Choisir's Cardinal Gem Leaves Them Standing in Victoria Hcp

Mark Smith - Sunday April 9

With his previous four wins coming on soft tracks or worse, a rapidly deteriorating Sandown-Lakeside track proved no disadvantage to the likeable Choisir gelding Cardinal Gem in Saturday's Group III Ladbrokes Victoria Handicap (1400m).

That was dominant (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

That was dominant (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Ridden by Jordan Childs for Graeme Begg, Cardinal Gem launched down the centre of the track to defeat Frankie Pinot (Your Song) by two and a quarter lengths with Lady Of Honour (No Nay Never) a short-half-head back in third.

It advances the record of the 4yo gelding to five wins, four seconds, and two thirds from 19 starts with earnings of $550,985.

Graeme Begg hopes the race for Cardinal Gem is the $3,000,000 Group 1 Stradbroke Hcp at Eagle Farm on June 10.

Advertisement

"I’ve always liked him a lot, and I reckon there’s a decent race in him, maybe the Stradbroke; 1400, fast-run race,” Begg said

“He rode him a treat today, and the race set up beautifully for him.

“A lot of his races he hasn’t had a lot of luck in. Bad draws, speed of races, but when he gets the right ingredients, he’s pretty lethal.

“We know at home what he can do on the track, he’s got a great turn of foot. He just needs things to work to his advantage.

“We picked this race out months ago. His rating should go up, and we’ll head to Brisbane.

Cardinal Gem looking happy with himself (image (Photo Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Cardinal Gem looking happy with himself (image (Photo Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

“He won at Flemington at the Sunday meeting back in September with 60 kilos. He came from last and got over the top of them. That was a Heavy 10 that day, so he’s quite adept in all ground. We’ve always preferred him on top of the ground - good, fast ground - but it’s great; we’ll take it. If he can handle soft ground, that’s perfect.

“There’s another race in a few weeks called the Anniversary Handicap. It’s back here over 1400m, whether we go to that or just back off slightly and organise our trip to Brisbane.

“But I think he deserves a shot at one of those big races. It’s a $3 million race that Stradbroke and I think he’ll be well-suited in it.”

Cardinal Gem was a $60,000 purchase for Grahame Begg Racing / Rohan Hughes from the Gippsland Bloodstock draft at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale Showcase.

Cardinal Gem a $60,000 Inglis Premier yearling

Cardinal Gem a $60,000 Inglis Premier yearling

Gippsland Bloodstock had pinhooked the son of Choisir for $32,000 from Aquis Farm at the 2019 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.

He is the first foal of the Turffontein mare Eloquent Ruby, a sister to Group II VRC Edward Manifold stakes winner Fontein Ruby and a half to Group III winner The Mitigator and stakes-placed Palumbo.

Fontein Ruby is the dam of Group II MRC Caulfield Autumn Classic winner Parure (Fastnet Rock) and a $500,000 Justify filly named Fontaine Rouge, who is in training with Maher and Eustice.

Rohan Hughes purchased Eloquent Ruby for $30,000 t the 2021 Inglis June (Late) Online Sale.

Eloquent Ruby's colt from the first crop of Lean Mean Machine was a $230,000 purchase for L Smith / Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. 

He has been named Mean Feat and they must be happy with him as the same team went back to purchase a full sister for $150,000 when consigned by Twin Hills Stud to the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

Eloquent Ruby was covered by Toronado (IRE)last spring after missing to the Swettenham Stud stallion in 2021.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Ladbrokes Victoria Hcp Gr3 1400m

Sandown-Lakeside Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:26.09
1
Cardinal Gem
- 4g Choisir (AUS) x Eloquent Ruby (AUS) (Turffontein (AUS))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: Jordan Childs 54
2
2.3
Frankie Pinot
- 6g Your Song (AUS) x My Last Fling (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Madison Lloyd 54.5
3
2.4
Lady Of Honour
- 4m No Nay Never (USA) x Majesty (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: H Coffey 54
4
3.8
Pinstriped
- 4g Street Boss (USA) x Snitzel Blitz (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: E Jusufovic Rdr: Alana Kelly 54
5
4.3
Not An Option
- 5g Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Patrick Moloney 54
6
7.3
Buffalo River
- 7g Noble Mission (GB) x Fashion Insider (USA) (Indian Charlie (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: D W Stackhouse 54.5
7
8.6
Ayrton
- 5g Iffraaj (GB) x Odessa (NZ) (Falkirk (NZ))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: D Oliver 56
8
9.1
Vongole
- 7g Squamosa (AUS) x Parore (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: E Jusufovic Rdr: Carleen Hefel 54
9
12.3
Forbidden City
- 4m I Am Invincible (AUS) x Palace Talk (NZ) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: Ms L J Meech 54
10
13.1
Callsign Mav
- 6g Atlante (AUS) x Raadisi (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: C Newitt 60
More Reading...
Farnan Colt A Debut Winner - Slipper Crack Coming
High priced Farnan colt King Of Pop will be given his chance to get to the Golden Slipper after a debut win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Choisir's Cardinal Gem Opens Stakes Account
Grahame Begg raised a few eyebrows when declaring Cardinal Gem a Group 1 horse after winning his most recent start on a heavy 10 at Flemington.
Riccarton 2YO Winner for Maurice
Progressive juvenile Best Rose turned the tables on her key rival at Riccarton Park on Wednesday, scoring an impressive second-up victory in The Tea House At Riccarton Park 2YO (1000m).
Entries Open For 2025 Inglis Weanling Sales Series
The 2025 Inglis Weanling Sales Series – the most lucrative weanling sales series in the Southern Hemisphere – is now open for entries.
Silver Slipper Looks Gold - 4 of Top 7 To Clash
The fields are out for Saturday’s Rosehill card and the Silver Slipper has produced a salivating line up where we’ll see the next run of boom Wootton Bassett colt Wodeton in a race which includes four of the top seven in the Golden Slipper market.
Bargain Hellbent Filly Heading For Black Type
Legendary trainer Les Bridge can make something special out of a horse and will likely tackle stakes grade with his up and coming bargain Hellbent filly Scintilla after making it three in a row on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday February 18
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Cardinal Gem - 'We think he is a Stradbroke horse'
With his final crop of thirteen foals just turned two, there is still time for Choisir to build on an already formidable record, and Graeme Begg has a 4yo gelding he believes has Group 1 potential.
Sydney 2YO Wednesday - High Prices and 1st Season Sires
The two year-old race at Warwick Farm on Wednesday is an interesting, and seemingly open, one which sees the second highest priced Farnan yearling of 2024 entered, along with the third highest priced I Am Invincible along with several other first season sire debutants.
Racing Australia Invests In Study Into Early Detection Of Injury Risk
Racing Australia’s Research and Development Fund today announced in conjunction with the Equine Genetics Research Centre (EGRC) and Telemedvet, a combined investment of over $400,000 into a 12-month project to perform a cross-sectional study of a serum biomarker in the clinical investigation of equine musculoskeletal injuries.