Private Harry (Ashley Morgan) trained by Nathan Doyle wins the Gr1 Galaxy at Rosehill on Saturday (Pic – Inglis / Martin King/Sportpix)
Young trainer Nathan Doyle realised a lifelong dream at Rosehill on Saturday when his freakish 3YO Private Harry (Harry Angel) won the Gr1 The Galaxy.
At just his fifth career start, the colt Private Harry made it five career wins in spectacular fashion and instantly became one of the most valuable horses in Australian racing.
In a victory that was as emotional as it was remarkable, it was a first Gr1 for the horse, a first Gr1 for the trainer, a first Gr1 for his breeder Rheinwood Pastoral, a first Gr1 for the owners Kurrinda Bloodstock and a first Gr1 for jockey Ash Morgan.
For Doyle – who teamed up with Kurrinda’s Sean Driver to buy Private Harry for A$115,000 at the 2023 Classic Yearling Sale from the Rheinwood draft – it was a career-defining moment.
“That’ll take a while to sink in,’’ an emotional Doyle said.
“This is what I’ve dreamed of, training racehorses and to be here and to win a Group 1, I still remember the picture I drew my uncle when I was eight years old to show him how many horses I was going to train but little did I know they weren’t going to be palomino and paint horses.
“I’ve had this in me from a young age, it’s all I wanted to do, I’ve just always loved horses and moments like this, it’s unbeatable.’’
Rheinwood’s Ray Willis was equally ecstatic with the result.
“He’s our first Group 1 winner and I think he’s a champion,’’ Willis said.
“It’s a special moment as a breeder, a very special moment, to breed a Group 1 winner, especially a colt like him that could be anything. We’ve also got another colt out of the mare that will be going to the sales next year.
“The beautiful thing too is we sold Private Harry’s [half] sister at Classic this year and retained 10% of her.’’
Doyle and Team Private Harry are now dreaming of the A$20m The Everest in the spring, which is run over 1200m, 100m further than the Galaxy but a hurdle Doyle has no concerns with.
“Definitely,’’ the trainer said when asked if he’d like a slot in The Everest.
“I think he was holding them again on the line so 1200m, if he’s running that speed early, he’s going to keep going.
“We’ll get through today, we’ll probably head to the [G1] TJ [Smith Stakes at Randwick] in a couple of weeks and we’ll work things out from there.’’
Private Harry is the 104th individual Gr1-winning Inglis graduate since 2018 and becomes the third Inglis graduate to win The Galaxy in the past four years following earlier success by Mariamia (2023) and Shelby Sixtysix (2022).
Earlier on the Rosehill card the exceptional filly Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) made it four wins from as many starts with a spectacular first-up victory in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes.
The Chris Waller-trained 3YO was resuming after an unbeaten spring campaign and again showed she’s one of the leading 3YOs in Australia with a tough victory.
In winning, Autumn Glow led in an Inglis Easter graduates trifecta, defeating Enriched and Gangsta Granny.
Bred by Newhaven Park, Autumn Glow topped the 2023 Easter Sale, selling for A$1.8m to Arrowfield and Hermitage from the Silverdale Farm draft.
“It’s very exciting, it’s so good for the team at Arrowfield and us and we’re loving every step of her journey,’’ Silverdale’s Rob Petith said.
“There’s always nerves first up, you hope they can come back in the same impressive style but she looked amazing and she raced phenomenally.’’
Silverdale will offer a draft of 10 yearlings at this year’s Easter Sale, which will be held at Riverside on April 6 and 7.
“It’s a very good draft, they’ve come together really well and we’re excited to be presenting them,’’ Petith said.
“Steve [Grant] has invested a lot and we’re really proud of the horses we’re presenting and hopefully there’s another Autumn Glow in there.’’
Easter inspections begin on Monday March 31.
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Also at Rosehill Mare of Mt Buller (Dundeel) scored a valuable first black type win in the Gr3 Epona Stakes.
Brae Sokolski and Matt Scown purchased Mare of Mt Buller for A$250,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Torryburn Stud, who bred the mare with the late Alan Osburg.
The Chris Waller-trained 4YO has now won four races for A$450,000 in earnings from just 15 career starts.
At Moonee Valley today exciting 2YO Prestige Forever (Ole Kirk) scored a dominant victory in the Listed Valley Pearl.
The colt was having just his second career start, having finished 2nd at Stakes level on debut three weeks earlier.
Trainers David Brideoake and Matt Jenkins will now consider a trip to Sydney or Adelaide for the talented juvenile but were adamant he’d be better next campaign as a 3YO.
Hong Kong’s Eric Yeung purchased the John and Anne McDonnell-bred Prestige Forever for A$400,000 at last year’s Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Widden.
And the Gr1 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville is the primary autumn target for untapped filly Cilacap (Written Tycoon), a comfortable winner of Saturday’s Gr3 Alexandria Stakes at Moonee Valley.
The 3YO from the Grahame Begg stable continues to impress, with today’s win her fourth from six starts.
Cilacap is a A$300,000 Easter Yearling Sale buy for Bruce Elkington from the draft of her breeder Corumbene Stud.
The Australasian Oaks will be run on April 26.
Some other results at Moonee Valley were equally important – Grinzinger Belle (Shamexpress) scored a fourth Group win in the Gr2 Sunline Stakes and the 4YO will be offered as a racing and breeding prospect at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale at Riverside on May 8, alongside the likes of Bella Nipotina, I Am Me, Semana, Tiz Invincible, Estriella etc.
And Shanwah’s victory in the Gr2 Alister Clark Stakes provided a timely pedigree update for her Per Incanto half brother (ex Lady Sayyida), which will be offered by Trelawney Stud as lot 20 at the upcoming Easter yearling Sale.
Meanwhile in New Zealand on Saturday, the 4YO mare Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon) secured a second Stakes victory when winning the Listed Lightning Hcp at Trentham.
The Stephen Marsh-trained Glamour Tycoon is an A$85,000 Great Southern Weanling Sale purchase for Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Highline Thoroughbreds, where she was offered by her breeder Diamond Park.
She has now won four races.
