people were saying she’s not fast enough. The turn of foot she showed at home on Tuesday was phenomenal so we couldn’t wait to get here.’’
Skybird’s win came on a day when Inglis graduates dominated the feature races in Sydney and Melbourne, with six Stakes winners overall including four at Flemington with Rise At Dawn, Cilacap and Sepals joining Skybird.
Prolific winner Rise At Dawn (Almanzor) booked his place in next month’s Gr1 All Star Mile with a dominant first-up victory in the Listed The Elms Handicap at Flemington.
It was an eighth career win from just 13 starts for the 4YO, who will likely not run again before the A$2.5m feature at Flemington on March 8, according to his co-trainer Ben Hayes of Lindsay Park.
“There was a good strong tempo today, we were able to take a sit, he relaxed, took his time to get there and he went on to win well,’’ Hayes said.
“He’s always a horse that once you get fit you don’t have to do much with, as you could see by how he parades, so I think we’ll probably just go straight in.’’
Lindsay Park purchased Rise At Dawn for A$90,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale, where he was offered by his breeder Monovale Farm.
Meanwhile Sepals (Calyx) firmed into a A$5 second favourite for the Gr1 Australian Guineas with a dominant victory in the Gr3 CS Hayes Stakes.
The 3YO announced himself one of the leading players of the autumn carnival and beyond with a stunning win, his third from just four starts.
Trainer Cliff Brown purchased Sepals for A$80,000 from the Classic Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Vinery Stud on behalf of his breeder Greg Perry.
Inglis graduates dominate the Australian Guineas market, with last weekend’s Gr2 Autumn Stakes winner Angel Capital a A$4.40 favourite.
The Australian Guineas will be run at Flemington in a fortnight, a day before the Premier Yearling Sale.
And Cilacap (Written Tycoon) made it three wins from four starts with a first-up victory in the Listed Desirable Stakes at Flemington.
The Grahame Begg-trained filly looks an excitement machine and will target more black type as the autumn carnival continues, including a possible tilt at the Gr1 Australasian Oaks.
Cilacap is a A$300,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Bruce Elkington, out of the draft of her breeder Corumbene Stud.
Amongst the ownership of Cilacap is Alan Greene, who recently passed away.
At Randwick star filly Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) returned in exquisite fashion for the autumn, scoring an arrogant first-up victory in the Gr2 Light Fingers Stakes.
Trained by Chris Waller, Lady Shenandoah was resuming after her Gr1 Flight Stakes win in the spring and based on Saturday’s victory, more Gr1 success is only a matter of time for the exciting 3YO.
Offered by Arrowfield Stud – who bred the filly with Planette Thoroughbreds – at the 2023 Easter Yearling Sale, Lady Shenandoah sold to Hermitage Thoroughbreds for A$525,000.
She has now won three of her five starts for almost A$800,000 in prizemoney.
“She’s top class, isn’t she?’’ Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer said, “Actually she’s probably something right out of the box. She’s a beauty, she was always a lovely filly on the farm and at Riverside at Easter and it’s onwards and upwards with her to the Gr1 Surround Stakes now I’d imagine.’’
And Inhibitions (Zoustar) scored a valuable first Stakes success with victory in Saturday’s Gr3 Triscay Stakes at Randwick.
Trained by James Cummings, Inhibitions is a A$380,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase by Godolphin, where she was offered in the Kitchwin Hills draft on behalf of her breeder Neil Werrett.
“We thought about where we were going to take Inhibitions and we had looked at this race a long way out for her so it’s a plan well pulled off,’’ Cummings said.
“She’s now a Stakes winner and a valuable filly by Zoustar who was purchased at the sales, Godolphin CEO, Andy Makiv actually picked her out of the Inglis Easter Sale and she’ll go on to be part of our broodmare band in the future so it’s a good result for the farm.’’
