Mugatoo Takes the All-Star Mile in aThriller

Mark Smith - Saturday March 13

Steady rain added to the drama of Saturday’s $5million All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley, and what a thrilling finish it proved to be.

With a rapidly deteriorating track, punters threw support behind Mugatoo (IRE) and Russian Camelot (IRL), who put on an exhibition before a boisterous crowd.

Damien Oliver on Russian Camelot (IRE) looked to have pocketed Hugh Bowman on Mugatoo (IRE) rounding the home turn. But the seas parted for Mugatoo (IRE) in the straight.

Mugatoo makes light of the driving rain (image Grant Courtney)

Australian Thoroughbreds imported son of  Henrythenavigator (USA) finished best to defeat  Russian Camelot (IRL) (Camelot) by a half-length with a further three and a quarter lengths back to Behemoth (All Too Hard) in third.

Winning trainer Kris Lees thought Mugatoo (IRE) was in trouble on the turn.

“Coming to the corner I was thinking ‘just have no bad luck from here, please’. I thought the other one had his measure, but he really rallied and found. It was great to see,” Lees said.

“It’s been well received still with a restricted crowd, but the roar went up when the gates opened. It’s putting its footprint on racing now. It’s up and going, isn’t it.

“It’s right up there, a great concept and great to be a part of it.

Lees said that Australian Bloodstock had been a great addition to the stable.

“They’re so good and they have been so good to me,” he said.

What rain! (image Grant Courtney)

“To get a quality horse like this to come into your stable. It is every trainer’s dream, and I’m very fortunate.

“I just kept looking at the sky all morning, waiting for the rain to come. It certainly enhanced our chances.”

Hugh Bowman said it was a thrilling race.

“That is just so exciting. It is amazing the emotion involved with this sport,” Bowman said.

“After rides in race two and five, the track was not ideal for Mugatoo to run a mile against this opposition, but then the rain came.

“I did not expect to ride him like that. I was hoping to be three deep, getting a trail up.

“I stayed to the rail, gave him the shortest way home. He got into a really good rhythm, but it was not as frantic as I expected it to be with the rain coming.

Henrythenavigator (image Mark Smith)

Mugatoo (IRE) advances his record to nine wins, two seconds and one third from 18 starts with earnings of $3,214,517.

A 6yo gelded son of the former Coolmore shuttler Henrythenavigator (USA ), Mugatoo (IRE) won his first three starts in Australia, including the Listed Canberra Cup having won two of his six starts in England when trained by David Simcock.

A half-brother to Listed stakes-winner Elik (Dalakhani), Mugatoo (IRE) is one of three winners from six to race out of the Champion Older Female in Germany in 2005 (Int.), Elopa, a Group II winner and Group 1-placed daughter of another former shuttler Tiger Hill (IRE).

Elopa is a three-quarter-sister to multiple Group II winner Eye Of The Tiger and Listed winner Echoes Rock and a half-sister to Group 1 Singapore Cup winner Epalo (Lando) and stakes-winners Evening Breeze (Surumu) and Evening Storm (Acatenango).

Advertisment

Race Result - All-Star Mile 1600m

Moonee Valley Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:39.82
1
Mugatoo
- 6g Henrythenavigator (USA) x Elopa (GER) (Tiger Hill (IRE))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: J Bowman 59
2
0.5
Russian Camelot
- 4h Camelot (GB) x Lady Babooshka (GB) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: D Oliver 58.5
3
3.8
Behemoth
- 5g All Too Hard (AUS) x Penny Banger (AUS) (Zedrich (AUS))
Tnr: D R Jolly Rdr: Craig Williams 59
4
3.9
Lunar Fox
- 3c Foxwedge (AUS) x Grant's Moon (USA) (Malibu Moon (USA))
Tnr: P A Preusker Rdr: N Callow 56
5
4.1
The Harrovian
- 7g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Harrow (AUS) (Dehere (USA))
Tnr: A J & T Edmonds Rdr: B N Stewart 59
6
4.4
Star Of The Seas
- 6g Ocean Park (NZ) x Stella Livia (GB) (Titus Livius (FR))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: M Zahra 59
7
4.5
Streets Of Avalon
- 6g Magnus (AUS) x Kamuniak (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe (USA))
Tnr: S P Nichols Rdr: Zac Spain 59
8
6.5
Fifty Stars
- 6h Sea The Stars (IRE) x Swizzle Stick (IRE) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: John Allen 59
9
7.5
Sir Dragonet
- 5h Camelot (GB) x Sparrow (IRE) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: W Pike 59
10
7.8
Mr Quickie
- 5g Shamus Award (AUS) x Special Favour (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: Jamie Kah 59
11
9.6
Regalo Di Gaetano
- 5g Supreme Class (AUS) x Regalina (AUS) (Regal Shot (AUS))
Tnr: R & C Jolly Rdr: L Nolen 59
12
12.6
Probabeel
- 4m Savabeel (AUS) x Far Fetched (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: Damian Lane 57
13
12.7
Still A Star
- 4m Toronado (IRE) x Lita (AUS) (Casino Prince (AUS))
Tnr: Bill Ryan Rdr: B Mc Coull 57
14
12.9
Shout The Bar
- 4m Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Drinks All Round (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: M J Walker 57
15
57.9
Greysful Glamour
- 5m Stratum (AUS) x Rippled (GB) (Dalakhani (IRE))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: Jye McNeil 57
More Reading...
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
The Metropolitan on the Radar for Mugatoo
Coming off a win in the Listed Winter Challenge at Rosehill back on July 25, the Kris Lees-trained gelding Mugatoo (IRE) gave punters something to cheer about when he parlayed that into another stakes success in Saturday’s Group III  Premiers Cup (1900m) at Rosehill.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.