High Chaparral's Mississippi Delta From Last to First in Perth Cup

Mark Smith - Sunday January 5

The late, great Coolmore stallion High Chaparral (IRE) may have celebrated more prestigious wins in his glittering career but Saturday was a real financial windfall for the son of Sadler’s Wells.

After the Tony Gollan-trained A Man To Match pocketed the $140,000 winner’s cheque and $200,000 bonus for winning the first running of the $250,000 The Wave at the Gold Coast, the 6yo mare Mississippi Delta, a Bob Peters homebred, earned a career highlight win in the $400,000 Group II Tabtouch-Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot.

Given a patient ride by Willie Pike, Mississippi Delta saw the rumps of all 12 opponents turning for home. Once eased out to the centre of the track the Grant and Alana Williams-trained mare picked them off one by one to run out a length winner over Missile Launch (Smart Missile) with Taxagano (Rogano) a long-head back in third.

I’d be lying if I wasn’t a bit worried when I’d seen how far they skipped (away),” Pike told The West Australian.

“I’d made that exact same run a few times today and couldn’t catch them and I thought ‘here we go again’.

“She’s got a heart of gold, this horse. Give her a run that she likes and you know she’ll have a kick.”

It was a ninth Perth Cup for Bob Peters.

“I was actually watching the other two (Star Exhibit and Royal Command) because she was so far back,” Peters said.

“Then halfway down the straight I said to my grandson ‘look at this one down the outside’ and it was her.

Advertisement

“We lost her half-sister (the 2014 Group 1 Railway Stakes heroine Elite Belle) and kept this one to breed from. She’s done a good job for us.”

Mississippi Delta advances her record to 10 wins and 6 seconds from 19 starts with earnings of $707,565.

Also, a half-sister to the dual Listed winner Battle Emblem (Second Empire), Mississippi Delta is one of three stakes-winners for the Marooned mare Mississippi Belle.

All seven of Mississippi Belle's progeny to make the track are winners.

Mogumber Park purchased Mississippi Belle through Belmont Bloodstock Agency for $72,000 at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale.

She has a 2yo colt by Safeguard named Saving Memphis that has been purchased by Paul Jordon for $150,000 at the 2019 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

She had a yearling colt by WA Guineas winner Rommel (Commands). After not being covered in 2018, Mississippi Belle visited Safeguard last spring.

Advertisment

Race Result - Perth Cup Gr2 2400m

Ascot Track: Good(4) Time: 2:33.41
1
Mississippi Delta
- 6m High Chaparral (IRE) x Mississippi Belle (AUS) (Marooned (GB))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: W Pike 53
2
1.0
Missile Launch
- 6g Smart Missile (AUS) x Takeiteasyedye (USA) (Opening Verse (USA))
Tnr: Vaughn Sigley Rdr: P Carbery 53
Smart Missile
3
1.2
Taxagano
- 6g Rogano (AUS) x Taxa (AUS) (Carry A Smile (AUS))
Tnr: F R Kersley Rdr: B Parnham 53
4
1.6
Star Exhibit
- 8g Statue Of Liberty (USA) x Star Encounter (AUS) (Jeune (GB))
Tnr: A G Durrant Rdr: P Hall 58
5
2.2
Spiritual Warrior
- 5g Blackfriars (AUS) x Angelic Heart (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: J T Warwick Rdr: Lucy Warwick 53
6
2.5
Prince Turbo
- 6g Vital Equine (IRE) x Queen Of The Rings (AUS) (Fimiston (AUS))
Tnr: J F Miller Rdr: C Johnston-Porter 53
7
2.6
Arctic Stream
- 5g High Chaparral (IRE) x Royal Devotion (AUS) (Verglas (IRE))
Tnr: R W Price Rdr: P Knuckey 53
8
3.5
British Bessy
- 5m Dick Turpin (IRE) x British Version (NZ) (British Banker (CAN))
Tnr: Ms S L Miller Rdr: Joseph Azzopardi 53
9
3.6
Friar Fox
- 5m Blackfriars (AUS) x Pearlesque (AUS) (Statoblest (IRE))
Tnr: Ms J Erkelens Rdr: S Parnham 53
10
4.2
Plays The Game
- 7g Mettre En Jeu (NZ) x Play Mistress (AUS) (Brief Truce (USA))
Tnr: M L Lane Rdr: Ms K Yuill 53
11
4.4
Royal Command
- 6g Street Sense (USA) x Stormy Nova (AUS) (Metal Storm (FR))
Tnr: A G Durrant Rdr: S Mc Gruddy 53
12
5.5
Dark Musket
- 8g Musket (AUS) x Oriental Lass (NZ) (Faltaat (USA))
Tnr: G C Ballantyne Rdr: J Whiting 53
13
9.9
Prize Catch
- 6g Zoffany (IRE) x Abalone (AUS) (Bluebird (USA))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: Jade Mc Naught 53
More Reading...
Hello Youmzain Filly Wins NZ Last Stakes Race of Season
Talented juvenile filly Platinum Diamond made all posts a winner when she captured her second consecutive stakes victory in the last black type feature of the 2024-2025 racing season, the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.
Stampede Runs Then Into The Ground in Colin Stephen
Stampede has been out of the winner’s circle since October last year but when the son of High Chaparral (IRE) is gifted an easy run in front, as he did in Saturday’s Group III Colin Stephen Stakes (2400m) at Randwick, he proves very difficult to get by.
One to Watch Wins Again in Saturday Class
The half-brother to Group II winner Stretan Angel, lightly raced three year-old Brutal gelding Glorious Moments was in a class of his own at Randwick on Saturday.
Season Finale Flourish for So You Think
Coolmore stalwart So You Think is powering to the end of the Australian racing season with a six winner flurry on Saturday highlighted by a winning treble at Randwick led by his progressive mare Oh Diamond Lil.
One to Watch – Warwick Farm
When Anthony Cummings says he’ll be ‘disappointed if she isn’t a stakes-winner by the end of the spring’ , we naturally want to know more about this impressive winner at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Consecutive Black Type Victories For Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz
Stepping up to open company is always a tough task, but 3yo Snitzel filly Bridal Waltz graduated from a last start Listed win over her own age to win the $200,000 Group 3 MRC Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 26
Here is the full list of 86 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Oaks Winner Strikes Form at Valley
Quality High Chaparral (IRE) mare Princess Jenni won the Group I SAJC Australasian Oaks last season at just her sixth start and showed she will be a force this spring when capturing the Group II MVRC Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Big Payday for High Chaparral's A Man To Match
No black-type but a Group 1 prize for the connections of the High Chaparral (IRE) gelding A Man To Match who not only pocketed the $145,000 winners cheque as the inaugural winner of the $250,000 The Tab Wave (1800m) at the Gold Coast but had it topped off with another $200,000 for being a Magic Millions graduate.
Unbeaten Run Continues For Ole Kirk’s Daughter Ole Dancer
Successful in the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic at Murray Bridge on debut back in March, the Peter Moody and Katherine Colemen trained filly Ole Dancer resumed at Sandown on Saturday, winning the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1200m) to remain unbeaten.