Making his Australian debut, Annabel Neasham’s royally-bred Dubawi gelding My Oberon (IRE) exceeded stable expectations with a dominant performance in Saturday’s Group II Schweppes Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley.
Making his first start since finishing third as favourite in the Group II Summer Mile Stakes at Ascot in July, My Oberon (IRE) came with a barnstorming finish under John Allen to defeat Bankers Choice (Mongolian Khan) by one and a half lengths with Buffalo River (USA) (Noble Mission) a further one and a half lengths back in third.
The winner of the Group III Newmarket Earl of Sefton Stakes and Listed Windsor Midsummer Stakes and third in the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan, when trained by William Haggas, My Oberon (IRE) advances his record to six wins, two seconds, and three thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $783,951.
“I thought he might be a bit underdone. He hasn’t run since July and just great to see,” Neasham said.
“Johnny was three-wide and the owners were going ‘what the’, and I said he’s probably in the best part of the track there.
“He was super. William Haggas sent me a message the other day saying, ‘good luck, don’t hit the front too soon’, which was good advice.
“He hit the front and held on well. He’ll come on a lot from that and hopefully find a nice race in two weeks.
“Harry Eustace is a big part of it. Big thanks to him. He looked after him in quarantine on the UK side. He’s had his hands on nearly every horse I’ve had out here for a few weeks before they come out.
“That’s always helped, but Stuart Bowman, has found us another good one. But it is a combination of things and about finding the right horse and he looks like he’s going to suit ‘down under’ perfectly.”
Bred by the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holdings, My Oberon is a half-brother to Group II Prix Eugene Adam winner My Prospero (Iffraaj) and Listed winner My Astra (Lope De Vega).
My Prospero placed in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot and My Astra was runner-up in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh.
The trio are out of the Group III winner My Titania (Sea The Stars) a half-sister to the multiple Group II winner Muthmir (Invincible Spirit).
