Medaglia d’Oro’s Flit Captures Thousand Guineas in a Thriller

Mark Smith - Saturday October 12

Saturday's Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) was a three-horse war over the final 300 metres and it was Godolphin's race favourite Flit that edged out Missile Mantra and Southbank and had James Cummings contemplating a run in the Group I Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in a fortnight.

Flit defeated Missile Mantra (Smart Missile) by a nose, with Southbank (Fastnet Rock) another short half-head away third. (images Grant Courtney)

Advertisement


Making her sixth start, Flit had just one previous win on her resume, the Group III Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Flemington, which she had to share with Ready Set Sail, and had little luck at her most recent start in the Group II Thousand Guineas Prelude.

Winning jockey Hugh Bowman felt that the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro (USA) would have won more comfortably had it been run at a more even tempo.

"She's a quality filly and it wasn't a real test today," Bowman said.

"It was just a sprint home so I don't think we saw the best of her.

"I think if it was a genuinely run event she would have won more comfortably."

James Cummings said three-year-old fillies have a good record in the Cox Plate

"We've got that decision to make," Cummings said. 

"We can let the dust settle on today. We have to enjoy the win and a target that has well and truly been pulled off.

I must say before getting through the Caulfield Stakes this year it's looking pretty open. I dare say she'd be comfortable at a mile and a quarter.

"She came into this today with half a win to her name. While she can keep making ground and having the run with flashing lights on them, there is something to be said for winners. To come here and win a Group One with such little winning experience says a lot about her future.

"She can always lay claim to being a Thousand Guineas winner and that's a great title for her to hold and a wonderful achievement for all of the staff."

Flit is a half-sister to stakes-placed Flow and is the best of three winners from Group III placed Redoute's Choice mare Glissade, a daughter of Group III winner Steflara.

Glissade has a weanling filly by Street Boss (USA) and was covered last spring by Frosted (USA).

Flit gives Medaglia d'Oro (USA) his 25th success at the elite level and follows Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, the Darley stallion Astern and NZ Derby winner Crown Prosecutor as Medaglia d'Oro's Australian-bred Group 1 winners.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Best On Breeding
We are down to the final Group 1 race of the season, Saturday’s $500,000 Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm, and for many the final race of their careers before embarking on a new career in the broodmare barn.
National Thoroughbred Week invites support through GoFundMe campaign
National Thoroughbred Week (NTW) is calling on the thoroughbred community and broader public to be part of history, with the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to help bring this inaugural celebration to life.
Aquis Celebrate Another Promising Winner
Aquis Farm have formed partnerships with many high profile breeders and one of those bore fruit at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when promising Medaglia D’Oro (USA) colt Minted carried the Aquis colours to victory in a brilliant front running win.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Aussie Bred Wins HK Classic Mile
The $HK10million Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin on Monday was won in commanding style by exciting prospect Golden Sixty, an Aussie bred Medaglia D’Oro (USA) gelding, whose half-brother Quiet Riot was also a winner at Warwick Farm earlier in the day.
Impressive Medaglia d'Oro Filly Eyes the Tatts Tiara
Winner of the Group III PJ Bell Stakes at Randwick in April, the James Cummings-trained Multaja capped a wonderful day for Blake Shinn when she powered home to win Saturday’s Listed Mittys Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) at Doomben.
One to Watch – Bendigo
Medaglia D’Oro (USA) has provided some smart two year-old winners this season for Godolphin including Group II winning filly Tenley, who is closely related to this winner at Bendigo on Friday.
Wrote SW on Comeback Trail
Robbie Patterson had high Classic hopes for Read About It last season before his rising young star’s progress was halted by illness.
One for the Pedigree Nerds!
A blueblood stallion by Frankel that cost 1.3million guineas and a 3YO gelding by I Am Immortal that cost $14,000 – what could they possibly have in common other than both winning Group races at Flemington on Saturday.
Sword of State 2YO Ready for Debut
A pair of promising youngsters are set to make their debut for Cambridge trainer Chad Ormsby at Avondale on Wednesday, but track conditions may scupper plans for one of them.