Coolmore Classic Next for Mafi's Expat

Mark Smith - Saturday February 19

With her favoured soft conditions, the Mark Newnham-trained Expat controlled the Group II Rosehill Bowling Club Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens from the front.

Expat loves a fight (image Steve Hart)

A career highlight for apprentice Tommy Sherry, the 4yo daughter of Makfi (GB) found the best ground in the straight to hold the challenge of the Per Incanto (USA) mare Belluci Babe by a neck, with the Lope de Vega (IRE) mare Le Lude a further length back in third.

A last start winner of the Group III Belle of The Turf Stakes at Gosford, Expat advances her record to eight wins and one third from 13 starts with earnings of $474,070.

Advertisement

Newnham said he was happy to stick with Tommy Sherry.

 “He has got a really good association with her. He has got a lot of faith in her and he has been telling me all week she would win, and it was hard to disagree with him,” Newnham said.

“She has got the right ride and conditions to suit today.

“The plan was not to rush, just to make her do enough to establish the lead so you’re not inviting them to take you on, and just to get to that four to five off the fence in the straight.

It’s just good to get a Group II win for her. She is building a really good record.

“I think she deserves a crack at the Coolmore Classic now.”

A homebred for Tony McGrath, Expat is a half-sister to stakes-placed Mental Telepathy (Shocking) out of the Galileo mare Utmost Caution who has four winners from five to race.

Unplaced in her only two starts, Utmost Caution spent the first seven years at stud in New Zealand before returning to Australia in 2019. She has a 2yo colt by Redwood (GB), yearling filly by Akeed Mofeed (GB), and a colt foal by the unheralded Ocean Park stallion Ocean's Fourteen.

Important win for Tommy Sherry (image Steve Hart)

Utmost Caution was among the 103 mares to visit Dubawi’s champion son Ghaiyyath (IRE) at Darley last spring.

Expat is one of 45 black-type winner for triple Group 1 winner Makfi (Dubawi), who now stands at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station, Japan.

It has been a good 24 hours for Shizunai Stallion Station, which also houses Animal Kingdom (USA), the sire of Friday night’s Listed Torney Night Cup (2500m) winner Skelm.

Advertisment

Race Result - Rosehill B.C. Millie Fox Stks Gr2 1300m

Rosehill Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:17.28
1
Expat
- 4m Makfi (GB) x Utmost Caution (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: Tom Sherry 55
2
0.3
Belluci Babe
- 5m Per Incanto (USA) x Savamour (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J R Collett 54
3
1.3
Le Lude
- 6m Lope De Vega (IRE) x Second Draw (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: Brock Ryan 54
4
3.3
Krone
- 6m Eurozone (AUS) x Soft Landing (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: W Pike 58
5
5.7
Bring The Ransom
- 5m Sebring (AUS) x Gold Epona (AUS) (Stratum (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Tim Clark 54
6
6.9
Matchmaker
- 4m Makfi (GB) x Love Somebody (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 55
7
7.0
Rocha Clock
- 5m Pierro (AUS) x Rocha (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: Tommy Berry 55
8
11.9
Nicci's Fling
- 4m Nicconi (AUS) x Midnight Fling (AUS) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: Rachel King 54
More Reading...
2YOs on Show - Flemington Sale Mail
Cup Day at Flemingto will kick off with the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) which has attracted a big field of juveniles including some unraced blueblood homebred babies for Godolphin and Yulong as well as the highest priced yearling by first crop sire Pinatubo (IRE).
Too Darn Hot’s Tornado Valley Captures G3 Maribyrnong Plate
With race experience on his side, having finished third on debut when beaten a length in the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes (1000m), the Ciaron Maher trained 2yo colt Toronado Valley (Too Darn Hot) kicked off Melbourne Cup day with victory in the $240,000 Group 3 VRC Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1200m).
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for Godolphin and Waller
Champion trainer Chris Waller has already tasted success with the Godolphin horses since the start of the new season and added a new stakes-winner in the famed blue silks at Flemington on Cup Day when three year-old colt Burma Star took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliott Stakes (1400m).
Ghaiyyath 3yo Different Gravy Dominates Listed TAB Trophy
With jockey Mark Zahra in sensational form so far during the Melbourne Cup carnival, it was the Henry Dwyer trained Ghaiyyath 3yo Different Gravy who gave the leading jockey his sixth win from just nine rides so far, charging from back in the field to win the Listed $200,000 VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) on Tuesday.
DIY Pedigrees for Melbourne Cup – Take the Tip!
If you are having trouble settling on your Melbourne Cup horses a look at pedigree might be a help, so take a flick through our five generation pedigrees for all Cup runners and we’re giving you a clue as to what to look for!
Yes Yes Yes 3YO on Track for G1 Guineas
Pam Gerard is a bundle of nerves as she gets ready to shoot for her second consecutive victory in next week’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
Expat Digs Deep in Belle Of The Turf
Supporters of the odds-on favourite Brookspire would have been on good terms with themselves when she eased around the leader Expat coming around the turn in Wednesday’s Group III Gosford RSL Belle Of The Turf Stakes (1600m), but there was plenty of fight left in the leader.
G1 Melbourne Cup Victory As Half Yours And Jamie Melham Dominate
Growing up, jockey Jamie Melham dreamed of riding in the time-honoured Group 1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m), and on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington she created her own piece of history when becoming the first female jockey to win the Group 1 Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double aboard Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s Half Yours.
A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: Melbourne Cup
There are many great events and coveted prizes on the Australian racing calendar, but no others capture attention quite like the Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Sires With Winners - Monday November 3
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.