Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott import Sir Delius makes impressive start in Group 3 JRA Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben

Sir Delius, a $2.7m purchase, rubber-stamped his Melbourne Cup credentials with an impressive victory at Doomben in his debut for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Sir Delius impressively wins the JRA Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

The $2.7m purchase Sir Delius rubber-stamped his Melbourne Cup credentials with an impressive victory in the Group 3 JRA Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained stallion carried the top weight of 60kg on a heavy track and still had more than enough class to beat home Floating ($7.50) and Manzoice ($12) in the $200,000 race over 2000m.

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On the strength of one run in Australia, Sir Delius immediately firmed from $26 into $15 to win the race that stops a nation on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington.

The four-year-old, a son of Frankel, had come to Australia on the back of an eighth place in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France and he looked right at home on the heavy ground at Doomben with Tim Clark riding.

“He’s bred to get over much further and his form in Europe suggests that as well,” Bott said.

“He was always purchased as a Melbourne Cup prospect.

“He’s got that quality about him so everything we do in this preparation will be geared towards that.”

Sir Delius impresses in his Australian debut, surging to victory at Doomben! @[e-mail]/aG9pLQSIVF

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025

Sir Delius races in the colours of businessman and philanthropist Sir Owen Glenn, who has won plenty of Australia’s big races but never a Melbourne Cup.

In his twilight years, Sir Owen has made no secret that the Melbourne Cup is the race he craves to win more than any other.

“He’s lightly-raced and has been very well looked after in his career,” Bott said.

“He’s a lovely big individual and a beautiful physical specimen. He thrives on his work and has a great constitution.

“Sir Owen Glenn identified him as a Melbourne Cup prospect and we were able to partner up with him as a major shareholder. We put together a nice partnership with some existing stable clients.”

Sir Delius’ next assignment is likely to be the Group 2 $1.2m Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Stradbroke Handicap Day on June 14 at Eagle Farm.

He was bought for a record-breaking 1.3 million guineas ($A2.7m) at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale at Newmarket in October.

Sir Delius won three of his six starts for French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.

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Pride mare flies on heavy track

Gun jockey Jason Collett needed all of his riding skills to guide Sydney mudlark In Flight to victory in the Listed Magic Millions Bright Shadow (1110m) at Doomben on Saturday.

The Joe Pride-trained favourite ($2.80) relished the Heavy 8 track to cross the finishing post almost two lengths ahead of Kin ($3.40), with Midnight In Tokyo ($18) in third.

In Flight was caught in a tricky position coming around the bend but Collett was able to find some space, despite copping a bump, and power home in the straight to jag the $160,000 race.

The four-year-old mare improved her record on heavy tracks to four wins from six starts.

“She got a bit further back than we had anticipated in the early stages,” Sydney trainer Pride said.

“But she’s a very adept mare on wet going and when she got a bit of clear room, she really stretched out.

“Particularly the fillies who go well on the wet, the big difference is their ability to skip across the ground whereas heavier horses just tend to sink into the ground.”

In Flight finds clear air to win the Magic Millions Bright Shadow for @PrideRacing! ✈️ pic.twitter.com/PM0ulDDrq7

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025

Pride said he would consider the $300,000 Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm on June 7 for In Flight’s next journey.

“I can’t help but think she’ll run out a strong 1200m,” he said.

“But we’ll get her home first and take a look over her.

“We just want to take her to wherever there’s a wet track really. There are options in Sydney but we’ll keep our eye on the weather and go wherever it’s bad.

“She’s probably not a Group horse on dry ground, but in the wet she grows another leg.”

Pride was full of praise for In Flight’s toughness after she was bumped just before the straight but still went on to blouse her opposition.

“When she got into the bumping duel I was pretty confident she would come out on top,” he said.

“She’s got that tenacity you need, and she’s a lovely mare to have anything to do with.”

Collett, who had earlier won on Queensland’s grey flash El Morzillo, was impressed with how In Flight travelled, despite copping a bump.

“She won it easily in the end, but we got into a bit of a bumping duel,” Collett said.

“She’s probably not the biggest horse so I was a bit worried when she got squeezed, but she picked up again and I love the way she travelled.

“She was so effective and efficient on the ground. She’s a lovely mare and it was nice to win some black type for Joe and her big group of owners.”

Originally published as Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott import Sir Delius makes impressive start in Group 3 JRA Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben