Cambridge Stud Homebred a New SW for Hello Youmzain

Media Release - Saturday May 3

Lucy In The Sky made history on Saturday as the winner of the first stakes race run on a synthetic track in New Zealand, but Cambridge Stud had other reasons to savour the talented filly’s victory in the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m).

Lucy in the Sky winning the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton on Saturday.  Photo: Ajay Berry (Race Images South)

Bred and raced by Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Lucy In The Sky is a first-crop daughter of the stud’s exciting shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain. On Saturday she became his first stakes winner in the southern hemisphere.

The Tony Pike-trained Lucy In The Sky showed bright promise in the North Island earlier this year. She scored an impressive front-running win on debut at Ellerslie on February 22, then returned to the same venue two weeks later for a close and highly creditable sixth in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).

Pike later set his sights on an autumn black-type success in Saturday’s Champagne Stakes at Riccarton, and the Cambridge trainer breathed a sigh of relief when the Pattern Committee ruled on the Friday that the $80,000 feature would retain its Listed status despite a weather-enforced switch from the turf to the Polytrack.

Lucy In The Sky drew gate seven in an eight-horse field and broke only fairly from the starting gate. But jockey Jasmine Fawcett allowed her to stride forward, taking the lead and crossing to the rail within the first 200m.

The $1.30 favourite controlled the race from there and was travelling easily coming up to the home turn.

Te Akau Racing filly Queen’s Evidence briefly loomed as a threat on her outside coming into the straight, but Lucy In The Sky quickened again and left her behind. She dashed to victory by a length and three-quarters, with Queen’s Evidence finishing another four lengths clear of the third-placed Alottago. Lucy In The Sky clocked 1:09.77 for the 1200m.

“Tony Pike asked me if I’d come down here to ride her today and it was an absolute no-brainer,” Fawcett said.

“She’s still a bit green – she changed legs early in the race and actually jumped a shadow. But she’s a class horse and she still managed to get the job done. I was confident turning for home that she was going to put them away easily.”

Advertisement

Lucy In The Sky has now had three starts for two wins, earning $77,250 in stakes.

Pike was pleased to add valuable black type to the filly’s CV, while the trip down to Christchurch – albeit to race on a different surface – will also hold her in good stead ahead of a potential Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) campaign in the spring.

“We came down here to try to get a stakes win on the board, so it’s mission accomplished in that sense,” Pike said. “She’ll also go down in history as the first horse to win a black-type race on the synthetic in New Zealand.

“She’s a really nice filly who ran in a Group One race up north. She still has a bit to learn, so it’s all positive heading into her three-year-old season. I think the best two fillies ran the quinella today and have the makings of good three-year-olds.

“Our filly had to work a bit to get across and lead, but she’s done it well. I told Jasmine to just allow her to get into rhythm, which she did.

“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge yet, but it would be great to see her back here in November for the 1000 Guineas.”

Lucy in the Sky is the third SW worldwide and first in NZ for Hello Youmzain.

Lucy In The Sky and Queen’s Evidence continued a dominant run for fillies in the Champagne Stakes. They have now won 10 of the last 11 runnings, with the only exception coming from Te Akau gelding Discretion Rules last year. Before that, the winners were Illicit Dreams (2023), Diss Is Dramatic (2022), Unusual Countess (2021), All About Magic (2019 – race not run in 2020), Secret Allure (2018), Prom Queen (2017), Zigwig (2016), Peach Cove (2015) and Elusive Catch (2014). – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Advertisment
More Reading...
One to Watch – Scone
Kris Lees often sends a talented horse to the country to cast off maiden status and a two year-old Exceedance gelding did just that on debut at Scone on Monday.
Capitalist 2YO Wins for Doyle
Nathan Doyle and his team would be bubbling with excitement surrounding the return of their unbeaten G1 star Private Harry, but as they say ‘little fish are sweet’ and the stable were in the winner’s circle at Wyong on Tuesday with a two year-old son of Capitalist.
Waikato Stud Weanling Draft Showcases Super Stallions
After a phenomenal few months for Waikato Stud’s stallion roster, the world-renowned nursery will offer six select progeny of those high-flying sires at this week’s NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka.
One to Watch – Wyong
The juvenile maiden at Wyong on Tuesday had some interesting runners including the highest price yearling by Maurice (Jpn) sold in 2024 and he did take the win, but it was not without drama.
Irish Oaks Possible for Royal Ascot Fairytale Filly
The biggest story in terms of our audience reads from Royal Ascot last week was by far and away the one on the Aussie owned underdog three year-old filly Cercene, who captured the Group I Coronation Stakes.
G1 Sistema Stakes Next for Hello Youmzain Filly
Tony Pike will be represented in a number of the Champions Day features this Saturday, including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), the first top-flight appearance for his promising juvenile Lucy In The Sky.
G1 Tatts Tiara – Where Are They Now?
The last Group I race of the Australian racing season, the $700,000 Tatts Tiara (1400m) will be run this Saturday and as a fillies and mares feature the winner is often headed straight to stud, so we’re taking a look at where these girls are at.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Canterbury
There were a whopping 10 heats won by juveniles at the Canterbury trials on Monday morning that included some interesting unraced youngsters by Zoustar, Zousain and Trapeze Artist, plus a good looking youngster that may see the benefit of gelding.
Cambridge Stud Strikes with Another Hello Youmzain Debut Winner
For the second time in as many months, Cambridge Stud has won a two-year-old race at Ellerslie with a first-starter by their rookie stallion Hello Youmzain.
Hello Youmzain Filly Set to Sparkle in Champagne
Gifted filly Lucy In The Sky will have a gilt-edged opportunity at Riccarton on Saturday to end her two-year-old campaign on a high note.