Trainer Archie Alexander was given a brief to earn some black-type in three starts with the imported mare Clearly (GB) and both came through with flying colours when the daughter of Invincible Spirit finished best in Saturday's Listed Centaurea Stakes (2040m) at Morphettville.
Given a copybook ride by Damien Oliver, Clearly (GB) held the challenge of the I Am Invincible mare Snogging by half a length with the Savabeel mare Indrabeel two and a quarter lengths back in third.
Clearly (GB)
may have run her last race with a possible date with Zoustar on the cards.
The Darley-bred Clearly (GB) did her early racing for Godolphin for whom she won at Kempton.
She was sold to German interests at Tattersalls in 2017 for 125,000 guineas and last December at the 2018 Arqana Breeding Stock Sale was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock/ Speriamo Bloodstock for €310,000.
"That's a massive thrill. It's a great way to end a horses career, not through injury or going poorly, but to go out winning a Listed race. We've done our job and she has definitely done hers," Alexander said.
"She was trained (in England) by John Gosden. Stuart Bowman, who is an Australian bloodstock agent based in the UK, thought she would be a nice broodmare prospect to buy and bring back over here.
"She was trained in Germany for a year, where she got her black-type, but they thought there was still a bit left, hence why we brought her out here.
"We targeted this carnival and its all worked out really well. She was group placed (in the GII Queen Of The South Stakes) and now a Listed winner, it's not often it works out as smooth as this.
"It's very hard in three runs to get a horse acclimatised. You can't really say first up she might not be ready but second or third up she might warn into it. We didn't have that luxury and she had to be ready for those days.
"In hindsight, first-up, looking at the form I think she could have won at Caufield, she was unlucky. Then she ran really well here (last start).
"Today we didn't have the option of saying we'll go again in two weeks – this was it, her final run, we think, so there was pressure."
Alexander admitted that he had pleaded to the owners to give Clearly (GB) another 12 months on the track.
"I said give me another go, another twelve months, she can go to the breeding barn anytime but he's the owner and he will decide but if not we had a job to do and have done it," he said.
On pedigree,
there can be no denying Clearly's appeal as a broodmare.
She is a half-sister to the Group 1 ATC Sydney Cup winner Polarisation (Echoes
Of Light) out of the winning Pivotal mare Concordia who is a half-sister to
three stakes-winners headed by the Gr. 1 Ascot King George VI & Queen
Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, Gr.1, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Gr.1, Epsom Derby
hero Lammtarra (Nijinsky).
Concordia is a daughter of the Epsom Oaks winner Snow Bride (Blushing Groom).
