The Melbourne form stood up big time in Saturday’s $5,000,000 Group1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill, with the Blue Diamond Stakes runner-up Lady Of Camelot rallying under Blake Shinn to deny the game Coleman, who was under an injury cloud during the week.
Ridden by Blake Shinn for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the daughter of Written Tycoon was held up briefly in the straight as Kerrin McEvoy looked to have timed his run to perfection on the Matt-Laurie-trained Pierata colt, Coleman.
Lady Of Camelot fought back to win by a head from Coleman. The favourite Storm Boy dwelt at the start and was hard-ridden to take up a forward position. The son of Justify (USA) did not shirk his task and was one and a half lengths back in third, ahead of the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Traffic Warden (Street Boss).
It was the eighth win in the race for Gai Waterhouse, second for Blake Shinn and second for Written Tycoon, after Capitalist, whom Blake Shinn rode to victory in 2016.
It was a great result for Yulong Stud, which stands Written Tycoon and Pierata, in particular, and for the industry in Victoia in general.
A homebred for Sir Owen Glenn's Go Bloodstock, Lady Of Camelot advances her record to two wins and a second from four starts with earnings of $3,356,500.
“We’ve spoken on numerous occasions throughout this week about what this race means to the stable, the industry, the public,” Adrian Bott said. It’s a great race to win.
“I’m delighted to be able to do that once again and alongside a special person in Gai Waterhouse, who I have to thank so much for the career. The partnership we’ve been able to do together.
“It’s a great achievement. She has gone to another level again, eight Slippers for her now.
“It was hard to know where to look. The race changed complexion there pretty quickly with him (Storm Boy) missing the start.
“I had to watch him try to pick up and I lost track of the others at that point and the way the track has been playing, it has been difficult for them to come up the inside.
“She has been very brave to do that as well and a great ride by Blake Shinn.
“Sir Owen Glenn, I’m delighted for him, he puts so much into the industry.
“She’s a homebred for him, we trained the mare. This is the third foal out of her and they’ve all been two-year-old stakes winners, she is obviously the best of them now.
“But a special thrill for him I’m sure. Not only to own her but to breed her with a family he’s got a heavy involvement in.
“It got a bit messy for him (Storm Boy), he couldn’t get any momentum, he will push on to the Triple Crown I think.”
Blake Shinn said it could have all gone wrong in the latter stages.
“I was getting held up there for a bit, but I just had to bide our time and wait for the opportunity to present and when it did she really let down well,” Shinn said.
“I had the horse to quicken and we just needed the gap and she was great. I’m so happy.
“It just happened like that in the trial and we learned a lot about her. It gave me confidence and the stable, to be able to execute that going into today.
“She broke really well and when I was able to get that position, everything was just going to plan nicely, I just needed the gap to happen.
“A little bit like Capitalist, when I won on him in 2016, we got it and she did the rest. It was really special.”
“It means a lot. This is one of the majors and I think more so it means a lot this time because I’ve done it for Adrian and particularly Gai.
“She’s at home watching with a lot of people. She brought me to Sydney and to come back from Hong Kong and for her to give me a chance with Sir Owen Glenn, Stevie O’Connor, Newgate Farm, they born and raised this horse, Henry Field. This is going to make a lot of people happy.”
“We’re on a flight to Hong Kong, but we’ll enjoy it when we get back.”
Lady Of Camelot is the third consecutive stakes-winner for the remarkable Fastnet Rock mare Miss Debutante after 4-time Group III winner Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible) and the Group III Gimcrack Stakes winner Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar), who was runner-up in the Silver Slipper and Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
Purchased by Paul Moroney Bloodstock for $430,000 at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Miss Debutante carried Go Bloodstock's yellow, white checked sash to four wins from eight starts highlighted by the Listed Denise's Joy Stakes at Scone.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock has a yearling colt by Flying Artie and missed to Zoustar last spring after foaling a sister to Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible).
Lady Of Camelot is the 15th Group 1 winner for Yulong Stud's flagship stallion, Written Tycoon, who has come a long way from the days when he stood for $6,600.
