Special Reward the Class Act in Carrington Stakes

Mark Smith - Saturday January 22

The $150,000 Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Randwick was lone stakes race in Australia on Saturday, which fell to a proven stakes performer.

The Kris Lees-trained topweight Special Reward was given a quiet ride by Glyn Schofield. The 6yo son of Demerit proved unstoppable when launching down the outside to defeat the Wanted gelding Through The Cracks by a length with the Pins gelding No Compromise a short-half-head back in third.

It was the fourth stakes win for the sleek black gelding advancing his record to ten four one from 29 starts with earnings of $1,104,630.

He had won six of his first nine starts for Simon Miller in Western Australia before his sale to Australian Bloodstock.

“He is starting to show the consistency he showed in his early career,” Lees said.

“He is racing in better company and getting up in the weights. He had excuses at Canterbury last start (when second in the Listed Christmas Classic), but he ran well.

“He looked likely to be in the finish a long way from home - Glyn rides him well.

“He is a horse that you can’t expose too early. If you didn’t know him and expose him at the top of the straight, he could be found wanting in the last 100m.

Advertisement

“We gave him a nice long break before this preparation, and he has been a great money-spinner of late.”

Bred by Taunton Vale, Special Reward is one of three stakes winners out of the Special Bond mare Special Kiseki.

Special Reward a $145,000 Perth Magic Millions yearling

Special Reward follows the Group III WATC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Showy Chloe (Alfred Nobel) and Listed winner El Rijes (Eternity Range).

Special Kiseki has a yearling filly by Sessions.

Purchased by John Chalmers Bloodstock for $145,000 out of the Taunton Vale draft at the 2017 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Special Reward is the most expensive yearling sold by his sire Demerit.

A Group III winning son of Lonhro, Demerit was euthanised in July 2019 after breaking a tibia in a paddock accident.

    

Advertisment

Race Result - The Agency Carrington Stakes LR 1400m

Randwick Track: Good(4) Time: 1:22.50
1
Special Reward
- 6g Demerit (AUS) x Special Kiseki (AUS) (Special Bond (AUS))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: G Schofield 59
2
1.0
Through The Cracks
- 7g Wanted (AUS) x More Than Acracker (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Angela Davies Rdr: Rachel King 53.5
3
1.1
No Compromise
- 5g Pins (AUS) x Baggy Green (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: A B Collett 53.5
4
1.2
Purple Sector
- 6g Pins (AUS) x Eden Valley (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: J Bowman 58
5
1.4
True Detective
- 5g Shamus Award (AUS) x Girls Rule (AUS) (Geiger Counter (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tommy Berry 54
6
1.6
Invinciano
- 6m I Am Invincible (AUS) x Equiano (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: Regan Bayliss 54
7
2.0
Steely
- 5g All Too Hard (AUS) x Quintessential (NZ) (Fast 'n' Famous (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Tim Clark 55
8
2.4
Ziegfeld
- 5g New Approach (IRE) x Maid To Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56
9
3.4
Prime Candidate
- 7g Denman (AUS) x Coolroom Candidate (AUS) (Mister C. (USA))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J R Collett 57
10
4.1
Laure Me In
- 7g Ad Valorem (USA) x Laurelling (USA) (Highest Honor (FR))
Tnr: David Pfieffer Rdr: S Clipperton 57.5
11
4.4
Charmmebaby
- 5m Charm Spirit (IRE) x Lithe (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: R R Milligan Rdr: Reece Jones 54
12
4.7
Looks Like Elvis
- 7g All American (AUS) x Savalook (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: J M Austin Rdr: N Rawiller 56
13
5.1
Petronius
- 5g Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Cat By The Tale (USA) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: G W Moore Rdr: R Dolan 53
More Reading...
A Hometown Victory in the Newcastle Newmarket
For the second year in succession trainer Kris Lees, jockey Brenton Avdulla and Australian Bloodstock have combined to win the Group III Suez Newcastle Newmarket Hcp (1400m) at Newcastle.
FBAA Mentorship Program - Successful Applicants Announced
The FBAA is excited to announce the selection of two mentees to participate in the second annual FBAA Mentorship Program commencing 19th May 2025.
Inglis Australian Weanlings - Unraced Trial Report
With the Inglis Australian Weanling sale kicking off on Monday don’t forget to check the unraced trialler report for a bit more intel on what might be coming.
Demerit's Special Reward Earns First Stakes win in Southern Cross Stakes
Former West Australian Special Reward was none too keen to get to the barriers for Saturday’s Group III Cellarbrations Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) but he saved his antics to pre-race because he was all business in the run bringing a timely update for his MM Perth bound half-sister.
Raining Black Type at Geisel Park
Geisel Park and its Group 1 racehorse and sire Manhattan Rain are poised to launch another winning wave in Group company at home and on the road with their fillies and mares in May.
Special Reward Breaks the Drought
Ninety-two weeks out of the winner’s circle, Australian Bloodstock’s Special Reward moved his earnings to $4,000 short of $1million with a dominant win in Saturday’s Listed Razor Sharp Hcp (1200m) at Randwick.
Twin Hills Weanling Draft Showcases Daumier and Peltzer
Olly and Amber Tait’s Twin Hills Stud at Cootamundra is home to a couple of young fledgling sires in G1 Blue Diamond winner Daumier and Peltzer, who recently had his first winner and their draft for the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale starting on Monday has a good representation for both young stallions.
Newgate to Offer Femminile at MM National
The month's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast received an incredible update when rising staying star Femminile won the Group One SA Derby (2500m) at Morphettville yesterday.
One to Watch – Sale
Reigning Australian Horse of the Year Pride of Jenni was not the only ‘Jenni’ making a trip to the winner’s circle this weekend.
Kentucky Derby Triumph for Godolphin
Sheikh Mohammed’s revered Godolphin racing and breeding operation have won Derbies all over the world, but until today the Kentucky Derby had proven elusive, but a three year-old colt called Sovereignty changed all that at Churchill Downs before a crowd in excess of 150,000.