Annabel Neasham made it three wins in the last four years of the $1,200,000 HKJC World Pool Q22 at Eagle Farm when Fawkner Park (IRE) left the field in his wake in the Group II feature.
Fawkner Park sparkles in Q22 (image Grant Courtney)
Following in the footsteps of Zaaki (2021) and Numerian (2022), the 5-year-old son of Zoffany (IRE) treated the field with contempt.
Ridden by Tyler Schiller, Fawkner Park (IRE) defeated Knight's Choice (Extreme Choice) by a long three and three-quarter lengths with the winner's stablemate Bois D'argent (Toronado) one and a half lengths back in third.
Coming to the race off a troubled third in the Group 1 Doomben Cup, the Bennett Racing colour-bearer advances his record to eight wins, a second, and two thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $1,311,702.
Neasham saddled five runners in the race.
"I love them all, but I particularly love this horse now," Neasham said.
"It was an impressive win. It was a funny race. I was trying to watch all of them where they were and there was a lot of shuffling around going on midrace.
"You could see Tyler biding his time, and once he got on the back of the right horse and popped out at the top of the straight, it was an easy watch.
"He’s a lightly raced horse and it is great fun to have this horse with Bennett Racing because they’ve given us a fair few horses and it is nice to repay them with a big winner. He’s a very exciting horse and we see the key to him with the right jockey (Schiller).
“He’s got a big heart, he’s got a good stride, he goes on soft, goes on firm and I think we should have a big spring to look forward to.
“We’ve seen a lot of horses campaign well up here and then go on to have big springs. Hopefully he can go up another notch against some of those better horses now.
Can Fawkner Park match the deeds of last year's Q22 winner Without A Fight? (image Grant Courtney)
“You’d imagine the Caulfield Cup might be a really nice race for him and then we’ll see.”
Tyler Schiller said the son of Zoffany has made giant strides.
“He just keeps improving and the confidence that he’s grown from when I first rode him at Albury in the Cup. It isn’t an overly strong race and I thought he had done a good job to knock another race off in his career - a Listed race,” Schiller said.
“For him to come up to these levels and keep improving, he arguably should have won a group one last start and to see him do that today he’s an exciting horse going forward.
“I was happy where I was. The speed was good enough and I think it was Adelaide River who took off and kept the pace genuine. It was lovely for me from the 700 or 800. We got a lovely flowing gallop and that’s what he loved.
“He loves momentum and when we got to the top of the straight it felt like a ‘how far’ job. He certainly put them to the sword and under very little pressure, I thought, too.
“He relaxed really well and he has a really good turn-of-foot for a stayer. The good ground was another bonus. He absolutely loves the firm tracks.”
A €46,000 Goffs Orby purchase for Joseph O'Brien, Fawkner Park (IRL) made three starts in Ireland, the last a six-and-a-half length win over the Galileo x Atlantic Jewel colt Fleet Commander in a 10-furlong maiden win at Dundalk.
Consigned to the 2022 Autumn Horses In Training Sale, Fawkner Park (IRL) was knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock / Bennett / Annabel Neasham Racing for 120,000gns.
Fawkner Park (IRL) is a half-brother to Saracen Knight (IRE) (Camelot), who enjoyed success in Australia in the Group II Herbert Power Stakes and Listed RM Ansett Classic.
His dam Za'Hara (Raven's Pass) is a half-sister to Gr1 Arlington Million Stakes winner Debussy (Diesis), Group III Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner Laugh Aloud (Dubawi), and the stakes-placegetters Celtic Prince (Shamardal), Cantilena (Dubawi), and Entertainment (Halling).
