Coolmore Stud Stakes 2016: Flying Artie’s surprise victory extends Bowman’s incredible spring
SUNDAY FIX/TAB BIG BETS: FLYING Artie, the colt who bumped Damien Oliver out of Derby Day, on Saturday bumped off the cream of the three-year-old sprint crop at Flemington.
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FLYING Artie, the colt who bumped Damien Oliver out of Derby Day, bumped off the cream of the three-year-old sprint crop at Flemington.
The Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) would have been a difficult “watch’’ for Oliver.
Oliver had earmarked Flying Artie as the better long term prospect when he chose him over stablemate Extreme Choice in the Blue Diamond Stakes last February.
A few days after Ollie made his choice, Flying Artie drew a carpark barrier in the Diamond and stormed home for second behind his stablemate, Extreme Choice.
Eight months on, the Ollie and Artie story took a different turn.
Oliver was suspended for reckless riding when he bumped his way into the clear to win first-up at Caulfield aboard Flying Artie, paving the way for Hugh Bowman yesterday.
It has been a twin tale of two colts for Extreme Choice and Flying Artie, beginning with the Diamond and continuing yesterday where Extreme Choice started $3.60 second favourite and Flying Artie a $10 shot.
The favourite was star Sydney three-year-old Astern and the reward for whichever colt could run in a straight line for 1200m and win was a stud value of up to $30 million.
Bowman made a special mention of Oliver as he returned to scale on Flying Artie — describing the colt as “Ollie’s horse’’ – but the most significant special mention came from winning trainer Mick Price, and it was directed at Bowman.
“As soon as he found himself by himself (on the inside) from barrier one I thought “oh that’s barrier one,’’ Price said, adding he thought the strongest division as the field split was the outside group, which included Astern.
PARTY TIME:
“So somehow Hughie Bowman makes a brilliant Hugh Bowman decision … it’s just, Hugh Bowman.’’
Bowman’s ride was indeed miraculous.
The evidence seemed to be there early in the day that in straight races, the outside of the track might hold an advantage.
Bowman was at first shunted to the inside but managed to skip across to the middle of the track by the halfway mark and then dashed through a gap to easily hold fast-closing Astern by a length and a half.
Star Turn, who had led the inside division, clung on for third. Extreme Choice attempted to dash up the inside of Star Turn at the 200m but faded to run fifth.
Bowman described Flying Artie as a “super horse.’’
“To get the opportunity to ride him … he’s a beautiful horse and he’s only going to improve.
“He appreciated being tucked in behind them and exposed late — it was a dominant win. That was a very strong race.
“When he got a little bit of room he showed everyone what he’s obviously been showing the stable.’’
Price had expected Extreme Choice to emerge from the “stallion making’’ race with a gigantic stud price tag but instead it was Flying Artie, who spent much of winter recovering from bone bruising.
“He’s won the right Group One hasn’t he?’’ Price said.
“It was fantastic — that’s the horse. It was a great ride but you still have to have the horse underneath you.
“I’m just rapt that Flying Artie has won a Group One for three-year-old colts. It’s great to put the badge of great stud colt on him.’’
SUNDAY FIX
DID YOU SEE/HEAR?
A DAY out from brave Harry Coffey at the My Wycheproof meeting on Saturday. Coffey won six of the seven runners at the track where he rode his first winner a few seasons back.
A FUNNY quip from chief steward Terry Bailey to Michelle Payne, the last jockey to weigh in after the Wakeful Stakes. “Trainer not happy…’’ Bailey quipped to Payne, who is both trainer and jockey of Queen Of Zealand, who ran unplaced in the race.
PLENTY of angst in at least one corner of the track. It seems the VRC truly believed there was only one race meeting in Australia on Saturday. Lots of angst in the nursery carpark with not one interstate race broadcast on the various TVs.
WHAT THE?
IT’S the most brutal race of Derby Day — the race for the closest table to the running rail/mounting yard in the member’s lawn. It was a particularly mad scramble — with reports of raised elbows — as the main gate opened at 8.30am.
The first to claim a table known as “Seat 1A” was a Northcote lawyer known as “Pieman’’ who clung to his coveted spot with bared teeth for the entire afternoon.
MELBOURNE Cup runner Grand Marshall will have to emerge from the naughty corner — of his box – to win the race. The Sydney stayer stood on the foot of a model during a photo shoot on Friday and fractured it. He was then dispatched to his box.
TAB BIG BETS
RACE ONE
Punters were with Hey Doc in this one.
Backing it into $3.70 after opening at $4.80 during the week, it held nearly 30 percent of all investments but after leading it failed to run a place.
Comin Through ($7.50-$4.80-$7) had good money come for it on Friday but that mainly dried up today. Flashing home down the centre of the track, it beat Mortons Fork ($6.50) and Bezel ($8-$6) who sat outside the leader.
Acatour ($5) was the other one that attracted solid money but failed to get into the race after sitting near the rear of the field.
BETS: Acatour $8400 @ $5; Hey Doc $3000 @ $3.80
RACE TWO
Tiamo Grace ($3.30-$4.80) defied a betting drift to land the money here.
Easily the best backed runner all week, Tiamo Grace went out late due to the big support for Sebring Dream ($5-$4.40).
The pair fought out the finish but Tiamo Grace, after sitting close to the speed, finished too well for the second favourite.
Missrock ($9.50-$6.50), which attracted good eachway money, wound up third.
Tiamo Grace held half of all bets on the race.
BETS: Tiamo Grace $10,000 @ $4.20
RACE THREE
Sheidel ($4-$2.90-$3) landed a big blow for punters in this one.
Heavily supported throughout the week, that money continued today to see it become one of the best backed runners on the card.
Jockey Joao Moreira took the five-year-old to the grandstand side and it proved to be the winning move in beating Wild Rain ($10) and Private Secretary ($13-$21).
BETS: Sheidel $4000 @ $3.50, $3000 @ $3
RACE FOUR
Oceanographer ($2.50-$2.70) did get out late in the betting but all the shopping for it was done early.
TAB went up at $4 on Wednesday but the money came almost immediately for it.
Still near last at the 500 metre mark, jockey Kerrin McEvoy took him to the outside and he unleashed a powerful finish to knock off the leader Tom Melbourne ($4.80-$4-$4.50).
Oceanographer held nearly 45 percent of all bets on the race.
De Little Engine ($13-$7-$9.50) and Real Love ($4-$6) were the best supported to beat the favourite but didn’t figure in the finish.
BETS: Oceanographer $4000 @ $2.70, $3800 @ $2.70
RACE FIVE
The big money on Saturday was for Astern ($3.20-$2.70) who took over from favouritism from Extreme Choice ($2.90-$3.70).
Money today ran heavily in his favour as opposed to Extreme Choice.
Flying Artie ($11-$10) who was very solid in the market, trimmed up late and landed the money for those who backed him but he only held 10 percent of what Astern did.
Star Turn ($4.20-$4.60) and Russian Revolution ($9) were the only others that attracted any sort of decent support, however, they held a fraction of what the top two in the market did.
BETS: Astern $6500 @ $3.20, $5000 @ $2.70, $4800 @ $2.70; Extreme Choice $3000 @ $3; Star Turn $6000 @ $4.60
RACE SIX
The two heavily backed runners here where First Seal and Don’t Doubt Mamma who commanded a whopping 60 percent of the investments between them.
It was I Am A Star, which held less than 10 percent of the money than the favourite Don’t Doubt Mamma did, which landed some good bets after being backed from $16 in the morning to start at $9.50.
First Seal was a noted drifter from $4.20 out to $6 and after sitting on the rail just off the speed, had her chance but couldn’t quite finish off. Don’t Doubt Mamma ($6.50-$5) was always rearward and never in it.
Money earlier this morning was for Euro Angel ($13-$7).
BETS: First Seal $3000 @ $6; Don’t Doubt Mamma $3000 @ $5
RACE SEVEN
Sacred Elixir went out as one of the best backed runners on the Flemington card.
Opening the day at $2.90, it was backed into $2.70 and held the lion’s share of investments. So popular was the favourite that it held nearly half of all bets placed on the Derby.
Settling on the rails in the first six and then getting off at the right, Sacred Elixir hit the front at the top of the straight but couldn’t hold off Prized Icon which came from behind to beat it.
Prized Icon ($17-$18) had some admirers but held just five percent of the money that the winner did.
The late push was for So Si Bon ($8-$6) which wound up fourth.
Swear ($8-$7.50-$8.50) was the popular second elect for most of the day but started third fav thanks to the support for So Si Bon.
BETS: Sacred Elixir $15,000 @ $2.90, $15,000 @ $2.80; Rocketeer $5000 e/w @ $13/$3.82
Bets: Swear $3000 @ $7.50
RACE EIGHT
Le Romain ($12-$15) caused a bit of a boilover in taking out the Cantala Stakes.
Not one of the fancied runners in terms of money taken, TAB did some good eachway money for Kris Less-trained runner throughout the day.
The United States was rock solid through the day and was the $5.50 favourite. Overall it was responsible for just under a third of all investments on the race.
Mackintosh firmed up hard during the day and was $8.50 into $6. In the end only The United States and Hes Our Rokkii ($8.50-$12) held more money.
Mcreery ($16-$21) flashed home for second while Tivaci ($35-$41) rattled home for third from last on the turn just in front of The United States.
BETS: The United States $5000 @ $5.50; Seaburge $14,500 @ $3.75 place
RACE NINE
Illustrious Lad ($11-$15) defied a betting drift to land the money in the last.
Most of the money was with Keen Array ($5.50-$4.60-$5) and Southern Legend ($4-$3.60-$3.70) with that pair staging a good battle for favouritism throughout the day.
Between them they held nearly half of all bets on the race.
Counterattack, which flashed home for second, was $5.50-$7 while Southern Legend was third.
Of the others, Ocean Embers ($13) and Ball Of Muscle ($13-$15) had their share of admirers.
BETS: Illustrious Lad $1000 @ $16, $1000 @ $14; Southern Legend $5000 @ $3.70
FUTURES UPDATE
MELBOURNE CUP
Oceanographer $21-$5 (after winning The Lexus) and now back out to $5.50
MARKET: TAB FIXED ODDS
DARLEY CLASSIC
Sheidel $51-$21-$17
MARKET: TAB FIXED ODDS
CROWN OAKS
Tiamo Grace $7 - $4.4
Lamma Hilton $201 - $51
MARKET: TAB FIXED ODDS
Originally published as Coolmore Stud Stakes 2016: Flying Artie’s surprise victory extends Bowman’s incredible spring
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