Invincible Colt Home Affairs Wins G1 Lightning

Tara Madgwick - Saturday February 19

The Group I VRC Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday was billed as a clash of the sprinting titans and so it played out with the young gun Home Affairs scoring a thrilling short half head win over Nature Strip with the ever gallant Eduardo in third place leaving everyone in anticipation for a rematch!

Advertisement

Home Affairs beats Nature Strip in a thriller - image Grant Courtney

Chris Waller stablemates Home Affairs and Nature Strip were tuned right up for this historic sprint which had not been won by a three year-old colt since 2005, when another Coolmore owned superstar in Fastnet Rock saluted.

The start proved messy with Nature Strip bumped heavily several times after jumping by Profiteer and as a result Jamie Kah had to rethink her race plan for the world  champion sprinter which she did with great effect.

While Home Affairs enjoyed a smooth passage up the Flemington straight, Nature Strip had to resettle himself before getting into his rhythm. Home Affairs found himself in front a long way from home and had to dig deep for James McDonald, while Nature Strip hit the line hard late to just miss with the time for the race a slick 56.64 seconds.


The first half didn't really go to plan to be honest with you, he was just left there, left a sitting duck, and for him to show that much fighting quality and determination and speed is just unbelievable,” said James McDonald.

“It was a stressful situation that last 100 metres but both horses went down fighting. He's an absolute superstar my colt and he knows how to fight.”

Jamie Kah was full of praise for Nature Strip, who won the race last year with Kah on board.

“He was very impressive. He got wiped out at the start and wasn't entitled to run like that. He was very brave,” she said.

They say the great stallions have 'the look of eagles'  - image  Grant Courtney

International goals may lie ahead for both the winner and runner-up in 2022, but for now Chris Waller is looking at options here in Australia with the Group I Newmarket Handicap the likely next target for Home Affairs.

“It'll depend on weights and things like that. Normally the three-year-olds get in fairly well, respecting the weight-for-age scale,” Waller said.

"They'll be both going home for an ice tub and beach tomorrow and reassess on Monday.”

Home Affairs was bred and sold by Torryburn Stud fetching $875,000 at Inglis Easter.

An $875,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Tom Magnier from the Torryburn Stud draft, Home Affairs runs for a big syndicate headed by Coolmore and various partners and has the overall record of four wins and two placings from eight starts with some $2.2 million in prizemoney.

A half-brother to Group I placed Aysar, Home Affairs was bred by Torryburn Stud and is the second winner from Miss Interiors, a winning half-sister by Flying Spur to dual Group I winner and sire Russian Revolution and Group III winner Turbo Miss.

Torryburn Stud sold the two year-old Capitalist colt from Miss Interiors for $1,050,000 at Inglis Easter last year to James Harron Bloodstock and he has been named Wilbury.

Miss Interiors has a yearling colt by Dundeel that will be offered at Inglis Easter as Lot 291 and produced another filly by the same sire last spring before going back to I Am Invincible.

The win of Home Affairs has propelled Yarraman Park’s champion sire I Am Invincible to the top of the Australian General Sires List by earnings and winners.

Click to see all interactive sire tables.


 

Advertisment

Race Result - Black Caviar Lightning Gr1 1000m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 0:56.64
1
Home Affairs
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Miss Interiors (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 55.5
I Am Invincible
2
0.1
Nature Strip
- 7g Nicconi (AUS) x Strikeline (AUS) (Desert Sun (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Jamie Kah 58.5
Nicconi
3
1.6
Eduardo
- 8g Host (CHI) x Blushing (AUS) (Fantastic Light (USA))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: N Rawiller 58.5
4
1.7
Swats That
- 4m Shamus Award (AUS) x Is It A Mosquito (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: D Oliver 56.5
5
3.9
Masked Crusader
- 5g Toronado (IRE) x She's Got Gears (AUS) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Jye McNeil 58.5
6
4.2
Profiteer
- 3c Capitalist (AUS) x Athena Lass (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: B Prebble 55.5
7
6.0
The Astrologist
- 5g Zoustar (AUS) x Aquada (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: John Allen 58.5
8
6.7
The Inferno
- 5g Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) x Spina Rosa (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: C I Brown Rdr: Damian Lane 58.5
9
12.2
Gytrash
- 6g Lope De Vega (IRE) x Miss Barley (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: G Richards & D Moyle Rdr: M Zahra 58.5
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Monday May 26
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Applications Open For TBA Stud Start Program
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) has opened applications for its Stud Start program, aimed at individuals with little or no experience in the breeding industry.
Alsephina $1.1million and Amazonian Lass $1million
They followed each other through the sale ring at the Magic Millions National Sale on Tuesday with Alsephina selling for $1.1million to Katsumi Yoshida followed by Amazonian Lass for $1million to Nocab Racing Pty Ltd/Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday May 27
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Can Zougotcha Outshine Sunlight?
The Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale kicks off on Tuesday with a stellar draft of race fillies and mares with one of the star lots tipped to be Zougotcha, who has many similarities with the 2020 sale-topper Sunlight.
US Group I Winner for Zoustar
On a day when Widden Stud’s Zoustar produced the $5.25million top seller Zougotcha at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale he also sired a new Group I winner in North America where King of Gosford won the $300,000 Shoemaker Mile (1m) at Santa Anita.
First Australian Winner For Ghaiyyath
While four-time Group 1 winner Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) isn’t shuttling to Australia this season after four successive years where he covered 377 mares, supporters of the stallion will be pleased to see that he's recorded his first Australian winner on Tuesday - and it was an impressive one.
$5.25million Zougotcha - Waller Stars Set Sale Ring Alight
Chris Waller Racing consigned two of the stable’s superstar older mares to the Magic Millions National Sale on Tuesday with Zougotcha (Zoustar) selling for $5.25million and Atishu (Savabeel) for $2.7million.
Widden Purchase MM 2YO Classic Winner for $1.35million
Widden Stud were active at the top end as a vendor at the Magic Millions National Sale on Tuesday and also as a buyer securing Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Skirt the Law for $1.35million.
Wootton Bassett 2YO Colt Wins G3 – Royal Ascot Next
The big meeting at The Curragh overnight produced an exciting new two year-old stakes-winner for Wootton Bassett with Albert Einstein making it two wins in as many starts when taking out the Group III Marble Hill Stakes (6f).