Following a disappointing fifth in the Listed Alinghi Stakes at Caulfield, the 5-year-old mare Soothing bounced back for a runaway win in the Listed G.H. Mumm Century Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Oaks day to put Godolphin on the board at the Flemington Carnival.
With Craig Williams in the saddle, Soothing found the outside fence down the straight and the daughter of Lonhro powered home from second last at the 300 metres to defeat the 2017 winner Ball Of Muscle (Dubawi) by two and three-quarter lengths with the winner’s stablemate Badajoz (Commands) three-quarters of a length back in third.
Second to Mizzy in the Group III Toy Show Quality at Randwick on August 24, Soothing was taken to Morphettville to earn a maiden stakes win in the Listed W H Wylie Hcp (1100m) before disappointing at Caulfield at her most recent start.
“We call that the Encryption ride,” Williams said referring to the ride he gave Encryption to come from barrier 1 to win the Danehill Stakes down the outside fence.
“She was great, she was smooth, she had a target and relished the conditions, she was awesome..
“The horses have been running well. A nice quiet ride for her she was able to justify the faith we had in her last time and she has an excellent finishing burst when held up like that and it was great to see her deliver,” winning trainer James Cummings said.
“It was good to see she got another stakes win on the board because she is a mare that has been quite talented over the past few seasons and she has delivered in two of her last three so hopefully she is not done yet and judging by the margins I think she still has a bit up the sleeve
The Godolphin homebred advances her record to 7 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third from 18 starts with earnings of $424,050.
She is the third of five foals left by the Bel Esprit mare Dreamy before her death in March 2017.
A $240,000 purchase by Woodlands Stud at the 2007 Easter Yearling Sale, Dreamy is not only by Black Caviar's sire Bel Esprit but she is out of the stakes-placed Song Of The Sun (Desert Sun) who is a three-quarter sister to Helsinge the dam of the unbeaten Black Caviar and the champion All Too Hard.
The final foal of Dreamy is the unraced 3yo Helmet colt Impassive.
Soothing becomes the 85th stakes-winner for Lonhro who is standing his 16th season at Darley's Kelvinside base in the Hunter Valley for a fee of $77,000.