Champion jockey Joao Moreira warned that Militarize has only just begun his domination of his generation after an arrogant victory in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The win gave trainer Chris Waller the Triple Crown of two-year-old group 1s and might enable Militarize take the two-year-old of the year award off stablemate Shinzo. It is rare that the Golden Slipper (1200m) winner doesn’t win top honours, but Militarize has smashed his rivals twice since being knocked down in the two-year-old dash for cash.
Militarize wins the Champagne Stakes under Joao Moreira.Credit: Getty
Militarize was an easy winner in the Sires over 1400m, but the emphatic Champagne victory backed that dominance up to suggest that he is one of the best juveniles seen in Australian this century.
The Dundeel colt was never closer than three from the fence over the mile, but Moreira was never worried before unleashing him in the final 200m to win running away.
“He is only going to be better next season,” Moreira said. “He is still learning. He just got into such a good rhythm.Even though I was out wide, it didn’t matter. He was just so comfortable, and when I went for him you saw what he can do.”
Militarize ($2.05 fav) got to the leaders at 150m mark and by the post the margin was 1¾ lengths to a brave Based Loaded ($17) and another length to Townsend ($17) in third.
“He is a two-time group 1 winner and could win a few more yet,” Newgate Stud boss Henry Field said. “He can have a break and we can start to dream about a few races.”
Whether it is the Golden Rose, Coolmore Stud Stakes or the even the Cox Plate will be decided by Waller in concert with Newgate.
“He was in a class of his own, in my opinion,” Waller said. “But realistically he’s a decent horse.
“He was three wide today, didn’t have any cover. Joao didn’t panic. The most exciting part is we haven’t pushed him yet.”
Vilana makes mark
Godolphin didn’t get the chance to test Vilana at group 1 level in the spring after he won the Silver Eagle and The Hunter, but he is now demanding his chance after a winning return in the group 3 Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Vilana was taken to Perth for the Winterbottom Stakes but injured himself in his box a couple of days before his shot at the group 1 in the west.
But Vilana ($3.10 fav) showed he was back and ready for a crack at the Doomben 10,000 and Kingsford Smith Cup in Brisbane scoring by 1¼ lengths from Waihaha Falls ($7.50) and Key Largo ($15).
“He will probably be capable of going on and covering a few mares at the end of the year if we can knock off a group 1 with him, that would be ideal,” Cummings said.
“The horse’s rating is already pretty high, so it’s going to be hard for him in a Stradbroke, but we’re happy to target the race. The Kingsford Smith Cup looks right in his hitting zone. We might even give him a run in the Doomben 10,000 in between.”
“I think he’s got bigger things ahead of him,” jockey Nash Rawiller said. “There’ll be a good race for him in Queensland.”
“He oozes class and he dropped the bridle for me where we were. By the time we got to the 600m there was no real worries because he relaxed and just got into that right rhythm that he was going to run the trip.”
All points north
Chris Waller used a trip up North to find the best from Olentia, which delivered a group 3 victory at her fifth start in the James Carr Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Waller has stables round the country and Olentia made use of the Gold Coast set-up where Brett Killon got her to win twice before Christmas before being beaten in a Magic Millions contest.
“This filly has got a story to tell. She was just going through the motions. We sent her up to our Gold Coast base and Lofty [Killon] and the team up there did a great job and really made her look quite special,” Waller said. We brought her back down here to Sydney and her first-up run was a win, and a much better performance today in a much stronger race.”
Olentia ($5) sat behind the speed in the Carr and when Joao Moreira asked her for the effort she handled the conditions better than the rest winning by a half-length from Portray ($31)and favourite Magic Time ($2.25).
“Fortunately the leader just decided to move off the fence and left a great gap for me on the inside. Then she just went through without hesitating, she’s got it,” Moreira said. “She’s got quality.”
Lloyd breaks the magic mark of 50 wins
Zac Lloyd joined an exclusive club of apprentices this century to ride 50 winners for the season in Sydney when he steered Preemptory to victory in Highway Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.
The 19-year-old hadn’t ridden a city winner at the beginning of the season but the victory on Saturday means his claim will be reduced to 1.5 kilos. He joins Hugh Bowman, Tye Angland, Josh Parr, Tim Clark and Tommy Berry as apprentices to crack the half century since 2000.
“It is good to get the 50 but I want more. I think the record [in the modern era] is 60 [Tye Angland in 2006-07] so that is the next goal,” Lloyd said. “I thought I would be able to ride some winners when I came here, but I didn’t think I would get to 50 so quickly. It is about getting opportunities and I have been getting a lot of them.”
Lloyd is part of a golden year of apprentices including Tyler Schiller and Dylan Gibbons.
Osipenko stamps himself as one to watch in the spring
Chris Waller doesn’t often overly rap a horse but after seeing Osipenko finish his autumn campaign with victory in the Frank Packer Plate he was already looking to spring.
Osipenko came from last to win by a length from Pericles and WIlliamsburg and give Waller hope will reach the top level.
“Today’s thought process about where we head in the spring, which is what we’re always looking towards is the future,” Waller said. “Things haven’t quite gone his way, he had a temperature race morning when he was [scratched as] favourite for the Randwick Guineas. The boys and girls at home say he’s a group 1 horse in waiting, so he’ll get his turn in the spring.”
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