Two To Watch - Ballarat

Mark Smith - Tuesday September 3

It seemed like a run of the mill Tuesday meeting on the synthetic at Ballarat, but a three-year old colt by Shooting To Win and a  Toronado (IRE) filly made career debuts that have connections walking on air.

The Philip Stokes stable was expecting a big performance from the Shooting To Win colt Miroku in the 1200 metre maiden and they weren't disappointed.

After looking likely to be caught wide, Ben Allen elected to take a hold of Miroku and he got into a nice trailing position three pairs back.

He was the widest runner coming around the home turn and looked to be treading water for a while but once balanced up he charged home over the last two hundred metres to defeat Lindsey Park's Sidestep colt Surreal Step by half a length with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pins colt Yulong Power three and a quarter lengths back in third.


Ben Allen said the stable held the colt in high regard.

"He's always shown ability back at home and it was just a matter of getting him to settle because he is quite hot-headed," Allen said.

"I was quite surprised how well he relaxed because in his trials he had been quite keen."

Phillip Stokes did not try to hide his admiration and has big plans for the Shooting To Win colt.

"He's a lovely horse, really happy to get a winner for (owner) Wylie (Dalziel) and the boys, Stokes said.

They have had to be patient with this horse, he has gone shin-sore then he had a bit of mucous in his throat and we got him right here today.

"I loved the way he relaxed, he's still a colt and did a few things wrong early but he's got a lovely future – let's see if we go the Guineas path."

Purchased by Dalziel Racing/Peter Moody Racing $60,000 out of the Lomar Park draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Miroku is the send foal of the winning Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) mare Ray Of Sun who is a half-sister to Group II Queensland Guineas winner Sir Moments (Choisir).

This is the top-class family of the outstanding filly Princess Talaria, which has been championed, so affectively, in recent years by Gooree Stud.

If Miroku had tongues wagging, it was near euphoria when the Andrew Noblet-trained Toronado filly Backpedal lowered the 1100 metre track record at her career debut by an ever-widening eight lengths.

Jamie Kah had the filly smartly away from an inside barrier and travelling sweetly behind the pace by the long-shot Top Swerve.

Under little urging by Kah, the quick-stepping daughter of Toronado (IRE) cleared away to defeat I Am Invincible gelding Kamien with the Medaglia d'Oro (USA) filly Alasaayel a further three lengths back in third.

Noblet did his best to keep his emotions in check.

"She trialled up well leading into this and she was ready to go," he said.

"The Toronado's were always going to be three-year-olds and she is a well-related filly with a good future.

"We will see how she pulls up but this time of the year there are no easy races so we will pick a nice little ratings race in her age group and go from there."

Purchased by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA)/ Andrew Noblet Racing for $120,000 out of the Sun Stud draft at the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Backpedal (pictured as a yearling ) is a half-sister to the stakes-placegetters Comearoundsundown (Not A Single Doubt) and Creativity (Master Of Design) out of the unraced More Than Ready (USA) mare Voltara who boast a perfect record of six for six.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Gringotts Continues Kiwi Winning Run in $1million The Gong
Kiwi bred Gringotts continued his coming-of-age campaign with a powerhouse front-running performance under 60kg to win Saturday’s Group III A$1 million The Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
Xtravagant Gelding Nadal Brilliant in Meteorite
Ciaron Maher has a stranglehold on pop-up and slot races and was back in the winner's circle again after the inaugural running of the $1,000,000 The Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
Barnstorming Win by Headwall in the Warra
The super-consistent Headwall reaped a just reward in the $300,000 Group III Snap Print Solutions Wollongong The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange.
Better Than Ready's Port Lockroy Triumphs in G1 Railway Stakes
Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Aussie Mare Youngstar Produces Exciting Japanese G3 Winner
Australian Group I winning half-sisters Youngstar and Funstar are both at stud in Japan and the former has a very smart two year-old colt in Eri King, who made it three wins from three starts when taking out the Group III Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nissai Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
Another Feature Win for La Crique
La Crique sprouted wings in the Pukekohe straight on Saturday to come from a near-hopeless position and win the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in a photo finish.
Yes Yes Yes Filly wins $100,000 Crystal Slipper
The $100,000 WATC Magic Millions Crystal Slipper (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday drew a competitive field of 13 and Yes Yes Yes filly Yes Queen produced a brilliant performance to score a dominant debut victory.
Kiwi Bred Comeback King Globe wins Cranbourne Cup
The super-talented Globe put a troubled 14 months behind him with a powerful all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Storyville Downs the Colts in G2 WA Guineas
The WA Champion Fillies Stakes heroine Storyville earned a shot at the Group 1 Northerly Stakes after she gave the colts a start and beating in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II White Claw - WA Guineas (1600m) at Ascot.