Lindsay Park head trainer David Hayes has confirmed Melbourne Cup Carnival ambitions to run their filly Formality in the 2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight after her Blue Sapphire Stakes win on Wednesday.
Blue Sapphire Stakes winner Formality races next-up on Derby Day in the 2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock bounced back to winning form at Caulfield Racecourse in the Group 3 $350,000 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) on Day 2 of the Caulfield Cup Carnival after a hard Sydney run last time out.
Hayes said he was disappointed in himself for giving jockey Kerrin McEvoy instructions to go forward on September 23 at Rosehill from the wide barrier 13 (of 14) draw in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m).
Nothing else went forward in that and Formality was left a sitting duck, eventually finishing 11th behind the upset winner Trapeze Artist.
The in-form McEvoy, winner of the inaugural $10 million The Everest race aboard the Team Snowden-trained Redzel at Randwick last Saturday, was able to atone in the Blue Sapphire Stakes result.
“She really is a good filly,” Hayes said.
“She had a gut buster [in Sydney]. So to bounce back off of that hard run there, superb.
“It takes a really tough filly.
“Kerrin, it is very hard to get past a man in that form, we found that out last Saturday [in The Everest].”
The Lindsay Park stable saddled-up The Everest runner-up Vega Magic as well as fifth placed Tulip and 10th past the post Redkirk Warrior.
Now a winner of five of her nine career starts, Formality returned to Melbourne for the first time since her third to stablemate Catchy in the autumn’s Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).
She was fourth-up for the spring having won the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) – Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) double at Randwick before bypassing the Flight Stakes over a mile in favour of the Golden Rose Stakes.
Relishing the drop back to a sprint distance, Formality settled second in the run on Wednesday, McEvoy allowing the Stuart Webb-trained Quezette Stakes winning filly Crown Witness to race ahead to set the pace.
Crown Witness used the inside gate early to take up the lead from Formality doing it easy up front, while the Aaron Purcell-trained favourite Jukebox settled third on the outside of I Did It Again in his first run since the second to Catchy in Flemington’s Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m).
The previously undefeated Crown Witness led into the turn, the speed quickening at the 300m when McEvoy hit the button on Formality.
Formality pushed forward to take over front running, Snitzel colt Jukebox also coming with his finishing burst.
It was the brave filly who had the better turn of foot in the end, Formality ($5.50) holding off Jukebox ($4.20) to salute by a neck as the Mick Price-trained Zoffany colt Lone Eagle ($34) got up for third a further length and a quarter back in a big race from the outsider.
“She’s going very strong,” McEvoy said.
“She’s a strong girl.
“I didn’t give her a great ride in the Golden Rose…I think she’s just a sprinting filly.
“We had a lovely run there, she showed a good turn of foot and they couldn’t get near her.
“It was game over [after pushing the button at the 300m mark].”
Plans are for Formality to now clash with stablemates Tulip and Catchy in the Group 1 $1 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Victoria Derby Day, November 4.
“I think she will,” Hayes said.
“She can have a clash with Tulip and Catchy. It’s just so good to have these three-year-old fillies that trained on.
“I think she’ll have a crack because Jukebox, he’s a very good colt.”
As mentioned, Pierro filly Tulip finished fifth in The Everest, while Catchy was ultra-brave last Saturday up to a mile finishing third behind the boys in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
“I just think the mile hard run found her out,” Hayes said of Catchy.
“But she ran brilliantly and she’s pretty good down the [Flemington] straight so we’re happy to take them [the boys] on [in the Coolmore Stud Stakes].”
Nechita (2012) was the last filly to beat home the colts and geldings in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
To back the Blue Sapphire Stakes winner Formality next race at the right price, head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.
2017 Blue Sapphire Stakes Results & Finishing Order
Caulfield Race 6 – 18/10/2017
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | FORMALITY | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Kerrin McEvoy | – | 4 | 55kg | $5 |
| 2 | 2 | JUKEBOX | Aaron Purcell | Craig Williams | 0.4L | 9 | 57kg | $4.20 |
| 3 | 5 | LONE EAGLE | Mick Price | Dwayne Dunn | 1.65L | 5 | 57kg | $31 |
| 4 | 10 | CROWN WITNESS | Stuart Webb | Ben Melham | 2.15L | 1 | 55kg | $3.80F |
| 5 | 3 | MURAAQEB | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Mark Zahra | 2.25L | 8 | 57kg | $19 |
| 6 | 1 | SUMMER PASSAGE | Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott | Hugh Bowman | 2.75L | 7 | 57kg | $5.50 |
| 7 | 4 | INDIAN THUNDER | Darren Weir | Damian Lane | 3.25L | 2 | 57kg | $101 |
| 8 | 8 | OVER EXPOSURE | Tony McEvoy | Luke Currie | 3.65L | 6 | 57kg | $31 |
| 9 | 6 | I DID IT AGAIN | Greg Eurell | Damien Oliver | 3.75L | 3 | 57kg | $6.50 |
| – | 7 | CHOISBORDER | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | – | 0 | – | – |
