breednet.com.au

The Taj Mahal Wins G3 JRA Cup

Tara Madgwick - Friday September 28
Lloyd and Nick Williams had a clean out of stock this week with a large number of horses sold through the Inglis Digital Online September Sale, but The Taj Mahal (IRE) was not among those horses and showed his worth with a thrilling win in the Group III MVRC JRA Cup on Friday night at Moonee Valley.

The Taj MahalThe Liam Howley trained Galileo stallion took the lead and proved impossible to run down, accelerating off the bend for Ben Melham and then defying all challengers to win the 2040 metre contest by a head.

"He'll be even better at a mile and a half," said winning rider Ben Melham.

The Taj Mahal is entered for all the spring majors.

"He's a stallion so you have to stand over him and make him do it," said Nick Williams.

"The mares coming back from the Stocks stakes fired him up , but he's run really well. The Caulfield Cup is his race and this is a good stepping stone for him."

The Taj Mahal is bred in the purple being a sibling to Group I winners Gleneagles, Happily and Marvellous from super producer You'resothrilling, a sister to champion racehorse and sire Giant's Causeway.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Front Runner Lindermann Wins Chelmsford Stakes
Capitalising on his outstanding second up form, Chris Waller’s Group 1-winning Lonhro gelding Lindermann held on to win the Group 2 ATC Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Magical and Kew Gardens Shine for Galileo on Champions Day at Ascot
The wonderfully courageous Magical in the Group 1 Champion Stakes and a resurgent Kew Gardens overturning the seemingly unbeatable Stradivarius in a thrilling Group II British Champions Long Distance Cup, completed another magnificent season for the champion Galileo on Champions Day at Ascot.
Alpha Sofie Wins Listed Atlantic Jewel
A decision to transfer talented Capitalist  filly Alpha Sofie from the Queensland stable of Jason Edwards to Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman in Victoria paid immediate dividends at Moonee Valley on Saturday when she charged home to win the $175,000 Listed MRC Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m).
G1 Shamus Award - Quintessa Wins Proisir Plate
The early spring has tended to bring the very best out of Quintessa, and that trend continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a spectacular last-to-first performance at $36 odds in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate.
Concorde Stakes Success For Headwall
With the first two across the line highlighting their claims for an Everest slot, Matthew Smith’s Headwall (Dream Ahead) came with a well-timed run in the $1m Group 3 ATC Concorde Stakes (1000m) to deny the unlucky Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel).
Lightning Strikes at The Valley
It didn't carry Black Type, but the $200,000 MVRC So You Think Stakes (1500m) at Moonee Valley was packed with intrigue and G1 winners with spring aspirations.
Galileo's Cape Of Good Hope Strikes Early for the Imports
The great Galileo is now just one Group 1 winner behind Danehill after Coolmore’s royally-bred Cape Of Good Hope (IRE) made a winning Australian debut when edging out a rejuvenated Black Heart Bart in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group 1 Ladbrokes (Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
It's Groundhog Day - Another Two Group 1 Winners for Galileo
It may start sounding like a broken record but the incomparable Galileo sired a further two Group 1 winners at the Curragh on Sunday to take his Group 1 tally over the two-day Irish Champions carnival to four.
$750,000 Deep Field Colt a SW on Debut
Nearly all of the good colts and geldings by now pensioned sire Deep Field find their way to Hong Kong, but astute trainer Clinton McDonald was determined to keep Rosberg paying $750,000 for the colt at the Inglis Ready 2Race Sale last year and he was rewarded at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
G1 Spring Ahead As Angel Capital Remains Unbeaten First Up
A winner of the Listed McKenzie Stakes on this day last year, outstanding Harry Angel 4yo Angel Capital remained unbeaten first-up, winning the Listed MVRC Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) in dominant fashion.