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Instant Celebrity shines in Robert Sangster Stakes
The Phillip Stokes-trained Instant Celebrity (3 f ex Celebrity Girl by Starcraft) added an all important Group 1 to her record when she landed the Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday and in the process handed her now pensioned sire Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) with this 15th top-flight winner and also sees the stallion regain the lead in Australia’s leading sires championship.
Last seen running fourth in the Redelva Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on April 17, the three-year-old filly was subject to an inspired ride by Craig Williams, who saved ground with a rail-hugging ride. As the field came up the straight, the three-year-old filly showed a good burst of speed to beat Subpoenaed (Rip Van Winkle) by half a length. Rubisaki (Rubick) was further three-quarters of a length away in third.
The filly has now won five of her seven career starts, including the Oaklands Plate (Listed, 1400m) and Thousand Guineas Prelude (Gr 2, 1400m) which has seen her accrue $638,550 in career prize-money.
After Instant Celebrity finished fourth in the Redelva Stakes at Morphettville, Stokes admitted he was concerned while his son Tommy, in charge of the Adelaide base, did not lose faith.
"That's a great thrill, a great team effort," Stokes said.
"Tommy and all the team here have done a fantastic job and Craig Williams, what a ride, he never went around a horse."
Williams, who partnered Instant Celebrity in two outings in Melbourne last spring, said he had noticed a change in the filly when she presented in the mounting yard.
"The size she is, and she's always had the ability, but it's great for them to win a Group 1 at her sixth race start and it's great for the Robertsons and all the other owners," Williams said.
"I think the father-son Stokes combination and the owners have got great options with her.
"They were very soft with her in regard to placing her and they didn't over-run her in the spring when there were suitable races for her as a three-year-old filly.
"I can see and feel the furnished product.
"She's going to be an exciting horse for racing for years to come."
The filly is the second winner out of Cap d'Antibes Stakes (Listed, 1100m) winner Celebrity Girl (Starcraft), who was purchased by Aquis Farm for $280,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Celebrity Girl is a daughter of Listed scorer Dashing Granada (Keltrice), making her a half-sister to stakes-placed duo Lady Lakshmi (Lonhro) and Albaicin (Redoute’s Choice) with the latter the dam of Group 3 winner Generalife (Lonhro). She is also the half-sister to Group 1-placed Sheezdashing (Myboycharlie).
Further back this is the family of Listed scorer Kablammo (Marauding) and Group 3 winner Northwest Shelia (Keltrice), who in turn produced Listed scorer Jacqueline Rouge (Ne Coupez Pas).
Celebrity Girl has proved difficult to get in foal, missing to Pierro (Lonhro) in 2018, while her 2019 colt by the same Coolmore stallion died and she has most recently missed to the Aquis Farm-based Santos (I Am Invincible) and she was covered by Pierata (Pierro) in December.
Not A Single Doubt was pensioned earlier this year due to his declining health and with Instant Celebrity’s victory in the Group 1, it sees the stallion move ahead of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) in the race to become Australia’s leading sire by earnings.
