As a half-brother to Mr Brightside’s Group III winning sire Bullbars, multiple Group 1 winner Helmet and Epaulette and Group II winner Pearls, Godolphin’s Street Boss gelding Pericles had plenty to live up to, and he has not let the side down.
Proving his class with wins in the Group II MRC Caulfield Autumn Classic and Group II ATC Tramway Handicap and Group 1 placings in the Underwood Stakes, Doncaster Mile, Futurity Stakes, and Rosehill Guineas, Pericles enjoyed his financially most successful day in the $2,000,000 Listed Five Diamonds Stakes at Rosehill.
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy for James Cummings, Pericles battled mightily to defeat the Queenslanders Freedom Rally and Yellow Brick.
Pericles defeated Freedom Rally (Rubick) in a driving finish by a head, with Yellow Brick (The Mission) back in third.
Pericles advances his record to six wins, six seconds, and four thirds from 24 starts with earnings of $5,333,115.
“He’s been such a great campaigner for us. He’s been around in everything but the Bong Bong Bike Race,” assistant trainer Darren Beadman said.
“He (Kerrin McEvoy) rode him such a lovely race from the 400m to the 200m. He’s a little bit suspect at the distance, but with the blinkers off today, he relaxed well in the run.
“He’s such a placid animal. You just don’t realise how big he is until you go to put the saddle on him; he’s very tall horse and has a lot of substance to him.
“He was second last year here in the Golden Eagle, just got touched off by the Japanese horse (Obamburumai). But he adds a lot of enthusiasm to the camp.”
Pericles is one of five stakes winners for Godolphin’s Blue Hen Accessories (GB).
A half-sister to Group III Park Hill Stakes winner Anna Of Saxony, the daughter of Singspiel, has a 3-year-old colt by Microphone named Lavalier, who has won a Kembla Grange maiden in seven starts, and a yearling filly by Ghaiyyath (IRE). She was not covered last year.
