| Outstanding mare Montefilia captured a third Group One success when she did best in a driving finish in today’s Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick. |
In a thrilling result, Montefilia provided champion jockey Hugh Bowman with his 100th success at racing’s elite level when she edged out Entente. Trainer David Payne was delighted his star mare was able to add another Group One and in doing so book a trip to Melbourne. “She did it a bit tough,” Payne said after the race. “She was three wide for most of the way.” “I just left it to Hughie – I said, no instructions” “She’s a very special filly. And she will go to the Caulfield Cup now – she gets the trip and she will have less weight – why not?” Why not indeed. With three Group One wins already on her resume the Kermadec four-year-old mare deserves her chance at Caulfield’s most famous equine contest. Payne took a shine to Montefilia at the 2019 Gold Coast Yearling Sale and he went slightly over budget to get her for $130,000 from the draft of Tyreel Stud. “She was a beautiful filly, looked a real Oaks type and I just had to get her,” he recalled. Montefilia is another great result for an all ladies ownership group – she is raced by Caroline Vincent, Kathlyn Docherty and Leanne Paligorov and her earnings have raced to over $1.76 million after just 15 starts. “She is a mighty mare,” winning rider Hugh Bowman said. “I have had a wonderful association with her.” “Twelve months ago we were unexpected winners of the Flight Stakes and she has gone on to achieve at the highest level since then and also run consistently.” Bowman said he was proud to have joined the 100 Group One club and paid tribute to another former Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase when acknowledging the achievement. “My association with Winx (has been the highlight), but she is in a different league all together. It’s hard to compare her to something else!” Montefilia, who earlier in her career had won a Flight Stakes and Spring Champion Stakes at Group One level, is the star performer to date for her sire Kermadec. She is one of two stakes performers produced by her dam, the Shirocco mare Bana Wu. The other is last season’s stakes performed juvenile Nice for What. Bana Wu herself was a winner and triple stakes placed performer in the United Kingdom. She’s had five runners for four winners and a stakes placed maiden. Montefilia was bred by the late Geoff Russell and was reared at Tyreel Stud who had the honour of selling her to her current connections on the Gold Coast. The success of Montefilia was the second at Group One level for a Magic Millions sold yearling graduate following the win of Private Eye in the Epsom Handicap. The Joe Pride trained and Proven Thoroughbreds syndicated son of Al Maher was a $62,500 buy at the 2019 Adelaide Yearling Sale. Private Eye was plucked by Jamie Walter from the draft of Ambergate Farm, who presented the attractive youngster on behalf of breeder Goodwood Farm. Earlier on the Randwick card Coolangatta emerged as a potential star of the future when she scored a thumping win in the Group Three Gimcrack Stakes. A $280,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale sold daughter of Written Tycoon, Coolangatta couldn’t have been more impressive for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable winning easily after covering ground, without cover. Coolangatta was bred by Highclere Stud Australia and sold through the draft of Milburn Creek in January. The run of juvenile success for Gold Coast purchases stretched north and south as Get in the Spirit and Heroic Son were triumphant at their respective debuts. Get in the Spirit (Spirit of Boom) scored a dashing and easy win in the listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes at Flemington for co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr. A $110,000 buy from the Kitchwin Hills draft, Get in the Spirit cruised home under Damian Lane for a soft two length win. Mick Price said a Blue Diamond campaign was on the cards. Meanwhile at Doomben in Brisbane it was the turn of Raheen Stud’s freshman sire Heroic Valour to shine when his youngster Heroic Son won the juvenile race impressively. Prepared by Peter and Will Hulbert, Heroic Son was a $50,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy from the draft of breeder Kenmore Lodge. Heroic Son will be given his chance to head to the $2 million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January. Still a Star scored the biggest win of her illustrious career when she scored a wonderful win in the Group Two Rose of Kingston Stakes at Flemington today. A $13,000 Tasmanian Yearling Sale buy for trainer Bill Ryan’s daughter Monica from the draft of Alva Stud, Still a Star, or Minnie as she is affectionately known, did best under Luke Currie for a solid win. Third home in the race was the Group One winning Tassie star Mystic Journey providing a timely reminder of the quality on offer at the Apple Isle’s annual yearling auction. Winner: Montefilia Breeding: Kermadec-Bana Wu (Shirocco) Breeder: Geoff Russell Race: ATC Metropolitan Handicap G1 (2400m) Sold for: $130,000 Sale: 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Vendor: Tyreel Stud (As Agent) Buyer: Payne Racing Earnings: $1,763,525 Owner(s): Ms CL Vincent, Ms K Docherty & Mrs LB Paligorov Trainer: David Payne (Rosehill) |
