Third Group 1 For Sepoy's Alizee

Mark Smith - Saturday February 23

There would be few more likeable mares in training than Alizee who took her Group 1 tally to three in Saturday's $500,000 Yulong Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Godolphin's hulking daughter of Sepoy did not have many favours in the run before defeating a star-studded field. Caught wide the trip under Hugh Bowman, Alizee had to dig deep to stave off a courageous Malaguerra (Magnus) by a half-length with the winner's stablemate Hartnell (GB) (Authorized) another half-length away third. (images Grant Courtney)

Advertisement


It made it three from three this campaign after she missed the spring following a bleeding attack.

"She's a beauty," winning trainer James Cummings told AAP.

"She's just in ripping form and that's four wins straight for her and she's a deserving weight-for-age Group One winner.

"They don't hand them out and that's probably the toughest I've seen a horse of mine ever win a Group One in such fashion.

"But she's just been able to absorb the pressure and she's just a brute of a mare.

"When ridden for a turn of foot she can be even better but that's a wonderful quality in a horse to be so versatile and still fend off quality weight-for-age Group One horses."

Alizee advances her record to 8 2 1 from 17 starts with earnings of $1,900,200.

She is now favourite for the inaugural $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 16.


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 earlier in the day finished second to Time To Reign in the Group II Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill.

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 year at his first season in Victoria.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sepoy's Alizee Makes Winning Seasonal Debut
A fresh Alizee opened her five-year-old campaign with a win in Saturday’s Group II Missile Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill although supporters that backed her into odds-on favouritism were made to sweat in the closing stages.
Impressive First winner for Armory
Mapperley Stud stallion Armory recorded his first winner on Sunday when his two-year-old daughter Silhouette raced to a dominant victory in the Fusion Electrical Two-Year-Old (900m) at Trentham.
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).
One to Watch – Sha Tin – You Don’t See That Every Day!
The Mark Newnham stable has been on fire in Hong Kong since the start of the new season and the former Sydney trainer produced a super promising winner at Sha Tin on Sunday by Capitalist that did everything wrong and miraculously still won the race!
One to Watch – Kembla
Golden Slipper winning sire Sepoy has delivered his second blue-blooded two year-old winner this week for Godolphin at Kembla on Thursday.
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
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.
Rewarding Weekend for Waikato Stud
A double strike at stakes level, a filly with a black-type future and a welcome family success handed Waikato Stud another rewarding weekend.
New Cup Goal for Wolfgang
It may not be the Cup target they were aiming for, but Wolfgang put himself firmly into Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) calculations following his victory in the SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup Prelude (2400m) at Te Rapa on Monday.
Pandemic Keeps the Show Rolling for Sepoy
Striking chestnut Pandemic added his name to Godolphin’s bottomless pit of top-class three-year-olds with a brilliant display to win a 3&4YO BM 70 HCP over 1100 metres on the Kensington track at Randwick on Saturday.