Flemington: Lighthouse shines again to extend winning streak
A stakes win is now the aim for former US galloper Lighthouse – possibly on New Year’s Day – who remained unbeaten at Flemington.
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Quirky American mare Lighthouse maintained her unbeaten Australian record in style at Flemington on Saturday.
Sprinting off a solid speed, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained grey knuckled down strongly to overpower the gallant Bermadez.
Lighthouse, a stakes-performed mare in the US, was sent to Melbourne by Kentucky Derby-winning owners LNJ Foxwoods in search of a black-type win.
After impressive wins at Kyneton and Ballarat, Lighthouse lived up to her short quote – $2.40 with the TAB – to salute at Headquarters for favourite backers.
Lighthouse & @MattCartwrigh14 take out the Des Gleeson Handicap!@cmaherracingpic.twitter.com/YCgRycCNlf
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) December 11, 2021
Eustace confirmed the mare would most likely return to Flemington on New Year’s Day for the Listed Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m).
“The plan after Ballarat was this race and then the Chester Manifold (Stakes) but we’ll have a chat to the guys back in America (Alex and Jason) and thank them for sending her over,“ Eustace said.
“It’s great to win again but black-type is the plan.”
Lighthouse has never won beyond 1400m but the strength of Saturday’s performance could tempt the Maher-Eustace camp to extend the five-year-old mare a shade further.
“She won well and I thought it was a cool ride, we just said to (jockey Matthew Cartwright) ‘let it happen’, if she is in the form she was at Ballarat let it unfold and don’t force the issue,” Eustace said.
“She was strong through the line suggesting she might get a little bit further … if she gets a mile (1600m) it will open up a lot of options for her.”
Lighthouse – given a perfect steer by apprentice jockey Matthew Cartwright – shadowed second favourite Bermadez throughout, before peeling off his back at the top of the straight to make the winning run.
Cartwright has formed a great association with Lighthouse, having ridden two of the three Australian wins.
“She travelled nicely and it was good to see her do it off a genuine tempo today,“ Cartwright said.
“She’s been in slow run races and been able to sprint over them so it was a good effort today.”
*Aspiring racing journalist Tom Happell is the recipient of the Victorian Racing Media Association’s Black Caviar Scholarship for 2021-22
Stupendo impresses on debut
Danny O’Brien will mull over whether to prepare Stupendo for the $2m Magic Millions Classic in January after an impressive Flemington debut win.
Stupendo led all the way to claim the Greg Miles Trophy (1100m), holding out Godolphin two-year-olds Kin and Va Via.
“He was there to get beat but he held on late,” O’Brien said.
“He’s probably got a lot of improvement, he’s still quite burly – two weeks ago we did not even contemplate he was going to end up at the races so there’s plenty of fitness to come.”
Despite climbing into Gold Coast consideration, having earned $71,500 for the owners with victory on Saturday, Stupendo would need to find a few extra gears to rival boom filly Coolangatta.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained daughter of Written Tycoon has a stranglehold on the Magic Millions Classic as the $2.25 all-in favourite with TAB.
“We’ll consider the Magic Millions for Stupendo,” O’Brien said.
“See how he comes through but there’s definitely more to come.”
Stupendo’s stablemate Hell Hath No Fury played up in the pre-parade and behind the barriers but despite the antics finished off nicely in fourth.
“I thought the filly (Hell Hath No Fury) would do everything right and he’s been a bit wayward but it’s been the other way around,” O’Brien said.
“He’s done everything right and she was a bit wayward but look, they’ve both run particularly well.
“She (Hell Hath No Fury) cost herself getting back early but got home late and I’m sure she’s run some good sectionals.”
Originally published as Flemington: Lighthouse shines again to extend winning streak
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