It's Somewhat Indeed in the Doncaster

It's Somewhat (Dynaformer) has been an honest servant to Godolphin both in Europe and Australia, and on Saturday he recorded the biggest win of his career when wiring the G1 Doncaster H.–a Breeders' Cup Mile “Win And You're In” contest–on opening day of The Championships at Royal Randwick. Taking up the lead under Zac Purton after the first few hundred metres, It's Somewhat was pressed through the opening half of the race by Testashadow (Aus) (Testa Rossa {Aus}) before opening up two lengths on that rival approaching the 600-metre mark. Still in front by that margin turning for home, It's Somewhat turned back the challenge of the Victorian filly I Am A Star (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) as Happy Clapper mounted a challenge in the three path. It's Somewhat had just enough left in the tank as Happy Clapper (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}) put in a belated rally to run the margin to a half-length. It's Somewhat earned a trip back to his country of birth with the win in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.

Precocious enough to win the Listed Denford Stud S. at two in addition to being twice Group 2-placed while racing as Somewhat under the care of trainer Mark Johnston in Britain, It's Somewhat failed to win in seven tries at three but picked up a Group 1 placing when third in the Coral-Eclipse S. Gelded late in 2014 and sent to Australia to Godolphin's private trainer John O'Shea, It's Somewhat immediately repaid that decision when winning the G3 Liverpool City Cup first-up in February of 2015. He would have to wait more than a year for his next win, however, which came in last March's G2 Ajax S. going 1500 metres at Rosehill. He doubled up in the G3 Neville Sellwood S. going 2000 metres prior to finishing sixth in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. over that same trip, and picked up another Group 1 placing before the season was out in the G1 Doomben Cup. Third behind Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the G1 Colgate Optic White S. in September, It's Somewhat collected Randwick's 2000 metre G3 Craven Plate two weeks later. The gelding had just one start this prep heading into the Doncaster, repeating in the Ajax S. on Mar. 11.

Purton said the heavy track condition on Saturday played to his mount's strengths.

“It's been hard to make up ground today,” the Hong Kong-based rider said. “I went back and looked at his race when he won here over 2000m and I really liked the way he used his action. The plan wasn't necessarily to lead but I got there comfortably and I just let him bowl along so it worked out well. In Sydney most of the races are run at pretty slow tempos, and when you roll along a little bit more you take a gamble, but I'll always back myself. If you win it's great and if you lose well at least you lose trying.”

O'Shea added, “It's unbelievable to think we've won it. Daz [Darren Beadman] and I watched it in the jockey's room and we were having an ordinary day to be fair. When he shot clear I thought, 'should we cheer yet?' I forgot who was riding it.”

“To be fair, he's had a really good prep into the race,” O'Shea added. “When he won first-up he wasn't ready. We thought he'd finish in the top four or five. He worked brilliantly with Hauraki on Wednesday morning. No matter what he did he was always going to run well.”

O'Shea said It's Somewhat would likely wrap up his autumn campaign the same way as last year, in the G2 Hollindale S. and G1 Doomben Cup.

“We'll probably just stick with what we were going to do,” he said. “Go to Queensland for the Hollindale and the Doomben Cup. He's going there on fresh legs, second-up today and hopefully he can pick up something else up there.”

Pedigree Notes…

It's Somewhat is the ninth and most accomplished produce of the unraced Sometime, who is also responsible for the British listed winner Manyana (Ire) (Alzao); the G3 Dee S. winner Art Deco (Ire) (Peintre Celebre); and the GIII Hawthorne Derby third Friendly Banter (Distorted Humor).

While Sometime never saw the racetrack, she earned a shot at a career as a broodmare via the accomplishments of her Group 1-winning siblings Taipan (Ire) (Last Tycoon {Ire}), Ali-Royal (Ire) (Royal Academy) and Sleepytime (Ire) (Royal Academy), the latter of which produced three stakes winners and five stakes horses. Sometime is also a half-sister to the Grade II-winning and stakes-producing Oonagh Maccool (Ire) (Giant's Causeway). G1 Prix d'Ispahan and G1 Prix Lupin winner Croco Rouge (Ire) (Rainbow Quest) headlines numerous stakes winners appearing under It's Somewhat's third dam.

Saturday, Royal Randwick, Australia
DONCASTER H.-G1, A$3,139,250 (US$2,395,404/£1,909,601/€2,248,147), ATC, 4-01, 3yo/up, Open Handicap, 1600mT, 1:39.17, Heavy.
1–&IT'S SOMEWHAT (USA) , 55.0, g, 6, by Dynaformer (USA)
1st Dam: Sometime (IRE), by Royal Academy (USA)
2nd Dam: Alidiva (GB), by Chief Singer (IRE)
3rd Dam: Alligatrix (USA), by Alleged (USA)
($190,000 RNA Ylg '12 KEESEP). O-Godolphin; B-B.P. Walden
Jr, P.W. Madden Et Al, USA; T-J A O'Shea; J-Z Purton;
A$1,894,250. Lifetime Record: 31-8-3-7, SW & G1SP-Eng,
A$2,893,679. *1/2 to Manyana (Ire) (Alzao), SW-Eng; Art Deco
(Ire) (Peintre Celebre), GSW-Eng, $213,740; and Friendly
Banter (Distorted Humor), GSP-US, $224,033. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Happy Clapper, 55.5, g, 6, Teofilo (Ire)–Busking, by Encosta
de Lago. O-M W Thomas; B-Mr M Thomas ACT; T-P J Webster;
J-B Shinn; A$570,000.
3–Sense of Occasion, 52.5, g, 6, Street Sense (USA)–Saywaan,
by Zabeel (NZ). (A$80,000 Ylg 2012 WI Sydney Easter Yearling
Sale). O-A J Hall, D R S Hall, The Estate Of J W B Wragge, D W F
Blunden, R F Scott, L E Curtis & S M Bilich; B-Shadwell Stud
Australasia Ltd NSW; T-K A Lees; J-C W Brown; A$300,000.
Margins: HF, 3HF, HF. Odds: 30.00, 6.00, 60.00.
Also Ran: Palentino, Hauraki, McCreery (GB), New Tipperary, I Am a Star (NZ), Hey Doc, Spectroscope (USA), Redkirk (GB), Antonio Giuseppe (NZ), Sons of John, Euro Angel (NZ), Le Romain, Ecuador (NZ), Dibayani (IRE), Testashadow, Arod (IRE), Endless Drama (IRE).
Scratched: No Doubt, Top Of My List, Tosen Stardom (Jpn).
Click for the Racing Post result, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. NSW Racing Video.