Ace High 3YO on the Improve

Media Release - Saturday January 18

Improving three-year-old Garnacho scored a last-stride victory in the Howden Australian Guineas Day, 1 March (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday for trainers Emma-Lee and David Browne.

Ridden by Damian Lane, the gelded son of Ace High sat just off a solid early speed and despite still doing a few things wrong, wore down runner-up Zorro’s Flight.

Garnacho gets his head in front right on the line for jockey Damian Lane. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

Garnacho has now won two of his four starts and looks like a three-year-old that will relish getting over further ground.

David Browne admitted he was concerned watching early in the run and delighted by the gritty victory.

“I thought he did enough early. He pulled hard and didn't settle quite as quickly as you'd like for the first 400m,” Browne said.

“I thought we were probably beaten and he'd run a good race but not settling would take its toll, but he was super tough to win.

“He’s a horse with a lot of ability but he wants to do a lot wrong. He has come a huge way over the last three or four months. He has really tidied up in his attitude.

Advertisement

“We'll just keep it low-key for the moment and see how he comes through the run before we make too many plans, but I think he’s the sort of horse that we might be able to stretch him out by a couple of hundred metres this preparation and we will just see where we end up.”

Winning rider Damian Lane said he wasn’t sure if he had defeated Zorro’s Flight on the line, but there was more to come from Garnacho as his racing manners improved.

“He's taken a little bit to come to hand and for the penny to drop and he still did a little bit wrong through the early part of the race today, so that's a sign that there is some improvement still to come,” Lane said. “He is a work in progress, but he's obviously got some talent.

“He just has a tendency to want to overdo it a little bit and he wants to get on one rein. Today early out of the barriers he got bumped by both sides and it just fired him up and got him on the wrong foot from the start, so if he can get back to relaxing like he did at his previous runs out at this sort of distance, he's going to have a really good turn of foot.”

Ace High

By Rich Hill Stud stallion Ace High out of the three-win One Cool Cat mare Aplomb, Garnacho is a half-brother to three other winners including handy mare Monfelicity.

Bred by Terry Woodman, who remains in the ownership of Garnacho, Aplomb is back in foal to dual Group One winner Ace High, who is represented by 23 yearlings at the forthcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Howden Australian Guineas Day, 1 March (Bm70) 1600m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 1:37.09
1
Garnacho
- 3g Ace High (AUS) x Aplomb (NZ) (One Cool Cat (USA))
Tnr: E & D Browne Rdr: Damian Lane 57
2
0.1
Zorro's Flight
- 3g Toronado (IRE) x Doves Cry (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Patrick & Michelle Payne Rdr: Tom Prebble 57
3
2.1
Mrs Artie
- 3f Tassort (AUS) x Artie Fartie (AUS) (Artie Schiller (USA))
Tnr: Jerome Hunter Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 57
Inglis Australian Weanling Sale $8,000
Seller: Newgate Consignment, Aberdeen
Buyer: Rich River Exports
4
3.1
Bancory Bay
- 3g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Oohood (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson Rdr: Jye McNeil 56
5
5.1
Seindeel
- 3g Dundeel (NZ) x Giggly (AUS) (Domesday (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: M Zahra 57.5
6
7.1
Tomba
- 3g Hellbent (AUS) x Al's Magic Miss (AUS) (Magic Albert (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: B Shinn 59
7
9.4
Centennial Park
- 3g Super Seth (AUS) x Savoia (AUS) (Charge Forward (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: J Mott 60
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 4
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
A Passion That Lasts a Lifetime
A passion for pedigrees and thoroughbreds is often one that lasts a lifetime and so it has been for one of the co-breeders of Bravery, who contacted me this week following our earlier and very well read story on current 2YO star Cool Archie.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?
Blueblood Import - American-Bred Jillaroo Records First Win
Purchased at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Ciaron Maher, the now 4yo mare Jillaroo (USA) (Curlin) initially started her racing career in the United States but after an Australian debut second at Caulfield in early May, recorded her maiden victory at Doomben.
Frosty Girl impressive on debut
The Chris Waller-trained Frosty Girl made the perfect start to her career when coming from last to land the Asahi Super Dry Plate (1300m) on debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Wootton Bassett 2YOs on the March
Wootton Bassett’s star Northern Hemisphere two year-old Albert Einstein has been ruled out of Royal Ascot with a sprained joint that will require a few weeks off, but the red hot sire added two more talented debut winning juvenile colts at The Curragh overnight.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
New Winner for Bivouac
Godolphin have been  enjoying a winning run with their late season juveniles and it continued at Geelong on Thursday where Bivouac gelding Loving opened his account.