Ciaron Maher and Yulong spoiled for big sprint options with Growing Empire following dominant Poseidon Stakes win at Flemington

Growing Empire was a class above his rivals in the Poseidon Stakes at Flemington and The Everest and Coolmore Stud Stakes now await.

Growing Empire and Mark Zahra race away to win the Poseidon Stakes at Flemington. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Growing Empire has given trainer Ciaron Maher and owner Yulong Investments a nice problem to ponder, the choice between the $20m The Everest, Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes or both.

The exciting colt proved a cut above on Saturday at Flemington, victorious in the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m) from the previously unbeaten First Settler, also part-owned by Yulong.

Growing Empire firmed $13 into $9 with TAB for The Everest and $4 into $2.80 for the Coolmore.

He also shortened $8 into $6 for the Group 1 Manikato Stakes at The Valley in two weeks.

Yes Yes Yes (2019) and Giga Kick (2022) won The Everest as three-year-olds.

Home Affairs in 2021 placed ninth in The Everest and returned a fortnight later to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

“He was keen to ride him like the best horse and take luck out of it and go forward. Good horses can do that. They can race from either end of the race,” Maher said.

“He’s (Mark Zahra) got a good understanding of him and he seems to be winning with a lot more in the tank. There’s more there.

“He’s ticked off the straight and he’s progressing with each start … maybe another run wouldn’t hurt (before The Everest if he went there). Certainly a good problem to have.”

Yulong is an Everest slot-holder.

Growing Empire with an emphatic victory and an exciting future! 🔥

Mark Zahra on board for @cmaherracingpic.twitter.com/PpfR6UZIAB

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 14, 2024

Zahra, who declared Growing Empire as exciting a sprinter and young horse he has ridden, pushed forward from a low draw to settle on speed and powered clear for a 1¼-length win.

“He’s got all the attributes of a really good horse,” Zahra said.

“Today, I wanted to get stuck into him and teach him how to get to the line.

“He’s an exciting horse and I’m happy to be part of it … when I got to the front he had a good look around and he was going to pull up to a trot 20 out.”

First Settler, trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, loomed at the clock tower before condition ran out.

Price said the colt, set to return to Flemington for the Danehill Stakes in three weeks, remained on track for the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

SON OF GUNS

Dawn Service, a $1.4m son of Justify out of Sunlight, led all the way to win the Listed Exford Plate (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday from Comanche Miss and Daggers.

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Dawn Service will go to the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at The Valley in two weeks as an audition for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) next month.

Jockey Blake Shinn dictated the Exford on Saturday.

“He’s a free-running type and it was our plan to make them chase us,” Shinn said.

“I was confident he could do that… that was the plan and it was good to get the result on him.

“I think he’s got a really promising future as a racehorse.”

Dawn Service gave them something to catch and held on strongly!@[e-mail]/yRVvErhJRr

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 14, 2024

BELLATRIX STARS IN THE COLD

Kiwi filly Bellatrix Star made the most of familiar conditions when powering to victory in the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m).

A cold and wet Flemington greeted Bellatrix Star for her second Australian run after the Mark Walker-trained filly finished fifth in the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield at her local debut.

Jockey Michael Dee let Bellatrix Star settle in the second half of the field, which gave the Star Witness filly the cover she needed to preserve something for a finishing burst.

Bellatrix Star didn’t let Dee down in the last 200m, driving to a strong win over on-pace runners Bold Bastille ($5.50) and Tobeornottobe ($7.50).

“It is basically New Zealand conditions today. It’s freezing, it’s wet, she just loved it,” Walker said.

“She is one of our better two-year-olds in New Zealand and it is encouraging to see that they can measure up in Australia.”

Bellatrix Star takes the lead late to score at Flemington! 👊 pic.twitter.com/fN5jrLJwV3

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 14, 2024

Originally published as Ciaron Maher and Yulong spoiled for big sprint options with Growing Empire following dominant Poseidon Stakes win at Flemington