The great Snitzel struck on the final day of the Flemington Carnival when John O’Shea’s progressive three-year-old Bend The Knee outfought Port Louis in the Listed Amanda Elliott Stakes (1400m).
With Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle, Bend The Knee was coming off a second to Snitzonfire on the Kensington track at Randwick on October 20. Both McEvoy and Hugh Bowman on Port Louis elected to cut the corner before easing out to the centre of the track.
In a stirring duel over the final 200 metres, Bend The Knee handed connections of the Maurice (JPN) colt Port Louis another heartbreaking defeat by a half-head with the Press Statement colt Daily Bugle coming from last to finish a further one and a half lengths back in third.
Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd and Katsumi Yoshida's Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd bred Bend The Knee, while runner-up Port Louis carries Yoshida's colours.
“I was a little bit lucky that my horse quickened from an unfavourable spot, McEvoy said.
“They were opening up in front of me, and I was able to angle out. He was able to quicken through and got out into a good spot where we needed to be, up the middle.
“He is a nice young horse that has progressed nicely. He enjoyed himself with blinkers on and John is having a great run.”
John O'Shea Racing purchased Bend The Knee for $300,000 from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the talented Encosta De Lago mare Kneeling.
Katsumi Yoshida purchased Kneeling for $800,000 off Yarraman Park at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
The winner of the Listed MRC William Crockett Stakes, Kneeling is a half-sister to the outstanding Hong Kong performer Winner’s Way (Starcraft) and Listed Ortensia Stakes winner That’s a Good Idea (Flying Spur).
Bon Ho paid $380,000 for a full-sister to Bend The Knee at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Named Dashing Legend, the Snitzel filly is in the Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes stable.
Kneeling has a yearling filly by The Autumn Sun and was not served last year.
Bend The Knee becomes the 116th stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s Snitzel and an industry-leading ninth stakes-winner for the season to date.
