breednet.com.au

Harlem Goes Back to Back in Australian Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday March 9

After winning last year's Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington as $61 chance, Lindsay Park's import Harlem (GB) again drove a stake through the hearts of punters when he claimed the race again on Saturday as a $31 chance.

In a driving finish, Harlem defied the Chris Waller-trained Shillelagh (Savabeel) by a short half-head with Trap For Fools (Poet's Voice)) a length away in third. (images Grant Courtney)

Advertisement

There were few happier than Jockey Jamie Kah who celebrated her first Group 1 success after recently moving her tack to Victoria from South Australia.

"I'm speechless. That is just the best feeling in the world," Kah told AAP.

"I didn't expect anything massive straight away so I tried to get to Euroa as much as I could and whenever they wanted me for jump-outs. And it's paid off.

"They supported me in Adelaide and asked when I was coming over here and make the leap.

"I knew it was going to be hard and I didn't think it would have so soon."

Cp trainer David Hates said Harlem came in to the race in terrific shape.

"He showed incredible fight, he was beaten twice and kicked back," David Hayes said.

"I thought he was in terrific form, but I thought a few of them were.

"He goes well at Flemington and at the 2000 metres and it was a great ride by Jamie, an 11 out of 10 ride."

A 7yo gelding, Harlem advances his record to 5 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds from 29 starts with earnings of $2,295,702.

A 520,000 guineas purchase by Astute Bloodstock's Louis Le Metayer with UK agent Alastair Donald at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, Harlem is a son of 3-time Group 1 winner Champs Elysees (Danehill), a winning full-brother to Dansili and Cacique.

He was trained in Europe by Andre Fabre to win a Longchamp maiden over 2400m before a Listed stakes win over the same trip at Vichy.

Also placed at Group II and Group III level in France, Harlem made his first start in Australia March 2017 with an excellent third behind Palentino and Tosen Stardom (JPN) in the Group II Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

A half-brother to the stakes-placed Shearling (Rail Link), Harlem is out of the Nayef mare Casual a 3-time winner in Ireland up to one and a half miles.

Casual is a half-sister to Listed winner Rich Coast (King's Best) from the family of Alwyn Park Stud stallion Trade Fair (GB).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Breeding To Win - 2025 $10m Golden Eagle
Racing fans and punters love a good debate, but if there's one thing they tend to unite on, it's the view that the retirement of talented young horses from the racetrack to the stud happens far too early for their liking!
Exoteric Toughs it out in ATC Cup
With the short-priced favourite Savacool being eased out of the race due to cardiac arrhythmia, Saturday’s Listed ATC Cup (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens was fought out by four tough old warriors with Savacool’s stablemate Exoteric (GB) enjoying his day in the sun.
2025 Victoria Derby Pedigree Preview - Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.
Tabitha Ridley-Thomas Joins Magic Millions Bloodstock Team
Australia's leading thoroughbred auctioneer Magic Millions has boosted it's impressive Bloodstock Team with news Tabitha Ridley-Thomas has this week joined the company.
600k Fantasy World Heads Third Day of Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
FANTASY WORLD was one of three lots to realise 500,000 guineas or more on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale which saw significant increases to the median, average and turnover from the equivalent session in 2024.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 30
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
High Hopes for Pencarrow Stud Homebred Farnan Filly
Passiflora will provide her connections with a sound guide at Tauranga as to where she sits in the three-year-old pecking order.
Promising Winner for Peltzer
Michael Freedman trained his first winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Thursday at Wyong and promising Peltzer gelding Sir Loyne won in a manner to suggest there is much more to come.
Henry Dwyer Secures Top Lot on Day 4 Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
Promising Wootton Bassett two-year-old SKIATHOS topped the fourth day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at 150,000 guineas with robust trade resulting in a clearance rate of 90% for the session. Turnover for the sale exceeded 33,000,000 guineas for only the fourth time in its history with a fifth and final session still to come on Friday, followed immediately by the Tattersalls Aut
One To Watch – Wyong
With her half-brother Private Eye set to line up in Saturday's $3m ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, 3yo Shalaa (IRE) filly Confidentiality broke her maiden on Thursday at Wyong at just her second start for trainer Joe Pride.