The outsider of four runners in Friday night’s Listed GCTC Goldmarket (1100m) for Queensland’s Champion trainer Tony Gollan, 6yo Spirit Of Boom mare Liquor gave nothing else a chance, charging clear after leading throughout to record her first black type victory.
With the first and second favourites Golden Boom and Metalart both missing the start, noted leader Liquor took full advantage of gate 2, using her exceptional gate speed to go forward and take up the running where jockey Emily Lang controlled the race.
Anthony and Sam Freedman’s Grunt mare Manolo Bling came out of the pack to sit just off Liquor, ensuring a solid tempo upfront.
With Wanda Rox one of the first to make a move and set out after the leaders, it was clear as the field headed into the Gold Coast straight that the Wandjina mare had used up too much petrol to get to the leading duo and that her run was coming to an end.
Kicking off the home turn as she so often does, the question was always going to be if Liquor could maintain the pace and hold on.
The simply answer was yes, and while the runs were starting to come from back in the field, Lang went for home, and Liquor reached the line a length and a quarter clear of Metalart who had weaved his way through the field for second.
Manolo Bling held on for third, while Golden Boom was the widest runner in the straight, working home extremely well under 60kgs to finish fourth.
Taking her overall record to ten wins and two second placed efforts from 23 starts with earnings of $558,775, Liquor was a $300,000 purchase for Black Soil Bloodstock, John Foote Bloodstock and Gollan Racing from the Milburn Creek draft at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Bred by John Warren’s Highclere Stud Australia, Liquor joins the G3-winning Dundeel gelding Tannhauser as the second stakes winner from two runners out of the dual stakes placed Exceed And Excel mare Luqyaa.
The Listed victory of Liquor will be an instant pedigree update to her Anamoe half-brother that sold at the recent Magic Millions yearling sale for $850,000 to MyRacehorse Pty Ltd, Michael Freedman Racing, Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA), Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) and Stallion Match.
Luqyaa has foaled a filly in September by Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (IRE) before being covered by multiple G1 winner Broadsiding in his first season at stud.
Liquor became the 31st stakes winner for Eurkea Stud’s Spirit Of Boom who covered 132 mares in his most recent season at a fee of $38,500 (inc. GST).
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