Sepoy's Alizee as Arrogant as You Like in Expressway

Mark Smith - Saturday February 2

There were three stakes races at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and Darley stallions claimed them all and the third may have been the sweetest of all.

The powerhouse Sepoy mare Alizee showed she had not gone backwards after a three-month ban for bleeding when winning the Listed ATC Christmas Classic at Randwick on December 29 but not even that triumph could prepare fans for the arrogant performance in Saturday's Group II Expressway Stakes (1200m). (photo Steve Hart)

Advertisement


Settled back last of the five runners by Blake Shinn, Alizee gathered in the leaders under her own steam with Shinn sitting motionless.

And this was not a field of second-raters, with the $5.5 million earner Hartnell, $5.2 million earner Trapeze Artist, $3.9 million earner Le Romain and the $1.6 million earner Dothraki in the line-up.

The ever-consistent Le Romain (Hard Spun) claimed second at a safe two lengths while the outsider Dothraki (Mossman) fought on well for third after leading them up.

"She's a serious animal and at WFA to perform like that is a great thrill," winning trainer James Cummings said.

"To see her go past horses like Trapeze Artist and Le Romain with that sort of comfort was extremely impressive.

"She's had a faultless campaign. We had her up and rolling nice and early in her prep.

"She's a serious mare and I will speak to the guys and if the boys are happy we will progress forward with our plan to run her in the (Group 1) Futurity next time.

Alizee advances her record to 7 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third from 16 starts with earnings of $1,598,200.

The 4yo daughter of Sepoy is a half-sister to the Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes hero and young Darley stallion Astern (Medaglia D'Oro) and the stakes-placed Mogador (Lonhro) as well as to one of this season's most exciting two-year-olds, the current Golden Slipper favourite Tassort (Brazen Beau) who broke his maiden with a dominant display in the Golden Gift at Rosehill on November 24.


Their dam Essaouira showed ability in a career restricted to just two starts.

She won on debut at Moonee Valley before finishing unplaced in a Listed race at Caulfield.

The daughter of Exceed And Excel is the only foal left in Australia by the Group II Magic Night Stakes winner Alizes who was sent to America by Darley Stud.

By the speed influence Rory's Jester, Alizes is a daughter of the Group 1 Galaxy Stakes heroine La Baraka (Euclase) herself out of the 5-time Group 1 winner Triscay.

Essaouira has a yearling filly and a colt foal by Medaglia d"Oro (USA) and was one of 114 mares to visit Sepoy last season at his first season in Victoria.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Dubawi Colt from $US8million Mare Wins G1 Coral Eclipse for Coolmore
Blueblood Dubawi colt Delacroix was a beaten favourite in the Group I Epsom Derby when unplaced behind his stablemate Lambourn, but he found his time to shine overnight when scoring a miraculous last to first win in the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) at Sandown.
Invincible 3YO Wins G3 Winx Guineas
The $300,000 Group III Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday featured a big field of 16 up and comers and following the late scratching of favourite Mister Bianco, Angela Jones took luck out of the equation on I Am Invincible gelding The Three Hundred.
Spring Goals Await Caloundra Cup Winner Half Yours
With spring staying features on their minds, Tony and Calvin McEvoy sent their improving stayer north to Queensland for Saturday’s $300,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) with instant success as the 4yo gelding Half Yours romped home by four and a half lengths.
Glamour Sepoy Mare Takes Godolphin Everest Slot
Multiple G1-winning mare Alizee is to run in Godolphin’s The Everest slot with Bivouac to be kept to races against his own age in the immediate future.
Gorgeous Grey Wins for Godolphin
Talented grey Godolphin blue-blood Subedar is a descendant of the mighty mare Emancipation and kept his unbeaten record intact at his first metropolitan outing when saluting at Rosehill on Saturday.
Divine Prophet’s Fortunate Kiss Captures Elusive Black Type Win
With nine top five finishes in previous black type races, it was better late than never as 6yo Divine Prophet mare Fortunate Kiss charged along the inside to win the $300,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday – her first black type victory.
Sweet Redemption for Stable Favourite Jimmy the Bear
Patrick and Michelle Payne enjoyed a red letter day at Flemington on Saturday with their rising star Buccleuch winning the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and then later in the day stable favourite Jimmy the Bear won the Listed VRC Winter Championship Series Final (1600m).
New Juvenile Stakes-Winner Wootton Bassett
A two year-old Wootton Bassett  colt bred to stay, Daytona made it two wins as many starts when scoring a dominant win in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes (1m) at Naas in Ireland overnight.
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 5
Here is the full list of 112 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
New Sprint Star for WA?
Oakland Park's veteran WA sire Sessions is rarely without a good horse to represent him, and the son of Lonhro now has his sixth stakes winner after exciting 3YO galloper Repossession spanked the older horses to win the Listed Beaufine Stakes at Pinjarra Park.