With $600,000 in the bank and four placings from her first five starts Capitalist filly Memo was ‘Australia’s best maiden’ until she went to Rosehill on Saturday where she kicked the bridesmaid tag to the kerb with a late charging win in the $250,000 ATC Magic Night Stakes (1200m).
Trained by Peter Snowden, Memo was up and going to win at the official two year-old trials last spring and has been kept going ever since with a summer campaign for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in which she ran second to O’ Ole.
She finished out of the placings for the first time when eighth to Within the Law in the Group III ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes, but was able to turn that form around with a withering finishing burst.
Memo enjoyed a sweet run in transit back in the field on the fence and when angled into clear running she hit top gear as the widest runner and zoomed past her rivals to win by half a length for Kerrin McEvoy and has now won over $750,000 in prizemoney.
Peter Snowden is not only the trainer, but also a part-owner and is not keen to back up in the Golden Slipper.
“It’s unlikely she will run. She’s had a long preparation and the Percy Sykes (G2) might be more her go,” he said.
“To my mind, it’s a very hot day and to try and back up a filly that has had a long prep like that might be a bridge too far.
“If we go to the Percy Sykes she could have three or four days in the paddock and bring her back in. She’s held good condition and is a very fit filly. We’ve just got to get her mindset right as that’s a hard race to win and I’m not taking it lightly, but she’s a damn good filly.”
Foaled and raised at Newgate, Memo was a $350,000 Magic Millions purchase for her trainer and runs for an ownership group that includes her breeders Love Racing.
She is the second foal and first winner for Group III placed Fastnet Rock mare Notation, a daughter of south African Group I winner Chocolicious (SAfr).
Newgate sold a Stay Inside colt from Notation at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $380,000 to Yulong and she was covered by Capitalist last spring after having the previous year off.
Memo is the 23rd stakes-winner for Newgate Farm’s Capitalist, who won the Golden Slipper in 2016 and was also trained by Peter Snowden
