By Daithi Harvey
With warm favorite Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) disappointing in fifth place, it was left to Jon Snow (NZ), another New Zealand trained son of the Darley shuttling stallion Iffraaj (GB) (Zafonic) to claim the spoils in the G1 BMW Australian Derby at Randwick on Saturday. Trained in partnership by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Jon Snow was always prominent under Damian Lane and did everything right for the rider, ultimately proving too strong for Harper's Choice (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), winning by three parts of a length with a short head back to Hardham (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) in third.
“It's a great thrill to win a Derby on such a seasoned horse,” said Damian Lane. “Credit to him, when I switched him off he settled beautifully and when I switched him back on at the 600m he came up under me nicely. I was very lucky to get on him last week [in the G2 Tulloch S.] and happy to stick with him today.”
The jockey also paid tribute to Murray Baker, who has become something of a Derby specialist, Saturday being his fourth win in the past 10 years.
“What a great trainer Murray Baker has been for many years now and Andrew Forsman does a great job as well, so to be able to have a ride for them, let alone win two good races for them in two weeks, is a privilege,” he added.
Jon Snow has been kept busy by connections and up until his penultimate run, he had only won one of his then 10 starts, that victory coming in a maiden at New Plymouth in May of last year. He did follow that with some smart placed efforts including when third in the G1 Levin Classic at Trentham in January and also when third to Gingernuts in the G1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie Mar. 4. That preceded his win in the G2 Tulloch S. at Rosehill Mar. 25 which seemed to leave him spot on for Saturday's assignment. Murray Baker wasn't at Randwick to watch the win, leaving the duties to his training partner Andrew Forsman who commented, “Murray knows how to get them fit and ready and I'm just glad we pulled it off. He had won so well [last week], he just bounced through the run and his work on Thursday morning was brilliant.”
Jockey Opie Bosson was philosophical after the defeat of the favourite who was seeking a Group 1 treble and he said, “It is hard to make up ground today. He got back, got a few bumps along the top which put him on the wrong leg and took the stuffing out of him a bit, but he fought on okay.”
Pedigree Notes…
Jon Snow has gotten his dam winning dam Orinda {NZ} (O'Reilly {NZ}) off to a flying start at stud being her first foal, first runner and first winner. It offers great hope to Jon Snow's two younger siblings; a 2-year-old unnamed colt by Showcasing {GB}) and a yearling half-sister by Pins (Aus). Orinda's half-brother Ubiquitous (NZ) (Tale of the Cat) was a multiple graded stakes winner in New Zealand and further down the pedigree appears Jon Snow's grand-dam Solveig (NZ) (Imposing {Aus}), who was a triple Group 1 winner and producer of two stakes winners.
Saturday, Royal Randwick, Australia
AJC AUSTRALIAN DERBY-G1, A$2,137,500 (US$1,631,019/£1,300,238/€1,530,752), ATC, 4-01, 3yo, Open Set Weight, 2400mT, 2:38.18, Heavy.
1–&JON SNOW (NZ) , 56.5, c, 3, by Iffraaj (GB)
1st Dam: Orinda (NZ), by O'Reilly (NZ)
2nd Dam: Zahra (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ)
3rd Dam: Solveig (NZ), by Imposing (AUS)
(NZ$65,000 Ylg 2015 NZB National Yearling Sale). O-Zane
Partnership; B-R W E Moore, Auckland, NZ; T-M Baker & A
Forsman; J-Damian Lane; A$1,307,500. Lifetime Record:
MG1SP-NZ, 12-3-1-4, A$1,585,370. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Harper's Choice, 56.5, c, 3, Street Cry (IRE)–Oxigenada (ARG),
by Ibero (ARG). O-Bennelong Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: P
Campbell); B-Bennelong Bloodstock NSW; T-G A Ryan; J-J R
Collett; A$380,000.
3–Hardham, 56.5, c, 3, Redoute's Choice–Nureyev's Girl, by
Nureyev (USA). (A$300,000 Ylg 2015 WI Sydney Easter
Yearling Sale). O-Mrs S A Moody, M J Bradley, Sir P Hogan, M J
Davidson, S Derry, M Fleming, Mrs K Fleming, R J Patterson, E
Savaglia, Dr G Tsoi Wai Wang, Ms R Cormie, Tomadachi
Syndicate (Mgr: W F ; B-Standard 2080 Ltd NSW; T-D R
Brideoake; J-L Nolen; A$200,000.
Margins: 3/4, SHD, 1 1/4. Odds: 6.50, 25.00, 30.00.
Also Ran: Ruthven, Gingernuts (NZ) , Inference, Prized Icon, Hollywood Mo, Anaheim, Impavido, So Si Bon, Shine Tak Star, Righteous Mate (NZ).
Click for the Racing Post result, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. NSW Racing Video.
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