When breaking his maiden by five lengths at just his second start last season, Ghaiyyath's colt Observer looked to have above average ability, but it was his third last start in the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) that had everybody talking about the exciting prospect.
Arguably unlucky not to have won the Caulfield Guineas, or at least finish a lot closer to winner Autumn Boy, the Ciaron Maher trained colt was all the rage for Saturday’s $400,000 Group 2 MVRC Vase (2040m).
Jumping away from the Cox Plate start, jockey Mark Zahra took Observer forward and passing the winning post for the first time he was about four wide, before crossing those on his inside to take up the lead.
Once comfortable in the lead, Zahra slackened the pace a little after a quick get away from the gates.
Stacking them up leading into the home turn, Zahra asked for an effort and away went Observer, kicking clear by four lengths at the 200m.
Eased right down in the run to the line to score by just a half-length margin, from the fast-finishing Providence, the arrogance of the win highlights his ability ahead of next Saturday’s $2m Gr1 VRC Derby (2500m) where he is a dominate short-priced favourite.
Another length back in third was the John O’Shea and Tom Chalrton trained O’Sheamus, while Godolphin’s last start Listed winner Options was unlucky in the run to the line and could improve if he heads to the Derby.
With the last winner of the Vase to go and record success in the Derby being Efficient (Zabeel) back in 2006, it has been a long time between drinks, but history is there to be broken, and this colt appears to have all the right attributes.
“He put the writing on the wall last time he ran in the Guineas, said winning trainer Ciaron Maher. “You’d think he’d only get better, given his breeding as he stretches out.”
“Fantastic for Godolphin. He’s a colt with a very bright future and it’ll be interesting to see what Mark says.
“When he throttled off a little bit late, I thought, ‘geez he did that quite early’, but he was probably looking after him for next week.
“He’s building with each run.
“That will now be the decision, and we’ll have a chat with the Godolphin team about whether we’ll take him to the Derby. Great to be able to train a good colt for Godolphin.”
When quizzed if Observer was an option of heading to the Cox Plate, Maher felt the decision could’ve gone either way,
“I was quite bullish, and it might have been a different story to have won the Guineas. It might have been a free roll at the dice.
“It was a bit of a line ball. He’s a raw colt and he’s learning with each start. It is the right call today.
“The Derby was always the plan but he can be quite free, so we brought him here today, and the back-up going to the 2500 was the best option for him.
“He breaks really quickly, and he was always going to be in that position. Great ride, took luck out of it and he’s just good at getting those horses to back off. He’s a good jockey anyway.
“He’s good on those stayers to get them to back off.”
Looking forward do the Derby next week, Zahra looks to have an undeniable chance.
“We were thinking if we had a chance to give him a sit – for the Derby next week – we would, but there were a few upside early and he did it easy, so I thought just let him go.
“He was having a good look around and quickened up for 400 and the race was over. I was getting a bit up him in the end but thinking about next week I thought ‘that’ll do, you’d better ease up’. So onwards and upwards towards next week.”
Recording his first stakes victory, Observer took his overall record to two wins and three placed efforts from six starts with earnings of $587,100.
Bred by Godolphin, Observer is one of three winners from three to the races for Lonhro mare Smooth, herself a sister to Coolmore’s Pierro and to the dam of Estriella, who was purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $2.8m at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
A half-sister to Group 3 winner Sandpaper (Snitzel), Observer is the third foal out of Smooth with her fourth foal being a colt from the first crop of Champion Anamoe (Street Boss), while the mare is due to foal in the Spring to Group 1 Newmarket Handicap winner Cylinder (Exceed And Excel).
Becoming the eighth international stakes winner for Darley’s Dubawi stallion Ghaiyyath, and third in Australia, the four-time Group 1 winner shuttled to Australia for four seasons at a fee of $27,500 (inc. GST) where he covered 377 mares but did not return this season.
