Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
A first Group, 1 winner for Clint Johnston-Porter, the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained son of Better Than Ready, enjoyed a charmed run to defeat the veteran Playing God gelding Comfort Me by three-quarters of a length, with the 4-year-old Super One mare Super Smirk back in third.
It was the second Group 1 for Rob Archibald since teaming up with Annabel Neasham after Sunshine In Paris in the Darley Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
“I am so excited for the owners in the horse. He has been unlucky for almost his whole career,” Archibald said.
“CJ executed the perfect race, so full credit to him.
“Annabel has always had so much confidence in the horse and it was nice to see him deliver on the big stage.”
With his maiden stakes win, Port Lockroy advances his record to three wins, two seconds, and three thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $1,197,250.
A $300,000 purchase for Annabel Neasham and Brian McGuire from the Yarramalong Park draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Port Lockroy is a brother to the Group III BRC BJ McLachlan Stakes and Listed BRC Phelan Ready Stakes winner Alpine Edge.
Runner-up in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic and winner of the $1,000,000 Racing Qld Magic Millions, on the way to banking $1,882,125, Alpine Edge is covering his first book of mares at Clear Mountain Fairview Stud.
His stakes-placed dam Freezethemillions (Freeze) has an unraced 2-year-old brother to Port Lockroy and Alpine Edge named Mortal Halo and foaled a filly by Supido on September 10.
From the family of Zeditave, Port Lockroy is the 14th stakes-winner and second Group 1 winner for Lyndhurst Stud’s More Than Ready stallion Better Than Ready.
