Winning the Group 2 MVRC Vase and finishing second in the Group 1 VRC Derby at 3, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained son of Fiorente (IRE) had almost 12 months away from the track before resuming with an impressive Moonee Valley win recently, backing it up on Oaks Day at Flemington to win the Listed VRC Chester Manifold Stakes (1600m).
With Lean Mean Machine 5yo gelding Enxuto starting the favourite off the back of his unlucky third behind Warnie in the Group 2 The Damien Oliver (1400m) last Saturday, the Robbie Griffiths trained gelding jumped away well from barrier 2 and settled in fourth with Apulia on the rail in fifth.
Ensuring a solid tempo upfront, the John McArdle trained El Rocko took the field into the home turn, but once pressure was applied, the gelding started to weaken as Luke Currie and Enxuto started to put themselves on the picture.
Taking the lead at the 250m mark, punters started lining up to collect, but that was short-lived as Apulia was working down the outside while $1.6m earner Detonator Jack (NZ) was charging along the rail.
When the line was reached, Apulia had too much momentum, winning by a quarter of a length from Detonator Jack, while fellow New Zealand bred gelding Poison Chalice (NZ) had flown late to nab third, just ahead of the weanling Enxuto.
“He’s been a fantastic horse for our family and the Garret’s, they’ve been great supporters and we train in partnership together so it’s a great result for everyone,” stated Ben Hayes.
“I thought Michael did a great job. He's a horse that does run his best races outside of horses, so from barrier one to get where he did and get his revs up was a great effort.
“So, we're thrilled, and he's got a winner over this week's very hard, and we're happy to get our first winner.”
Holding a nomination to the $1.5m Group 1 Northerly Stakes (1800m), with connections also considering the $1m Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m), we could see Apulia head west over the summer.
“It's always been an idea to send him up that way,” said Hayes. “Winning today definitely helps. Look, the 29th there's some nice races there that we can look at, and then after that maybe we can head up to Perth, but it all depends on flights and how we can get in there.”
“But he's an exciting horse. He only got beaten a small margin in a derby a couple of years ago, and we've had to be very patient. So, it's just so exciting to get him back and race him well.”
Having drawn the inside barrier, jockey Michael Dee knew he need clear running when it mattered.
“I planned out better how I drew it out,” said Dee. “We obviously had barrier one, and he's a horse that definitely appreciates being outside and around horses, so we were lucky enough that at the top of the straight we could sort of edge out and he was strong late.”
“He took a while to really get going and find his straps but late he was nice and strong.
“He’s come back in great order. He had quite a long time off - nearly 12 months - but he won well first-up at Moonee Valley last start and that was only ten days ago. He’s come back great.
“Probably pleasantly surprised (with how quickly he’s come to hand), but leading into his first run, he had done absolutely nothing wrong and had been trialling well.”
“But it's always a question mark when they have so long off, and to produce two like this within sort of ten days, it's a super effort and a credit to the team Hayes, and how they've been able to handle him.”
“Good training effort by the boys.”
With a Perth a possibility, Dee is keen to follow Apulia.
“Definitely always looking for more success. It's been a little bit lean the first couple of days, so I’ll go anywhere if it's looking like we're definitely a chance.”
Taking his record to four wins and six placed efforts from 16 starts, with earnings of $1,102,320, it is great to see the 5yo back in the form he showed earlier in his career.
Bred by Meadowvale Pastoral Co Pty Ltd and Revelstone Stud, the son of Melbounre Cup hero Fiorente is one of two winners from two to the races for the High Chaparral mare Giannarelli, herself a half-sister to Fastnet Rock’s Group 2 placed Hit The Spot.
The current 3yo out of Giannarelli, is the unraced Nicconi filly named Aradeo also in the Ben, Will and JD Hayes stable, while the mare has an unnamed 2yo colt by Nicconi followed by a yearling filly by Lucky Vega (IRE).
There will be no foal this season with the mare unfortunately missing to Rosemont Stud’s Shamus Award.
Apulia is one of 11 stakes winners for the former Widden Stud based Mosun stallion Fiorente, who passed away in May 2023, with his final crop of runners being the 2yo’s of this season.
