Harry Angel - New Winner

After Coolmore’s $875,000 I Am Invincible colt Home Affairs captured the Coolmore Stud Stakes in 2021, it was the turn of the $1,500,000 Snitzel colt Switzerland to do the sponsor proud in the $2,000,000 Group 1 feature at Flemington on Saturday.

The all important barrier draw for the world’s richest handicap, the $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) has been held for a field which contains horses bred in seven countries and trained in four.

The Watson family owned South Australian nursery Mill Park is a name synonymous with serious Group I horses and in particular those bred by astute breeder Harry Perks and this winning association struck for a third time in the $2million Group I VRC Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday when Goldrush Guru saluted to join previous winners they have produced in Rebel Raider and Warning.

An “arrogant’’, “dominant’’ and “awesome’’ victory solidified Easter Sale superstar Switzerland’s future at stud when he produced a devastating performance to win the stallion making G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington today.

William Haggas is playing his part in keeping the UK economy afloat, taking home a further $5,250,000 after Lake Forest (GB) won an action-packed James Squire Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill.

The 3-year-old action hots up on Saturday with the running of the Group III Vain Stakes and Group III Quezette Stakes at Caulfield and the Listed Rosebud Hcp at Rosehill where the opening race, the Schweppes (Bm72), will see Sunlight’s $1,400,000 Justify colt Dawn Service and the $1,600,000 Snitzel colt Imperial Force striving to shave $82,500 of their purchase price.

Since winning the Listed Albury Gold Cup in March, Fawkner Park has undergone an amazing transformation.

Ridden by Chris Parnham for Luke Fernie, Bravo Centurion stretched his winning run to six, making every post a winner to defeat Saloon Bar (Sessions) by a long three and three-quarter lengths with Crippalenko (Maschino) a half-length back in third.

While the deteriorating conditions at Randwick resulted in the scratching of the unraced Qatars Choice, it proved a blessing for the odds-on favourite Tarpaulin, who put a talented field of 2-year-olds to the sword in the Ranvet Hcp (1100m).

The first foal of triple Group I winning mare Shoals, blueblood I Am invincible mare Isthmus has been threatening to win a stakes race this year and got the job done when charging clear to score a dominant victory in the Group III VRC Furphy Sprint (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday over another I Am Invincible mare in Kundalini.