Brilliant filly Qafila
scored a breakthrough success at racing’s elite level when she thumped
the boys winning the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) at
Morphettville today.
The outstanding young
galloper hit the front at the top of the straight and raced clear for a
barnstorming three and a half length success.
A $450,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for Shadwell Stud,
Qafila was able to notch a deserved big race success after an unlucky
run in last Saturday’s Australasian Oaks at the same track over 2000
metres.
Qafila has raced in stakes races in all but one of her career starts
after kick starting her racing life with an impressive win in the
listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield as an early two-year-old.
The filly raced in a Blue Diamond Stakes and Golden Slipper and before
today’s Derby triumph had also been successful in the Group Two Angus
Armanasco Stakes.
The win provided the powerful Lindsay Park training team of David
Hayes, son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig with another big race success.
It was the second Group One for jockey Cory Parish after his success in
a Caulfield Cup aboard Perth Yearling Sale graduate Boom Time.
“She deserves this Group One,” co-trainer Ben Hayes said.
“She’s been competing at this high level for her whole career and
it’s fantastic to get the win for Shadwell.”
“They’re our biggest supporter so to get a Group One for Shadwell
is a huge thrill for me – and I’m so thrilled for (Qafila), it makes
her very valuable now.”
“She’s pulled up out of this race so fantastic – she’s hardly had
a blow. She’s done such a huge job.”
“Well done to Cory – that’s his second Group One. He rode her just
like Boom Time when he won the Caulfield Cup – it was amazing.”
Parish said the win would help those who doubted his ability in the
saddle, saying his Caulfield Cup win was no fluke.
“She’s such a strong horse,” an emotional Parish said.
“I travelled pretty close, but I was travelling really well and
when I went around Stephen Baster I thought, you’ve gone there too soon,
but she just pulled herself there.”
“I just had to keep her where she was happy. We got to the front
and I drew the stick on her and she just kept finding.”
“She did it easy to the line to be honest,” Parish added.
Qafila, a daughter of Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate Not a Single
Doubt, was bred by Woodpark Stud and is the first Australian Group One
winner bred from their Mittagong property.
The filly was sold at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
by Attunga Stud, as agent for Woodpark, and she caught the eye of
Shadwell’s Angus Gold who went to $450,000 to secure her.
The 10th individual Group One winner for Arrowfield Stud’s superstar
sire Not a Single Doubt, Qafila is the first runner for the good
looking grey Tapit mare Zighy Bay.
Zighy Bay was placed in France and is a three quarter sister to
American group winner Sacristy and half sister to the Japanese group
winner Mozu Superflare.
International Group One winners in her pedigree include Jersey Girl,
Purge and Jersey Town while it’s also the family of Australian based
stakes winning sire St. Petersburg.
Qafila capped what was a resounding day for graduates of Magic Millions
sales around Australia.
She Shao Fly (Epaulette-Shao
Shao) started the streak when she scored a valuable win in the Group
Three SAJC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Morphettville for trainer Tony
McEvoy.
The filly was a $67,500 Adelaide Yearling Sale buy for Bennett Racing
and McEvoy Mitchell Racing from Ambergate Farm. She Shao Fly’s dam is
catalogued for the upcoming National Broodmare Sale by Evergreen Stud
Farm.
Another Adelaide Yearling Sale buy Vega One
(Lope de Vega-One Funny Honey) was an impressive stakes winner when he
raced away from his rivals in the listed Queensland Day Plate at
Doomben.
The Tony Gollan trained three-year-old was a $75,000 buy from Stockwell
Thoroughbreds in 2017.
The next race at Doomben, the Group Two Champagne Classic for
juveniles, saw an impressive return from Magic Millions 2YO Classic
runner-up Dubious (Not a Single Doubt-Suspicieuse).
Raced entirely by ladies, Dubious was a $350,000 Gold Coast Yearling
Sale buy from Kitchwin Hills who will present his Foxwedge half brother
at the upcoming National Weanling Sale.
Ready to Prophet (Smart
Missile-Ready to Live), a $40,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for
Dynamic Syndications from Torryburn Stud in 2017, scored a valuable win
for her large lady ownership group when she scored a strong fresh win
in the listed Denise’s Joy at Scone.
The win was the second in six starts for the filly, but importantly her
first at black type level.
It was a quick fire stakes double for Smart Missile when his
youngster Missile Mantra
(ex Wecansay Mak) extended her unbeaten run to two with an impressive
win in the listed Vale Redoute’s Choice Stakes at Caulfield.
It was a fitting result for the Snowden trained two-year-old
considering she was a $30,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy last year
for Triple Crown Syndications from Arrowfield Stud, the long time home
of the champion sire who the race was run in honour of.
Winner: Qafila
Breeding: Not a Single Doubt-Zighy Bay (Tapit)
Race: SAJC South Australian Derby G1 (2500m)
Sold for: $450,000
Sale: 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Attunga Stud (As Agent)
Buyer: Shadwell Australasia
Earnings: $697,170
Owner(s): Shadwell Stud Australasia Ltd Syndicate (Mgr: GM Kelly)
Trainer(s): David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig (Morphettville)
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