Triple Group 1 winner Militarize may have run his last race — but Golden Eagle looms: Newgate supremo

Zac Purton is keen to ride Militarize in the Golden Eagle later this year, but his owners are contemplating retiring the triple Group 1 winner.

Newgate Farm supremo Henry Field has the endorsement of champion jockeys Zac Purton and James McDonald ringing in his ears as he considers the future of outstanding three-year-old Militarize.

Field told Racenet that a decision would be made within a week whether Militarize races on as a four-year-old or is retired to stud.

But Purton, who rode Militarize to his very good third to Celestial Legend in the Doncaster Mile last Saturday, has recommended the horse staying in training next season for the $10 million Golden Eagle.

“Zac Purton was really taken with Militarize’s Doncaster run and he put up his hand to ride the horse in the Golden Eagle if he races on as a four-year-old,’’ Field said. “I know James McDonald really likes Militarize, too.

That win is the stuff of legend!

Look at Celestial Legend jump out of the ground to take the G1 Doncaster Mile for Les Bridge and @G1TySchil !@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/r3eRQyYXU2

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 6, 2024

“We have a lot to consider. Militarize is an outstanding racehorse and a triple Group 1 winner of the right races.

“He won the Sires and Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old then returned in the spring to win the Golden Rose, which is a proven stallion-making race,’’ Field said.

“He’s also a very well-bred colt so he has all that is required to be a very appealing commercial stallion prospect.

“But we also realise Militarize could be even better as a four-year-old with a race like the Golden Eagle an obvious target. We need to weigh it all before deciding the colt’s future.’’

Militarize had a winless autumn program but performed at a high level every start, finishing second in the Apollo Stakes (to Fangirl) and Randwick Guineas (to Celestial Legend), and third placings in the George Ryder Stakes (to Veight) and Doncaster Mile.

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Cylinder and Imperatriz, who ran the quinella in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, have been retired on the same day.

Godolphin made its announcement early on Thursday that Cylinder had run his last race and would stand at Darley’s Northwood Park Stud in Victoria in the spring breeding season.

But news later that Imperatriz, who is in line for Horse of the Year honours, won’t race again surprised many.

Imperatriz, winner of five Group 1 races this season, ran a close fourth in the TJ Smith Stakes last Saturday and was one of the early favourites for The Everest later this year.

Cylinder wins the Newmarket Handicap (G1)!

pic.twitter.com/q8LbCkcQBH

— IFHA's Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (@worldsbesthorse) March 9, 2024

Trainer James Cummings said Cylinder’s Newmarket Handicap win over Imperatriz was a “huge result for the farm”.

“He had them covered a long way out,’’ Cummings said. “I love the fact that good horses were in the race, it just underlines the form, and he powered away from them.’’

Cylinder won five of his 14 races, earning $3.6 million prizemoney with his career highlights the Newmarket Handicap and the Group 2 Todman Stakes, the same feature races his sire, Exceed And Excel won 20 years ago.S

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Day Two of The Championships boasts an extraordinary 24 individual Group 1 winners on the Royal Randwick program.

The Queen Elizabeth Stakes comprises seven big-race winners including boom imported mares Via Sistina and Place Du Carrousel, plus two horses in the all-time top 12 prizemoney earners, Mr Brightside ($13 million) and Cascadian ($10.6 million).

The Sydney Cup has five Group 1 winners including three classic winners, Serpentine (Epsom), Major Beel (ATC Australian Derby) and Manzoice (Victoria Derby).

Atishu, Zougotcha, Campionessa, Ruthless Dame, Madame Pommery and Tropical Squall are chasing another Group 1 win in the Queen of the Turf Stakes.

The ATC Australian Oaks includes NZ Derby winner Orchestral, VRC Oaks winner Zardozi and Quintessa (Levin Classic), Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot adds her considerable presence to the Percy Sykes Stakes, and Ozzmosis (Coolmore Stud Stakes) and Joliestar (Thousand Guineas) clash in the Arrowfield 3yo Sprint.

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Lady Of Camelot is racing for champion two-year-old honours at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly is in the box seat to claim the coveted award after her Golden Slipper win last month.

But Lady Of Camelot is burdened with 59kg in the Percy Sykes Stakes, is conceding between 2kg and 5kg to her rivals, and she has drawn wide in barrier 13.

If Lady Of Camelot is beaten on Saturday, then it opens the door for Manaal to make a late bid for the title.

Manaal won the Group 1 Inglis Sires last week and trainer Michael Freedman hasn’t ruled out chasing another major race win in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes next week.

The filly beats the boys!! 😮

LADY OF CAMELOT and @blake_shinn see off COLEMAN and STORM BOY to win the G1 Golden Slipper (1200m), the world's richest race for two-year-olds! 👸🏼

It's an eighth Golden Slipper for @GaiWaterhouse1! 🔥pic.twitter.com/XUG2B0NBZD

— World Horse Racing (@WHR) March 23, 2024

Freedman is aware the Champagne Stakes field may fall away and will monitor the filly over the weekend before deciding whether to give her one more start for the season.

Traffic Warden, who was just edged out by Manaal in the Sires, won’t be backing up in the Champagne.

Trainer James Cummings confirmed Traffic Warden was found to have had a slight bleed from both nostrils after the Sires and is automatically barred from racing for three months.

“It was only the tiniest amount of blood in both nostrils,’’ Cummings said.

“When something like this happens, you are often worried about the horse but we weren’t worried about Traffic Warden at all. It does mean he will miss the early spring.’’

WHAT THEY SAID

“We put her up for auction and in the last few weeks, the family started to miss our ‘granddaughter’ so we decided if we could get her, we would. I’m privileged to be able to secure this filly on behalf of my family. She’s Australian forever and she’s going to be fabulous,’’ said Debbie Kepitis after buying Winx’s yearling filly for $10 million.

“You wouldn’t see the build-up, you wouldn’t see the hype and atmosphere like today, I’ve never witnessed anything like it at any auction house around the world. I knew she was going to make a very high figure because somebody is buying history. She is a classic, a collectors’ item and there’s only one person who deserved this today and that’s Debbie,’’ said Coolmore’s Tom Magnier after the sale of Winx’s filly.

“In her first week at Rosehill she was bit of a deer in the headlights but she has been working on her ‘game’, she has definitely improved. She has had three weeks between runs, she’s tidied up nicely in the coat and she is working with great enthusiasm,’’ said James McDonald, rider of Via Sistina.

“Orchestral’s work on Saturday was quite brilliant and I thought she took it up a notch on Tuesday. She is on the right trajectory. Obviously she has had a long campaign, let’s not beat around the bush, but she is showing no indications that she’s coming to the end of it. She seems to us like she is holding her form,’’ McDonald said.

“Before Kalapour won the Tancred, I would have said a career-goal of mine was to get one Group 1 win for Kris and to be able to get it so early in my career is great. Hopefully we can win a few more together but at least we will always have that Tancred Stakes win with Kalapour,’’ said apprentice Dylan Gibbons.

“We were laughing about the comparisons between Better Loosen Up and Mr Brightside early on but they are genuine comparisons now. Mr Brightside has helped to put our business back on the map and Ben, Will and I could not be more thankful,’’ said trainer JD Hayes.

“It took a fair bit of advocating to keep Cascadian going for another season but he’s still racing at the top of his game. It is so rare to have a horse as mature as Cascadian still in training and racing at the top level,’’ said trainer James Cummings.

Originally published as Triple Group 1 winner Militarize may have run his last race — but Golden Eagle looms: Newgate supremo