Group One winner Western Empire (Iffraaj) is back in the winner's circle after a frustrating start to this campaign and is now a $3million earner!
The headline horse for master trainers Grant and Alana Williams unleashed his customary galvanizing finish to take the G3 Hyperion Stakes over 1600m at his third start of a preparation interrupted by hoof issues.
With Perth's Belmont Park track still out of commission the meeting was held at the Pinjarra Scarpside course and run on a soft surface.
Favourite Magnificent Andy (Magnus) was well overdue for a change of luck after two enormous runner up performances from shocking barriers in the Northam Stakes and Belmont Sprint.
The six year old had drawn perfectly and with regular hoop Brad Parnham aboard was attempting to become only the fourth horse - and the first since Fred Kersley's memorable Marasco, who won in 2008/2010 - to claim two Hyperion Stakes, having won in 2024.
Punters were on Team Andy and sent the likeable pair out as warm favourites.
Western Empire had been scratched from the Belmont Sprint with the hoof issue and was second up here, but the class act had plenty of market support.
Bustler (Playing God), Hemlock Stone ((Dalghar) Admiration Express (My Admiration) and Yonga Lass (Universal Ruler) were around double figures while outsiders Comfort Me (Playing God), Mood Swings (War Chant), Black Fantasy (Blackfriars) and popular mare Searchin’ Rocs (Awesome Rock) at her final career start, were all specked at big prices.
When they jumped Willie Pike soo had Western Empire settled in a good rhythm but racing wide well off the speed, as the big field strung out behind a strong pace set by Comfort Me and Searchin’ Rocs at his quarters, Magnificent Andy getting the gun run in fourth. The bolters Mood Swings and Black Fantasy were right up there giving backers a run for their money.
Turning for home Comfort Me kicked clear and soon burnt them all off but for the looming Magnificent Andy.
At the 250 Andy levelled, at the 100 Andy was going clear and looked to have a well deserved win in the bag. But despite a tough run Western Empire was eating up the ground and the long Scarpside straight!
He nailed longtime rival Magnificent Andy in the last stride to win by a half head in a thrilling finish to the G3 feature.
The two turf warriors were well clear of Triple Missile (Smart Missile) who came from last in a huge performance to claim third while the always honest mare Admiration Express ran on for fourth and $101 longshot Black Fantasy held on bravely in fifth place.
The seven year old Western Empire has now racked up earnings beyond $3 million from 33 lifetime starts which have yielded 11 wins, only one of which was not a Group or Listed race.
The NZ- foaled gelding was born to be a star - a product of Peter's Investments remarkable breeding program by the champion sire Iffraaj out of the excellent G2 Perth Cup winning mare Western Jewel - a daughter of wonderful broodmare sire and Melbourne Cup winner Jeune.
He is the second stakes winner among five winners for his dam whose first foal Western Temple (Dream Ahead) was a multiple Listed winner up to 1800m.
Western Empire's full brother Western Power is a handy performer with earnings so far of over $185000
His second dam Our Millster by another legendary broodmare sire Marooned by Mill Reef produced six winners including her best, Western Jewel and also Western Blaze (Hard Spun) who won the Raconteur Stakes and his stakes placed full brother Forceful.
Our Millster was a three quarter sister to the dam of SW Famous Roman and LightOfProsperity.
They were foaled by multiple stakes winning mare Timeless Action by Nijinsky's Serheed - broodmare sire of the immortal WA Champion Northerly.
The next sire on Western Jewel's dam line is Balkan Knight, a half brother by Graustark to Roberto, so it's not hard to see why mares of this family can produce an elite performer!
Western Empire is bred 5m x 5f to champion Lorenzaccio who once even conquered the far greater champion Nijinsky.
His dam Western Jewel is bred 5m x 5m to Nijinsky so putting her to Iffraaj also brought in a line to his three quarter brother The Minstrel, a noted nick.
Western Empire dominated the Perth racing scene as a young horse, his wins including the WA Derby 2400m and one of the best G1 Railway Stakes wins seen in a couple of decades, a four length demolition job.
Western Empire was trained through those glory days by Grant and Alana for leviathan Perth owner Bob Peters. The gelding subsequently had two campaigns in Victoria, finishing fifth in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) for Danny O’Brien and finishing outside the placings in five appearances for John Leek Jr.
The Williams team jumped at the opportunity when Western Empire was placed on an Inglis Digital Sale in 2023, purchasing their former stable star for A$150,000.
Trainer Grant Williams gave an entertaining interview after the race in which he said he and Alana “thought they were being heroes” in setting Western Empire for a first up tilt at The Quokka in which their horse was unplaced.
“He'll never go back to 1200m again” said Grant. “He's a 1400, a 1600, maybe a 2,000m horse. We thought it was easy to win a 1200m race with him, it isn't easy for him, we've learned that now.
We love this horse. He is all quality, his foot issue is still there to be honest but he's sound on it. He just needed to be loved again, and he wasn't for a few years. They're all different, they're not machines, and that's what he needs. And he's got Alana back now.”
Pike gave great praise to his old mate:
“He was very brave out there, he didn't fade on his run though entitled to really, I just tried not to ask too much too early and hoped he'd be there for me And he was.”
Western Jewel is still breeding and is currently in foal to Emirates Park's Zoustar son Lightsaber.
She has a 2024 colt by Playing God on the ground having missed to Toronado in 2023.
Her 2021 Toronado filly Western Lady has commenced her racing career and is a promising young stayer.
The remarkable Iffraaj is still going strong at Darley Europe and still siring plenty of stakes winners and performers. He sired his last NZ bred crop in 2019 after a decade of successful shuttling to Hainui Farm but his male line continues to be very active in Australasia through Wootton Bassett and his son Almanzor, Ribchester, Turn Me Loose and others.
