The globetrotting Redkirk Warrior (GB) (Notnowcato {GB}) could be set for another plane ride, this time to Royal Ascot, after posting an eye-catching come-from-behind win in Saturday's G1 Black Caviar Lightning S. at Flemington, where he upset the G1 Darley Classic and The Everest winner Redzel (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}). Redkirk Warrior was last out of the barriers and about six lengths off the lead as they passed the 600 in the 1000 metre straight contest. The favoured Redzel, meanwhile, was poised about two lengths off the pace without cover. Redzel cruised to the lead when prompted passing the 300, but meanwhile Redkirk Warrior had maneuvered his way out from behind runners and was charging down the middle of the track. The Lindsay Park charge got up in the shadow of the wire under Regan Bayliss to post the upset and set his connections dreaming of Ascot.
“I am going to talk to [owner] Edmund Lee after the [G1] Newmarket [H. on Mar. 10]–he doesn't fire in Sydney–and he loves the straight,” co-trainer David Hayes told Racing.com. “He's a real freak up the straight. We are genuinely thinking about the [G1] Diamond Jubilee on the final day [of Royal Ascot].”
The globally successful Hayes is yet to train a winner in the UK, but has tried with the likes of Nicconi and Criterion (NZ).
Saturday, Flemington, Australia
LIGHTNING S.-G1, A$752,500, VRC, 2-17, Open WFA, 1000mT, :56.33, Good.
1–REDKIRK WARRIOR (GB), 58.5, g, 7, by Notnowcato (GB)
1st Dam: Flag (GB), by Selkirk (USA)
2nd Dam: Flower Arrangement (GB), by Lomond (USA)
3rd Dam: Arrangement (GB), by Floribunda (GB)
(22,000gns yrl '12 TAOOCT) O-M B Lee & Miss Y C J Tam;
B-Mrs L. Peacock (GB); T-D & B Hayes & T Dabernig; J-Regan
Bayliss; A$452,500. Lifetime Record: 16-7-2-0, A$2,156,080.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A.
2–Redzel, 58.5, g, 5, Snitzel–Millrich, by Rubiton. (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; B-Mr LJ Fleming NSW;
T-P & P Snowden; J-K Mc Evoy; A$135,000.
3–Missrock, 56.5, m, 4, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Miss Judgement, by
Strategic. (A$500,000 Ylg 2015 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale)
O-R H Montague, Mrs S M Delaney, T M Montague, S R
Montague, M A Lester, Mrs R K Lowe, P W Lowe, M Sambucco,
Mrs J E Butler, R N Butler, P J Butler, A Melideo, Mrs A
Athanasakos; B-Cressfield NSW; T-R E Laing; J-D Oliver;
A$67,500.
Margins: 0.1 len, 1.4 len, 1.6 len. Odds: 9.00, 0.80, 20.00.
Also Ran: Supido, Rock Magic, Ball of Muscle, Hey Doc, Terravista, Super Too, Formality.
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Redkirk Warrior would be touching down in familiar territory in Britain, having been born there and having started his racing career with William Haggas. He in fact won over the Ascot course in his former guise as a middle-distance performer in July 2014. A brief sojourn in Hong Kong ensued before Redkirk Warrior was snapped up for the Lindsay Park stable, and he won last year's Newmarket H. first-up in just his third start Down Under. His aforementioned dislike for Sydney was made evident by a subsequent 11th in the G1 Doncaster H. and fifth in the G1 All Aged S. After winning Flemington's G2 Bobbie Lewis S. first-up in the spring, Redkirk Warrior returned to Sydney to run 10th in The Everest, and was equally tame when rounding out his season with a 10th behind Redzel in the G1 Darley Classic. Redkirk Warrior will now aim for a title defense of the Newmarket H. again down the Flemington straight on Mar. 10.
Pedigree Notes…
While Redkirk Warrior is the first Group 1 winner under his first three dams, his second dam is a half-sister to the French champion 2-year-old, multiple Group 1-placed and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Bold Arrangement (GB) (Persian Bold {Ire}). The page boasts stakes winners in the U.S., France, Australia, Ireland, Italy and India. Redkirk Warrior's dam, Flag, who has produced seven winners, has not produced a foal since Redkirk Warrior; she was barren in 2013 and 2014 and not bred in 2015 and 2016. Redkirk Warrior was bred at Lenore Peacock's Manor House Stud in Britain and was bought as a Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling for 22,000gns by Jill Lamb Bloodstock.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
