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...
One to Watch – Sale
Two beautifully bred 3YO fillies by Snitzel and I Am I Invincible, plus a debut runner entered for the Cox Plate, this maiden race at Sale was always going to throw up a winner of interest.
Bountiful and Many Men to be Offered at Tattersalls Online Southern Hemisphere Pop-Up Sale
The high-class pair BOUNTIFUL (Zoustar) and MANY MEN (Study of Man) have been catalogued for the Tattersalls Online Southern Hemisphere Pop-Up Sale to be held in collaboration with Inglis Digital Australia on Wednesday 6th August to Thursday 7th August. Full details of the sale which will take place on the Tattersalls Online website are now available to view at www.tattersallsonline.com.
Stakes Goals Ahead for Blueblood Snitzel Filly
A smart first-up performance by In Haste at Taupo on Sunday has set up an exciting spring for the more than 10,000 members of the TAB Racing Club.
Newly Gelded To Bravery Born Returns a Winner
A visit to Wanganui last spring put To Bravery Born on a path towards elite age-group competition, and the son of Snitzel is set to follow a similar formula after another first-up success at Taupo on Sunday.
Sun Shines on Darley Victoria Parade
Darley Victoria were blessed with warm winner sunshine for their annual parade last Thursday presenting five stallions headed by the mighty Street Boss (USA), whose champion son Anamoe stands at their NSW base and will have his first yearlings selling in 2026.
Fully Lit Back in Winning Form
Talented Hellbent gelding Fully Lit won the $2million Inglis Millennium as a juvenile, but has had his issues since then with his owners repaid for their faith and patience when he returned at Rosehill on Saturday to score a commanding victory.
Another Promising Winner for St Mark’s Basilica
2021 European Horse of the Year St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) will be parading at Coolmore next Sunday and the champion son of Siyouni is warming to the task of siring winners with Venetian Prince opening his account at Newbury in the UK overnight.
Manifique Drawcard for Gavelhouse Sale
Both the pedigree and the racetrack performances of Manifique (NZ) (Savabeel) make her a major drawcard in the latest fortnightly auction on gavelhouse.com.
€800,000 Colt and Filly Top Arqana Deauville Yearlings Day 1
The Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale kicked off on Saturday night in France with a total of 71 yearlings sold during the first evening of the sale, with 72% of them changing hands for a turnover of €11,750,000 and the top price was shared at €800,000.
2026 Inglis Yearling Sale Series Entries Open
Entries for the 2026 Inglis Select Yearling Sales Series – which will be headlined by the presence of the highly anticipated Snitzel x Winx colt at the Easter Sale – are now open.