By Alan Carasso
Redzel (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) cemented his position as Australia's top sprinter and perhaps in the world with a dominating victory in Saturday's G1 Darley Classic, the co-featured event on the final day of the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Drawn gate nine towards the stands' side rails, the last-out winner of the inaugural running of the A$10-million The Everest in Sydney was soon at the head of affairs on that side of the track as Redkirk Warrior (GB) (Notnowcato {GB}) and Vega Magic (Aus) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) showed the most speed of the quartet on the inside of the track. Narrowly in front crossing into the final quarter-mile, Redzel raced on his incorrect lead, but kept finding and came away inside the final 100 metres to a cost victory. Terravista (Aus) (Captain Rio {GB}) and Impending (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) closed off well from the back of the stands' side group to fill the minors, while Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) once again found his best stride too late to be fifth. The top five raced in the near group throughout.
“I thought he did that in the Everest the other day [marked himself as the best sprinter in Australia], but the hype around him said that he needed to do it again and that's what this guy keeps doing–he keeps proving the doubters wrong and keeps getting it done via professional performances,” winning trainer Peter Snowden told Racing.com. “Just jumped, led, sustained speed and just finished it right off. The caller was calling the inside but I don't think he was ever headed in my mind. It was a dominant win again.”
Redzel was winning for the sixth straight time and his a horse that doesn't need to take his track with him. Victorious in the G1 Doomben 10,000 in Brisbane last May, he added the G3 Concorde S. and G2 The Shorts in Sydney this prep ahead of his 3/4-length defeat of Vega Magic in The Everest last time out.
Pedigree Notes…
One of 12 top-level winners for his Arrowfield Stud-based sire, Redzel is out of the GSW and 1995 G1 Golden Slipper third Millrich (Aus) (Rubiton {Aus}), who was aged 20 when foaling Redzel in 2012. Unfortunately, Millrich passed away just three weeks and Redzel was raised with a foster mare and grew up nicely, realizing A$45,000 at the Inglis Weanling and Broodmare sale in 2013 before selling for A$120,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale about seven months later. A half to GSW and sire Danerich (Aus) (Danehill), Redzel is out of a half two other stakes performers and to the dam of SW & MG1SP El Roca (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).
Saturday, Flemington, Australia
DARLEY CLASSIC (Victoria Racing Club S.)-G1, A$1,002,500, VRC, 11-11, Open WFA, 1200mT, 1:08.74, Good.
1–REDZEL, 58.5, g, 5, by Snitzel
1st Dam: Millrich (GSW & G1SP-Aus, A$312,000), by Rubiton
2nd Dam : Mill Rani, by Millionaire (IRE)
3rd Dam: Sana Rani (NZ), by Pakistan II (GB)
(A$45,000 Wlg 2013 WI Sydney Weanling & Broodmare Sale;
A$120,000 Ylg 2014 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale). O-Triple
Crown Synd (Mgr: C H Ward), Walfam No 2 (Mgr: B Walsh),
Ten Players (Mgr: S J Fletcher), J N Allen, P Piras, V P Chau, T W
Cheng, M R Waddington, Mrs A Gibson, Dr A Kuok, J ; B-Mr LJ
Fleming NSW; T-P & P Snowden; J-K Mc Evoy; A$602,500.
Lifetime Record: 21-11-4-1, A$7,797,750. *1/2 to Danerich
(Aus) (Danehill), GSW-Aus, A$279,950. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus*.
2–Terravista, 58.5, g, 8, Captain Rio (GB)–Parfore (NZ) , by Gold
Brose. O-N B Couper, A J Rix, G J Robinson, T M Ungar, I G
Cornell, Mrs L M Blundell, P W Callaghan, P J Trowbridge, Mrs J
M Callaghan & A A McKinnon; B-Mr M Ryan NSW; T-Joseph
Pride; J-B Avdulla; A$180,000.
3–Impending, 58.5, c, 4, Lonhro–Mnemosyne, by Encosta de
Lago. O-Godolphin; B-Darley NSW; T-James Cummings; J-C W
Brown; A$90,000.
Margins: 0.8 len, 1.6 len, 2.6 len
Also Ran: Chautauqua, Clearly Innocent, Rock Magic, Vega Magic, Super Cash, Missrock, Malaguerra, Redkirk Warrior (GB), Man From Uncle, Spieth (NZ).
Click for the Racing Post chart. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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