For one magical moment, it looked like Dollar For Dollar and his half-sister Pretty Brazen would fight out a historic 1-2 in Saturday’s Group 1 Neds Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield, but down the outside with thundering strides came the menacing presence of the imposing Behemoth.
Carrying the top-weight of 60kgs under Craig Williams, the in-form son of All Too Hard won almost contemptuously. With ears pricked the David jolly-trained gelding defeated the brave Dollar For Dollar (High Chaparral) by a length with a nose back to Pretty Brazen (Brazen Beau) in third.
Behemoth has started the new season with a bang. He captured the Group III Spring Stakes at Morphettville on August 15 before adding the Group 1 Memsie Stakes over the same course and distance of the Rupert Clarke on August 29.
It was a sixth win in the race for Williams following Barely A Moment (2005), Rewaaya (2006), Response (2010), Toorak Toff (2011) and Stratum Star (2015).
"It's a special race for my family as Dad won it as a jockey and as a trainer," Williams said.
"We had a challenge carrying 60 kilos but it was on a 56 kilo minimum. He was the best horse in the race and he made my job easy.
"It's a credit to David Jolly and his team and also to Sam Lyons and Grand Syndicates with what they've done with him."
Bred by Walings Bloodstock, Behemoth was a bargain-basement $6,000 purchase by Grand Syndicates out of the Riversdale draft at the 2017 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
The son of All Too Hard had previously made $120,000 to the bid of Heritage bloodstock out of the Tyreel Stud draft at the 2016 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale.
Behemoth advances his record to 7 wins and 4 seconds from 17 starts with earnings of $1,627,290.
He is the best of two winners from five to race out of the stakes-winning Zedrich mare Penny Banger who is a half-sister to the Listed stakes-winner and Group 1 WATC Derby third Master Minx (Surtee).
The final foal of Penny Banger is a 3yo Scissor Kick filly named Danny's Sparkle who was knocked down to Dalziel Bloodstock / Peter Moody Racing / Mitch Freedman Racing for $85,000 at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. She was second at her career debut at Echuca on July 26.
