3 minute read
Nudge romps home in Pam O’Neill Stakes
The Chris Waller-trained Nudge (4 m ex Julinsky Princess by Stravinsky) produced an impressive display to land the Pam O'Neill Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Doomben on Saturday and in the process handed Coolmore Stud sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill) with his 174th stakes winner and 18th black-type winner in the southern hemisphere this season.
The Chris Waller-trained four-year-old mare showed a good turn of foot to run down Yamazaki (Real Saga), eventually beating him by a length and a half, while Paradee (Epaulette) was another three-quarters of a length away in third.
"Each and every one of her starts this prep, you could make a case for her," Waller said. "But she is a good, genuine mare and she will win another race in Queensland pretty quick on the strength of that."
Jockey Kerrin Mcevoy admitted he was concerned when Greysful Glamour (Stratum) appeared to be enjoying a soft lead early but a mid-race move by Hugh Bowman on Yamazaki injected some much-needed pace.
"They did steady right up along the back and I was worried then," McEvoy said.
"I was a little bit happier when Hughie took off on the horse from back in the field and it just made it a bit more of a test.
"But I must admit, I was still worried at the 400 when I was still a long way off them, but she showed a great turn of foot to get back into the race."
Purchased by his trainer and Guy Mulcaster for $380,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Lime Country Thoroughbreds draft, the mare is one of four winners out three time-winning Listed winner and Group 1-placed Julinsky Princess (Stravinsky), making him a three-quarter brother to Julinsky Prince (Darci Brahma).
Julinsky Princess herself is a half-sister to dual Listed winner Unknown Heights (Kaapstad) and fellow stakes winner Dontellthewife (Volksraad) and the dam of Listed winner Excuse My French (French Deputy).
In 2018 Julinsky Princess foaled a filly by Fastnet Rock’s barnmate So You Think (High Chaparral) and she has most recently been covered by another Coolmore Stud-based sire Yes Yes Yes (Rubick).
Fastnet Rock’s 18 stakes winners in Australia this season are headed by Group 1-winning trio Avantage, Rocket Spade and Personal and he will stand at Coolmore for an unchanged fee of $165,000 (inc GST).