Choisir's Cardinal Gem Opens Stakes Account

Mark Smith - Saturday October 8

Grahame Begg raised a few eyebrows when declaring Cardinal Gem a Group 1 horse after winning his most recent start on a heavy 10 at Flemington.

He is a gem (image Grant Courtney)

The 4yo son of Choisir may have won over a few more fans when opening his stakes account in the Listed Big Screen Company Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Given an enterprising ride by Jordan Childs, Cardinal Gem defeated the veteran Mossman gelding Morvada by three-quarters of a length, with the consistent Jimmy Creed (USA) gelding Jimmy The Bear a further long neck back in third.

A model of consistency, Cardinal Gem advances his record to four wins, three seconds, and two thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $325,985.

Childs said he had a few concerns early in the race.

“I ended up a fair way back than I wanted to be, but when the pace came out of it on the side, I elected to pop out and try and get myself a bit closer,” Childs said.

“The probably ended up being the winning move in the end.

“Very deserving of it, this horse. He’s had bad luck at various times, but it is good to see him starting to get some results.

Well-deserved stakes victory for Cardinal Gem (image Grant Courtney)

Grahame Begg will up his sights again with the son of Choisir.

“He might run in the Linlithgow over 1400 metres. It’s also a handicap. Hopefully, his rating will go up, and he’ll get into that race," Begg said.

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“But he’s got a decent race in him, this horse. I don’t know if it is this year, maybe next year.”

Cardinal Gem was a $60,000 purchase for Grahame Begg Racing / Rohan Hughes from the Gippsland Bloodstock draft at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale Showcase.

Cardinal Gem a $60,000 Inglis Premier yearling

Gippsland Bloodstock had pinhooked the son of Choisir for $32,000 from Aquis Farm at the 2019 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.

Cardinal Gem is the first foal of the Turffontein mare Eloquent Ruby, a sister to Group II VRC Edward Manifold stakes winner Fontein Ruby and a half to Group III winner The Mitigator and stakes-placed Palumbo.

Fontein Ruby is the dam of Group II MRC Caulfield Autumn Classic winner Parure (Fastnet Rock) and a $500,000 Justify filly named Fontaine Rouge, who is in training with Maher and Eustice.

Eloquent Ruby's colt from the first crop of Lean Mean Machine was a $230,000 purchase for L Smith / Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.  

After foaling a colt by Lean Mean Machine last spring, Eloquent Ruby was covered by Toronado (IRE).

Cardinal Gem is the 105th stakes-winner for the trailblazer Choisir, whose final crop of thirteen foals race this season.

Choisir

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Race Result - Big Screen Co. Weekend Hussler LR 1400m

Caulfield Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:24.20
1
Cardinal Gem
- 4g Choisir (AUS) x Eloquent Ruby (AUS) (Turffontein (AUS))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: Jordan Childs 54
2
0.8
Morvada
- 9g Mossman (AUS) x Carnegie Minstrel (NZ) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: P W Jolly Rdr: Ms L J Meech 56
Mossman
3
1.2
Jimmy The Bear
- 4g Jimmy Creed (USA) x Belvedere Road (AUS) (Street Boss (USA))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: H Coffey 55.5
4
2.9
Not An Option
- 5g Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Jye McNeil 55.5
5
3.2
Imperial Lad
- 6g All Too Hard (AUS) x Stammer (AUS) (Viscount (AUS))
Tnr: J F Moloney Rdr: Damian Lane 54
6
3.3
Black Sail
- 8g Savabeel (AUS) x Ennerdale (GB) (Singspiel (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Teodore Nugent 54
7
3.4
Old Flame
- 5h Invincible Spirit (IRE) x Lilyfire (USA) (First Defence (USA))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Jamie Kah 57
8
4.1
Aysar
- 5h Deep Field (AUS) x Miss Interiors (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: M J Dee 58
9
4.9
Regardsmaree
- 6g So You Think (NZ) x Rossa Mia (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: Nick Ryan Rdr: M Zahra 57
10
6.4
Purple Sector
- 7g Pins (AUS) x Eden Valley (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: B Shinn 57
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