So You Think Mare Secures Melbourne Cup Start

Tara Madgwick - Saturday May 15

So You Think’s talented staying daughter Realm of Flowers won the Group III SAJC Fillies Classic (2500m) on this day last year and 12 months on has become the first horse into the 2021 Melbourne Cup after securing her place with a facile near five length romp in the Listed VRC Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Realm of Flowers wins the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes - image Grant Courtney.

Prepared by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Realm of Flowers cme into this race off a last start luckless fifth in the Group I ATC Sydney Cup and confirmed the strength of that form when careering away to win as she pleased with Mark Zahra in the saddle.

"She’s a great mare to train," Anthony Freedman said.

"There are no hiccups with her. She’s very straightforward and she deserves a chance (at the Melbourne Cup) and I’d say, she can get a nice cheque.

"She’ll get a bit of weight relief. I think her rating will be a tick over 100 now so that won’t put her too far up the weights and the race you’d think will be a bit short on certainly the overseas horses."



Mark Zahra had an easy ride on the mare, who has the overall record of five wins and five placings from 17 starts with prizemoney in excess of $500,000.

"Exciting for all the owners with a ticket into the Melbourne Cup," Zahra said.

"She’d be a live chance. She’s a fantastic stayer and she gave me a beautiful ride today. I was a winner a long way out.”

A $180,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Arrowfield draft for renowned bloodstock agent James Bester, who has a share in the ownership, Realm of Flowers runs for a syndicate that also includes Kia Ora and Robert McClure, who raced multiple Group I winning filly Yosei, who carried the same colours as this filly.

Realm of Flowers was a $180,000 Inglis Easter purchase.

Bred by Des Whybird (Desharon Bloodstock) and Russell Board (Stableboard Bloodstock), Realm of Flowers is the best of three winners from Astral Flower (GB), a half-sister by Kalanisi to Group I winner and sire Redwood, who is by So You Think’s sire High Chaparral.

Astral Flower is a grand-daughter of French Oaks winner Jolypha, a full sister to Champion 3YO and European Horse of the Year Dancing Brave, so this is a pedigree steeped in world class classic stamina.

Astral Flower has a weanling filly by Galileo’s champion son Churchill (IRE) and is back in foal to him again.

Realm of Flowers is the 12th Australian stakes-winner this season for So You Think, who nearly had a stakes double with So You Win narrowly touched out in the Group III BRC JRA Chairman’s Trophy at Doomben.

So You Think has sired 12 Australian stakes-winners this season!

So You Think stands this spring at Coolmore at a fee of $77,000.


 

Visit the profile page for so you think

so you think in upcoming sales:
Advertisment

Race Result - The Andrew Ramsden LR 2800m

Flemington Track: Soft(7) Time: 2:58.09
1
Realm Of Flowers
- 4m So You Think (NZ) x Astral Flower (GB) (Kalanisi (IRE))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: M Zahra 56
So You Think
2
4.8
Grand Promenade
- 5g Champs Elysees (GB) x Zacchera (GB) (Zamindar (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: H Coffey 58.5
3
6.3
Miami Bound
- 4m Reliable Man (GB) x Arapaho Miss (AUS) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Ben Allen 56
4
6.4
Persan
- 4h Pierro (AUS) x Ofcourseican (AUS) (Mossman (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: M J Dee 58
5
9.4
Through Irish Eyes
- 3g Tavistock (NZ) x Zapurple (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Michael Poy 54
6
11.4
Mohican Heights
- 4g Australia (GB) x Mohican Princess (GB) (Shirley Heights (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: L Nolen 58
7
26.4
Lion's Share
- 4m Animal Kingdom (USA) x Merge (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Steven Pateman Rdr: Will Price 56
8
38.4
Constantinople
- 5g Galileo (IRE) x One Moment In Time (IRE) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: Dean Holland 58.5
9
50.4
Salto Angel
- 3f Sacred Falls (NZ) x Jacilo (NZ) (Entrepreneur (GB))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Damien Thornton 52
More Reading...
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.