Kiwi Bred Commander Harry Brings Pedigree Update

Media Release - Saturday December 16

Handy stayer Commander Harry returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in more than 800 days when winning the Quayclean Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield under a perfect Jamie Mott ride and has a yearling half-brother for Inglis Classic by first season sire Circus Maximus (IRE) .

Commander Harry wins the Quayclean Handicap at Caulfield. Photo: Colin Bull

These days prepared by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, the five-year-old gelding hadn’t won since breaking maiden ranks over 1450m at Kilmore in September 2021 when trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.

The son of Reliable Man finished runner-up in the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) won by Forgot You and campaigned against a number of likely types in his Classic season including placings behind the likes of Jungle Magnate and Detonator Jack.

Fast-forward two seasons, and the SCT Syndications-raced galloper relished the strong tempo set in Saturday’s contest to prevail by a length and a quarter.

Stable representative Jack Turnbull said the variety of facilities at the disposal of the Ciaron Maher Racing team played a key role in the return to form, including the Fingal base on the Mornington peninsula.

“It has been a long-time coming. It is well-documented he has been through nearly every set-up we have. He currently lives at Fingal and full-credit to the team down there,” Turnbull said.

“He has been doing a lot of jumping and a lot of alternative work. He doesn’t actually gallop a lot these days. He does a lot of bowling and surging work out there and it seems to be working.

“Typically, we would bring them in once or twice a week to speed-up on grass but horses like him are educated and they don’t need to be worked at speed. They do a lot of half-pace and three-quarter pace work at Fingal which is left-handed and right-handed and we have just recently set-up a few jumping and schooling arenas.

“It is effective and we’re learning and we are seeing him put it into practice with Track Kat (Head of Ciaron Maher Racing’s Sports Science Katrina Anderson, or Track Kat, as she is more commonly known in racing circles) who likes to pioneer that.”

Advertisement

Turnbull admitted Commander Harry was the beneficiary of the strong tempo set by free-going import Blue Cup.

“The race was set-up for him today with Blue Cup running along but to the horse’s credit he kept galloping,” Turnbull said.

“I think he will get a solid ten furlongs like he did today and maybe even a mile and a half now that he is a bit more seasoned and more mature.

“A big thanks to the patient ownership group that is here today, including Stephen and Tash at SCT Syndications, it is a great result.”

By Westbury Stud sire Reliable Man, Commander Harry is out of the Zabeel mare Our Josephina was bred by Greg Perry's Greenwich Stud.

Raised at Michelle Norman and Dave Keenan's Kilmore Farm in Matamata, Commander Harry was a $50,000 purchase at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale by Busuttin and Young.

Vinery Stud will offer the yearling half-brother by Circus Maximus to Commander Harry at Inglis Classic as Lot 552– NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Quayclean (Bm70) 2000m

Caulfield Track: Good(3) Time: 2:01.89
1
Commander Harry
- 5g Reliable Man (GB) x Our Josephina (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J Mott 60
2
1.3
Vasmee
- 7g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Mizzna (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: Nathan Dunn Rdr: Tatum Bull 58.5
3
3
Slate
- 5g So You Think (NZ) x Calchris (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Cumani Rdr: Declan Bates 58.5
4
4.3
Mercian Hymn
- 6g Siyouni (FR) x Astronomy Domine (GB) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Maddie Raymond Rdr: Jye McNeil 57.5
5
4.5
Blazing Rebel
- 7g Rebel Raider (AUS) x Street Blaze (AUS) (Street Sense (USA))
Tnr: David Brideoake & Matt Jenkins Rdr: W F Pinn 60.5
6
5.2
Oceans Of Stanima
- 7g Ocean Park (NZ) x Staxa Stanima (NZ) (Castledale (IRE))
Tnr: Ben Brisbourne Rdr: Celine Gaudray 59
7
7.7
Blue Moon
- 6m Shocking (AUS) x Dawn Till Dusk (NZ) (Manntari (IRE))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: Carleen Hefel 58
8
9.2
My Brothers Keeper
- 4g Fiorente (IRE) x Any Dane Now (AUS) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: S V Brown Rdr: M J Dee 57.5
9
10.7
French Moon
- 6g Puissance De Lune (IRE) x Manhattan Treasure (AUS) (Portland Pirate (AUS))
Tnr: P Koumis Rdr: D W Stackhouse 57
10
25.7
Blue Cup
- 8g Kendargent (FR) x Hunter Forward (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Brian McGrath Rdr: Campbell Rawiller 62.5
More Reading...
Juvenile Trial Watch – Caulfield
Three barrier trials at Caulfield on Thursday morning produced heat winners for first season sires Wild Ruler and Profiteer with the quickest winner being Free Flying, the half-sister by Snitzel to brilliant Group winning mare Learning to Fly.
Hellbent Winner Impresses at Sha Tin
Astute trainer Mark Newnham paid $425,000 at the 2023 NZB Ready to Run Sale to secure a promising two year-old by Hellbent and Invincible Ibis delivered on that promise when scoring a last to first win at Sha Tin on Wednesday.
NZ Derby Hero Willydoit Primed for Epsom
Last season’s New Zealand Derby hero Willydoit will step back into the spotlight on Saturday when he contests the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick for trainer Ciaron Maher, with jockey Tommy Berry bullish the horse is ready to make his mark over the famous mile.
Youngsters Impress Leading into Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale
The build up to the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale has intensified with a swag of impressive breeze up performances over the past week.
Resolute Racing Purchase Top Lot Goffs Orby Day 1
The Goffs Orby Yearling Sale kicked off overnight and the top lot on Day 1 was a colt by Blue Point purchased by John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock for €675,000, while Wootton Bassett produced the top selling filly, whose half-brother Trinity College is now in Australia.
Blueblood Fillies From $3million Mares
Tom Magnier has been notable for his purchase of elite race fillies and broodmares in recent years to enhance the stellar Coolmore broodmare band and two of his $3million plus mare purchases have produced stunning fillies this spring.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 2
Here is the full list of 29 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Generation Foals Built for Speed
Victorian farm Lovatsville offer a diverse stallion roster for this spring geared to satisfy a wide spectrum of breeder ambitions and if explosive Aussie speed is your thing then Snitzel stallion Generation will fit the bill.
Melody Belle Daughter Set for Long Awaited Debut
It will be a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at The Valley on Friday night when Lyrics ‘N’ Song, a daughter of their former multiple Group One winner Melody Belle, makes her debut.