Montjeu, the outstanding middle distance racehorse who as a sire produced three English Derby winners, three Irish Derby winners and two winners of the Australian Derby, has died aged 16 after a short illness, Coolmore Stud announced on Thursday.

Joseph O'Brien will ride dual Cox Plate winner So You Think in the world's richest race, the US$10 million Dubai World Cup.

Chris Waller was fighting back tears after stable newcomer Shoot Out landed the trainer back-to-back Chipping Norton Stake victories at Warwick Farm yesterday.

Patience is the key to lightly-raced four-year-old Single (High Chaparral) and trainer Craig Carmody won't be tempted to change his routine to chase big prizes just yet.  

Hong Kong agent Willie Leung had a blank cheque in his bid to secure So You Think's three-quarter brother.

Leung went to NZ$800,000, the highest price to date at New Zealand's Premier Yearling Sale, to secure the colt by High Chaparral out of La Souvenir (Nuclear Freeze), a daughter of So You Think's dam Triassic (NZ) (Tights).

Lot 824 High Chaparral x La Souvenir

The colt from the draft of Windsor Park Stud was bought on Tuesday for Leung's Hong Kong clients WK Lee and Peter So.

They had already secured Monday's top-priced colt at Karaka, a High Chaparral-Creil (NZ)( Frenchpark) colt bought for NZ$650,000.

When asked what his clients were prepared to pay, Leung simply said there was "no budget".

"They (Lee and So) are looking for a real, top stayer. That's why we picked the best two colts and we were very keen to get them," Leung said.

"We believe they are the best in the sale."

Both horses are likely to begin there careers in either New Zealand early on before possibly going to Hong Kong.

Unlike many horses bought by Hong Kong buyers, Leung said the La Souvenir (NZ) colt would be kept entire for the time being.

"For the Hong Kong environment maybe we need a gelding, but because of his breeding potential we will try to keep him as a colt," Leung said.

Windsor Park Stud marketing manager Mike Moran, who bred the colt in partnership with his wife Helen and Chris and Carol Chamberlain, said it was a great result.

"Just to think we bought her mother (Triassic) for $16,000, kept that filly, and it was a great call to do it," he said.

"He rated himself really highly, this colt, so did So You Think, and he still does, and hopefully this fella's half as good as him."

So You Think (NZ) was bought at Karaka for NZ$110,000 and trained by Bart Cummings to win two W. S. Cox Plates.

Dato Tan Chin Nam sold a controlling share in So You Think (NZ) for a reported $30 million to Irish racing and breeding concern Coolmore.

A return to winning form by Single (High Chaparral) at Rosehill on Saturday put the smile back on trainer Craig Carmody's face and gave jockey Nathan Berry a welcome 21st birthday present.

Windsor Park Stud graduate So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral) will be entered for the $US10 million Dubai World Cup (2000m) at Meydan and has been installed favourite by British bookmaker Coral for the race. 

Now trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien, So You Think (NZ) is at 7-2 to take the world's richest purse at Meydan on March 31.

The eight time group one winner is part-owned by Dato Tan Chin Nam in association with Ireland's thoroughbred breeding powerbrokers at Coolmore, will be a leading contender if it is decided he will take his place in the race.

"He will be entered for the race but obviously no decision will be made until nearer the time," O'Brien's wife Annemarie tweeted .

A dual Cox Plate winner of five group one races when formerly trained by Bart Cummings, So You Think (NZ) has won a further three Group One races on European soil since being transferred to O'Brien in 2011.

So You Think (NZ) was ranked equal seventh in the World Thoroughbred Rankings for 2011 and has had his past four starts in four different countries - Ireland, France, England and the United States.

Defeat in one Group Two $100,000 event could turn into success in another for Prairie Star at Te Rapa tomorrow.

The Cambridge-trained mare finished an eye-catching fourth behind Postman’s Daughter in the DHL Counties Cup (2100m) on November 19 and stands out as an excellent prospect in tomorrow’s Gr. 2 Waikato Times Gold Cup.

Although she picked up only $5000 of the prizemoney on offer at Pukekohe, there were a lot of positives to come out of Prairie Star’s performance, the most important being her position in the weights.

Postman’s Daughter and Prairie Star were on level weights of 52 kilograms in the Counties Cup, but the winner has shot up to 56 kilograms tomorrow whereas Prairie Star gets in on just 52.5kg.

“That’s what I told the owners after the race,” said trainer Anne Herbert. “I said looking on the bright side we’d still get in the Waikato Cup on a real light weight and that’s got to help her.”

Prairie Star was doing her best work at the finish of the Counties Cup, winding up late once into the clear to finish a length-and-a-half from the winner.

“Being a small mare I think she was intimidated by too many around her,” said Herbert. “She’s been knocked about in some of her races and it’s affected her confidence a bit. It wasn’t until she got a bit more racing room that she really got going. She just needs the breaks.”

The five-year-old daughter of High Chaparral has won five races from 1600 to 2100 metres, but gives the impression the 2400 metres at Te Rapa will suit her ideally.

“I think she’ll get it all right,” said Herbert. “She’s relaxing well and she does like Te Rapa. And that’s a big thing as not all horses do go well there.”

Prairie Star recorded her first win at Te Rapa, over 1600 metres, and two of her subsequent victories have been on the track. She has also picked up three placings at Te Rapa from a further six starts.

Her most recent Te Rapa assignment was two starts ago when she finished strongly over 2100 metres to beat The Terminator on October 24. On that occasion she was ridden for just the second time by Craig Grylls, whose first ride on her resulted in a third to Scarlett Lady in the Listed Handsome Ransom Manawatu Breeders Stakes (2000m) last April.

Grylls was aboard Prairie Star again at Pukekohe and will have the mount tomorrow as he attempts to win the feature for the second time. When winning the 2008 edition on Lovetrista he followed in the footsteps of both his late grandfather Johnny Grylls and father Gary who won the race respectively in 1974 on Kia Maia and 1985 on Great Estate.

If Prairie Star shapes up tomorrow she will head to Ellerslie for the Gr. 2 Waiwera Water City Of Auckland Cup on New Year’s Day and she also holds a nomination for another 2400-metre feature, the Gr. 2 Wellington Cup on January 28.

Despite her sudden climb in the weights, Postman’s Daughter again deserves respect. She preceded her Pukekohe win with a second to Duckworth Lewis in the Gr. 3 Te Hana Sparking Stakes (wfa 2000m) at Ellerslie and beforehand she was first past the post but relegated to second behind Zabisco over 1600 at Te Rapa.

Mr Tipsy put up a big effort for second to Postman’s Daughter at Pukekohe and would appreciate any easing of the ground. A concern, however, is his form on the Te Rapa track. He won his second race there in heavy ground but in three further starts at Te Rapa he has disappointed, though one can be ruled out as it was a sprint.

Dawn Ghost was one of the unluckiest runners in the Counties Cup, being blocked for much of the run home. Her previous couple of runs had been encouraging, including a sixth in Jimmy Choux’s NZB Spring Classic. But it has been a long time between celebratory drinks for her owners as her last win was on New Year’s Day 2010.

Te Aroha veteran John Steffert will be trying to win the Waikato Times Gold Cup for the second time. He prepared Great Estate to win it 26 years ago and will saddle up Back In Black tomorrow.

Steffert campaigned Back in Black over the Melbourne Cup carnival and though the horse failed to add to his tally of eight wins, he performed with credit in each of his four starts, picking up just over $20,000 in prizemoney. He was eighth in the Seymour Cup, sixth to subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden in the Geelong Cup, sixth in the Bendigo Cup and eighth in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

John Gray isn’t the least of chances tomorrow as he didn’t have a lot of luck in the Counties Cup when sixth, while Go Danny finished a placing closer at Pukekohe and was closing nicely. Don Domingo, last season’s Hawke’s Bay Cup winner, wasn’t disgraced when ninth in the same race,

Beau Dane is fresh from a fifth in the New Zealand Cup, but would appreciate some rain and the same applies to Halls, whose best form over the last 12 months has been on rain-affected going.  Marea Alta, winner of the Taumarunui Gold Cup on the Te Rapa track last June, also comes into this category.

Sum Up is just the type who could cause a surprise, but improvement is needed from former talented stayer Six O’Clock News, last year’s race winner Bruce Almighty and Seaflyte.

Better Together was runner-up in the Hawke’s Bay Cup last April and did win fresh-up at Te Rapa on October 24, but others make more appeal, such as The Terminator and Maythehorsebemagic. The Terminator was second to Prairie Star then won at Ellerslie before disappointing at Pukekohe and Maythehorsebemagic has found a new lease of life with two wins and three placings in his last five appearances.

Desert Lad won last time, but faces a much tougher task, as does Alignadreams, who has won two of her last three outings and been runner-up on the other occasion.

Leading stallion High Chaparral, whose final NZ-bred yearling crop will go forward to New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 Karaka sales series in January, sired a new stakes winner on Saturday when Lady Chaparral was successful in the Bay of Plenty RC Tauranga Stakes, Gr.3.

A Breeders Cup hero himself in 2002 and 2003, champion sire High Chaparral featured at Churchill Downs on Saturday when his handsome 2YO son Wrote (High Chaparral x Desert Classic by Green Desert) captured the Gr. I Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Wrote accelerated quickly from midfield to take the 1600m contest by two and a quarter lengths.

Montjeu has been riding the crest of a wave this year in Europe and North America, his progeny of both sexes winning Gr.1 races throughout Europe and North America.

Another week, another Group One winner for Montjeu - it might become tedious were it not vindication of the need to keep breeding horses with the ability to stay more than 1600 metres.

Montjeu’s 25^th Group One winner - and his third in just seven days - is Camelot, winner of the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster last Saturday.

The two-year-old colt, trained by Aidan O’Brien, was installed as ante-post favourite for the 2013 Epsom Derby following his maiden victory over a mile (1600m) at Leopardstown in Ireland in July, despite the fact that none of his four rivals that day have scored since.

A break of 100 days and a leap right into the deep end made little difference to the well made colt, who charged home under the trainer’s jockey son Joseph to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

In so doing he became Montjeu’s third winner of the Racing Post Trophy, following on from his subsequent Derby-winning sons Motivator in 2004, Authorized in 2006 (the race was run that year at Newbury due to Doncaster’s redevelopment) and St Nicholas Abbey in 2009.

Camelot is certainly bred to enjoy a step up in trip. His year older three-parts sister Ideal (Galileo) won her maiden in May over 10 furlongs (2000m) as a three-year-old, while their dam Tarfah stayed up to the same distance. Tarfah’s extended family also includes the Listed middle-distance winners Birdie and Fickle. 

While Camelot’s family may be best at around 10 furlongs, there is no better sire currently standing for siring Derby winners. Montjeu’s haul includes three winners apiece in the Epsom and Irish Derbys, and two winners of the AJC Australian Derby from his shuttle stints in New Zealand.

Despite entering the Racing Post Trophy (Gr 1, 1600m) at Doncaster last Saturday off the back of just a maiden success, the tall reputation of Camelot (Montjeu) proved accurate, as, ridden with supreme confidence by Joseph O’Brien, Aidan O’Brien’s colt sauntered past his rivals with consummate ease to stamp himself as a serious Classic contender for 2012.

Montjeu colt Camelot (2c Montjeu-Tarfah, by Kingmambo) is a red-hot favourite for next year’s Derby after cantering away with the G1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday.

Champion Sire Montjeu posted a Group One double in North America on Sunday when his highclass daughters Sarah Lynx and Miss Keller starred at the international meeting at Woodbine in Canada.

Wading (2 f Cherry Hinton, by Green Desert) became the 98^th stakeswinner worldwide for Montjeu (Sadler’s Wells) when winning Saturday’s Rockfel Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) at Newmarket. Her dam is a half-sister to four Group 1 winners including Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) and Sea The Stars (Cape Cross).

One of the world's most prestigious races, the €4 million Group 1 Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe (2400m), saw the New Zealand bred champion So You Think produce a valiant performance to run fourth in Paris this morning.

Montjeu took his tally of stakes winners to 96 and his Gr.1 winners total to 22 when his sons Masked Marvel and Jukebox Jury secured an elite-level double for their champion sire at the weekend.

Barely 45 minutes after the success of Masked Marvel (3 c Montjeu-Waldmark, by Mark Of Esteem) in the Ladbrokes St Leger, Jukebox Jury (5 h Montjeu-Mare Aux Fees, by Kenmare) completed a Classic double for Montjeu when dead-heating for the Group 1 Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh.

Masked Marvel (3 c Montjeu-Waldmark, by Mark Of Esteem) gave Montjeu a second victory in the world’s oldest Classic as he lowered the course record in the Group 1 Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster.

 So You Think is the new 4/1 favourite for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Betfred after connections revealed that the Investec Derby winner Pour Moi has suffered a ligament injury and is due to be retired.

Pink Symphony (4f Montjeu-Blue Symphony, by Darshaan) proved another smart filly for Montjeu and became his 93rd stakes winner when she won the Gr.3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes at Cork on Sunday.

Five-year-old mare Marea Alta (NZ) (Montjeu) registered her fourth victory in a row, claiming the Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup (2100m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. 

With the recent completion of the prestigious Royal Ascot racing carnival two young sire sons of Sadler’s Wells now vie for the lead on both the GB/Ire stallion premiership as well as the wider General Sires premiership for Europe.

Montjeu's highclass son Fame and Glory justified a massive betting plunge with a convincing 3 length win in the Group 1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot while Holy Roman Emperor was represented by Banimpire who won her second group race in 4 days when successful in the Group 2 Ribblesdale S.

Starting at 11 to 8 favourite, Fame and Glory travelled well throughout the race and after taking up the running with 2 furlongs to go held off Godolphin's Opinion Poll with French raider Brigantin staying on late for third.

In the Ribblesdale, Banimpire battled with long time leader Field of Miracles over the last 2 furlongs before getting the upper hand right on the post. Dorcas Lne, although beaten 7 lengths, stayed on well for third after being well back in the field and receiving a chequered run.

Bapak Chinta, an American-bred son of Speightstown, took his record to 2 from 2 with a driving win in the Group 2 Norfolk S. The winner was too strong for Boomerang Bob, by Aussie Rules, with Crown Dependency third.

American-breds won their second group race of the day when Pisco Sour, a son of Belmont S. winner Lemon Drop Kid, improved on his ninth place finish in The Derby to hold off High Chaparral's son Alkimos in the Group 3 Tercentenary S.

With the completion of the Royal Ascot meeting, Galileo holds a £200,000 lead over Montjeu on the British/Irish General Premiership, with both having earnings more than double the third placed Oasis Dream.

Guineas winner Frankel is Galileo's main contributor amongst his six stakes winners to date, while Derby winner Pour Moi is one of Montjeu's seven stakes winners.

In the Europe-wide figures, the situation is the same, with Galileo heading Montjeu and Dalakhani. Leading first season sire at this early point of the season is Dark Angel (Acclamation).

 Since the spring of 2009, when High Chaparral's first southern hemisphere three-year-olds burst upon the scene, it is that bay son of Sadler's Wells whose name comes up when our breeders and breeding students talk of northern hemisphere stallions which have shuttled to New Zealand and, particularly, of those whose discontinued southern trips have been a cause of such widely held regret.

As time passes it is easy to forget that another son of Sadler's Wells preceded High Chaparral on the shuttle trail to Windsor Park Stud and that he, Montjeu, also made a noteworthy contribution to our racing scene and breeding population during the trips he made to New Zealand. Indeed, if High Chaparral has outshone him in this part of the world, Montjeu (allowing that he is three years older than High Chaparral and went to stud three years earlier) has been the greater sire internationally.

And we were reminded of that last weekend when his son Pour Moi came from well back to run down the leaders and score a famous victory in the Epsom Derby, becoming the first French-trained winner of the Derby since 1976.

Who was that 1976 winner? Well, I had to look it up to discover it was the Nelson Bunker Hunt-owned Empery, trained by Maurice Zilber and one of nine Derby winners for the peerless Lester Piggott. Piggott was to win the following year's Derby on The Minstrel and he'd won two of the previous five runnings on Roberto (1972) and Nijinsky (1970).

Those are names to conjure with and – who knows? - one day we may speak of Pour Moi in the same breath. He has a bit more to achieve yet but the manner of his Derby win had nothing of a fluke about it.

The brilliant Montjeu enjoyed his third Epsom Derby winner in seven years in front of packed crowd on Saturday as 19-year-old riding sensation Mickael Barzalona steered Pour Moi (3c Montjeu-Gwynn, by Darshaan) to victory.

The brilliant Montjeu enjoyed his third Epsom Derby winner in seven years in front of packed crowd on Saturday as 19-year-old riding sensation Mickael Barzalona steered Pour Moi (3c Montjeu-Gwynn, by Darshaan) to victory.

The colt, who got up by a head from Treasure Beach (3c Galileo-Honorine, by Mark Of Esteem) was giving his legendary French trainer Andre Fabre a first victory in the Derby at Epsom and followed Montjeu’s sons Motivator (2005) and Authorized (2007) in landing Flat racing’s most famous prize.

“Finally!” said Fabre. “I think the bad luck we have had here before has been more because the horses were not good enough but I thought here we had a proper horse for Epsom. The reality is that you have to have the horse. This is one of the races everyone wants to win and now it’s over. Everyone knows about the Derby and I’ve tried for a long time.

“This is the horse that I would like to win because he is such a good horse and it is not by hazard that he has won. What surprised me was that he had two accelerations - the first one to catch up and then he hit another extra gear. This was the sign of a champion and it was his first time at a mile and a half.

“It was a pleasure that Mickael is a home-made jockey and I know his family. Obviously it is such a pleasure to win this race and under these conditions, with a young jockey and this big crowd. I couldn’t be more happy.”

Barzalona, who celebrated by standing up in his irons and saluting, said: “It is fabulous! It is brilliant and I came so fast at the end that I knew I was going to win.”

Part-owner Michael Tabor said: “It was sensational. He was at the back of the field as everybody saw - I always knew that he had to be ridden that way - but, having said that, it was a tall order. We knew that he was very good and so it was not a surprise.

“It was utopia and I could always seeing Pour Moi winning because of what Andre told us about the horse. The only problem was the first time in a race at Epsom - it’s all very well in a gallop but it’s slightly different in a race. That’s always the question mark when you come here.”

John Magnier, whose wife Sue’s colours were carried by the Montjeu colt, added: “Andre was confident. All the way throughout the last few weeks, he has been saying how good he was. He said how he was going to be ridden and he told us that he had more speed than Peintre Celebre.

“He was telling all of the youngsters up in the box to back him. Usually trainers go off the horses when they get close to the race but he was confident.”

Pour Moi was scoring a day after Montjeu’s son St Nicholas Abbey (4c Montjeu-Leaping Water, by Sure Blade) won the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday and was a completing another clean sweep for Coolmore sires in the Epsom Classics following the victory of Dancing Rain (3f Danehill Dancer-Rain Flower, by Indian Ridge) in the G1 Oaks.

New Zealand-bred Australian multiple Gr1-winning 4YO entire So You Think (High Chaparral-Triassic, by Tights) is set to make his European track debut in next Monday's (May 2) Gr3 Mooresbridge Stakes (10 furlongs) for 4YOs & up at The Curragh in Ireland. So You Think will carry a 5lb penalty in the race for his Gr1 wins in Australia.

On Sunday 20th March 'So You Think' paid a working visit to the Curragh racecourse, together with over 40 of his stablemates at the Ballydoyle Racing yard of trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Corey Brown was rapt with the winning trial of smart Queensland galloper Shoot Out at Eagle Farm this morning as he prepares to head to Sydney for the autumn carnival.

Caspar Fownes has promising four-year-old Let Me Handle It treading in the footsteps of his 2010 Hong Kong Derby winner Super Satin after an impressive win in the Class Two Southwell Handicap (1,600m).

The $200,000 Wellington Cup looms large for the Murray and Bjorn Baker-trained galloper, Mr Tipsy, after his powerful win in the $55,000 Marton Cup at Awapuni on Saturday.

Montjeu added a new stakes-winner to his tally when Mr Tipsy (6g Montjeu x Fait Tipsy, by Casual Lies) saluted in the Listed Marton Cup at Awapuni in New Zealand on Saturday.

The Murray Baker trained stayer scored by more than a length in the 2100 metre feature taking his overall record to eight wins from 23 starts with prizemoney in excess of $476,000.

Placed in the Group I Auckland and Sydney Cups, Mr Tipsy was way overdue to land a stakes event in his own right.

A $41,000 purchase from the Windsor Park  draft at the 2006 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, Mr Tipsy is the first stakes-winner for the Group II placed Fair Tipsy.

Australian racing’s superstars So You Think (NZ) and Black Caviar have achieved worldwide acclaim following the release of the 2010 World Thoroughbred Rankings (WTR) by the  International Federation of Horse Authorities in London on Tuesday.

 Click here for ratings for Australian trained horses

Steven Arnold, who made a surprise visit to Rosehill Gardens trackwork yesterday to ride boom juvenile Godspeed, has put his hand up to partner superstar So You Think in Europe this year.

The talented Melbourne-based jockey revealed he would not hesitate to jump on the first plane overseas if he was wanted for So You Think.

Photo: Grahame Cox

Currently the leading sire in Australia by earnings, High Chaparral featured in New Zealand on New Year’s Day with a new stakes-winner in lightly raced three year-old Hidden Asset (3g High Chaparral x Fragile Asset, by Zabeel), who will be aimed at the $2,000,000 Gr.1 New Zealand Derby on March 5.

The first stakes-winner to come from his sires second Southern Hemisphere crop, the Shaune Ritchie trained Hidden Asset launched himself as a serious contender for New Zealand Derby honours in taking out the Gr.2 Classic Hits Championship Stakes at Ellerslie over 2100 metres with a strong staying performance.

Hidden Asset has two wins and a third from just three starts and looks to have been very well bought at just $50,000 from the Windsor Park draft at the 2009 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.

Hidden Asset is one of seven winners, but the first stakes-winner from good producer Fragile Asset, a Group III winning daughter of champion sire Zabeel.

Fragile Asset is a half-sister to the great champion Bonecrusher, who won 18 races, nine of them at Group I level, and was trained throughout his career by Shaune Ritchie’s father Frank.

Hidden Asset is the 23^rd stakes-winner for High Chaparral, who has just returned to the Northern Hemisphere after serving his first season in Australia, having previously shuttled to Windsor Park in New Zealand.

The majority of his Southern Hemisphere yearlings for 2011 will be offered at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale with 33 youngsters guaranteed to attract buyers from all over the world.

Be honest – isn’t it your dream as a breeder or owner to produce or race a horse capable of competing at the highest level, both locally and internationally? To produce or race a horse who not only dominates at home but then conquers the world on the global stage?

Dual Group 1 winner Monaco Consul has been purchased by Patinack Farm and will join the stud's roster in 2011.

Monaco Consul Photo by Racing and Sports

The son of hot sire High Chaparral was bred by Windsor Park Stud and was successful at the highest level in the G1 AJC Spring Champion Stakes, and the G1 Victoria Derby in successive starts in 2009.

Patinack Farm's Nathan Tinker said “We are delighted to have acquired a horse of this quality to stand alongside our exciting line-up of stallions.

"I have watched this horse very closely during his career as he often competed against our own stable's runners, including two of our Group 1 winners.

"With the progeny of High Chaparral rekindling Australia's interest in strong middle distance performers, Monaco Consul will find a niche in the growing market of those looking to breed racehorses capable of excelling at a mile and beyond.”

Monaco Consul  boasts an impressive pedigree.

His dam Argante (Star Way) is a full sister to G1 winner Con AIr and a half sister to multiple G1 winner and successful sire Military Plume.

The family also includes G1 winners Niconero, Nicconi, Zip ZIp Aray and Sealegs.

 

Recital became Montjeu’s latest Gr.1 winner on Saturday when landing the Criterium de Saint-Cloud, the final Gr.1 race of the European Stakes calendar, and looks a leading contender for the 2011 Gr.1 Derby. Aidan O’Brien’s charge had effortlessly justified favouritism in a Navan maiden on his debut three weeks earlier and built on that success in some style to land the contest by five lengths and become his trainer’s fourth winner of the race. Recital was the second winner of the race for Montjeu, who was also successful with Fame And Glory in 2008.

Coolmore’s Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O'Brien yesterday had no hesitation in labeling the world's most famous race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in Paris next September as one of the goals for the stable's new Australian acquisition, So You Think.

Heavyweight rider Hugh Bowman is one of New Zealand’s favourite adopted sons after a last stride win on Wall Street (NZ) in Saturday' $1m, Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

A week ago Bowman powered through the wet to win the Group 1 Victoria Derby on Kiwi colt Lion Tamer and today he shone strongest in a four way finish to win the feature mile handicap.

Wall Street (NZ) and Hugh Bowman (purple and white stars) in the middle of the charge to the line, picture Sportpix.com.au.

Bowman, having his first ride on the six-year-old, settled well back and avoided a mid-race incident where Rothera was badly hampered and others like Sound Journey were caught up in the backwash.

He was happy to cover a little ground as he tracked Dao Dao into the race soon after straightening and began to run on into the finish.

With two furlongs to go they were queuing up for the prize, with Sniper’s Bullet taking the front, then joined by Trusting, Luen Yat Forever, then Dao Dao.

Wall Street joined that quartet followed by Chasm out even wider, with the Kiwi prevailing in a four-way finish on the line.

Wall Street had a short-half-head to spare over Dao Dao with a nose to Chasm.

Luen Yat Forever fought back strongly and just missed the placings and short head away while Trusting was a half length back in fifth.

Wall Street, prepared at Palmerston North by Jeff Lynds, won two Group 1 races at home including New Zealand’s equivalent to the Cox Plate – the Spring Classic – before heading to Australia to contest the weight-for-age championship.

While he was well held finishing seventh behind So You Think, he appreciated the drop in class today and according to Bowman the addition of blinkers today may have been the difference between winning and losing.

Wall Street prevails, just, on the line, picture Sportpix.com.au.

“I was really pleased when I picked up the ride during the week and there's no doubt my success on Saturday might have had something to do with that,” Bowman said.

“Jeff and I spoke at length about the horse, we expected to be in the first four or five but they seemed to go really hard early and I didn't want to stoke him up with those blinkers.

“He was pretty keen going to the barriers and I was able to settle him and that was the key to winning.

“I had a soft run early but there was a lot of interference in front of me, it wasn't bad just horses being shuffled back in front of me and I just had to get him out into clear room.

“He actually got into a nice rhythm then and I was pretty confident at the furlong but they were coming from all sides at the post.

“It was a blanket finish and I was certainly at the top but he really fought on and that's what you need, a horse that really wants to win and there's no doubt that this guy's like that.”

Lynds is no stranger to travelling to Australia to target feature races but was thrilled to have pulled off the Group 1 coup with Wall Street.

But he plans to return again next year in the autumn and again in 12 months to have another try at the Cox Plate.

“We're going to spell him and bring him back for the autumn and see how he goes right-handed and come back and have another crack at the Cox (Plate).”

Wall Street, by Montjeu out of the Grand Lodge mare $Villa Wanda, has now won 11 of just 19 starts and the $600,000 first prize took his earnings to over $1 million. He is owned by Gerard Peterson's GG Syndicate, GKV Holdings and MA Head.

While the Wall Street win was a great result for Bowman and Lynds the rough-house race denied a few their chance at the race.

Craig Williams said runner-up Dao Dao may have won but for the backwash of the incident not long after the start.

“I thought I was a genius getting across from a wide gate with a good run but then was forced wide without cover,” Williams said.

“He fought like a caged lion when the winner came past us. Without the interference over the back that left us wide without cover I think he’s the winner.”

Jockeys Michael Rodd and Dwayne Dunn said their respective mounts Sound Journey and Palacio De Cristal had no hope after the interference while the main recipient Rothera was lucky to stay on his feet.

“He cut his leg pretty badly and was lucky to stay on his feet,” jockey Brent Evans said.

Hugh Bowman, two Group I wins for the week, picture Sportpix.com.au.

Star New Zealand miler Wall Street prevailed in a thrilling finish to the Group One $1m Emirates Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

Starting favourite at $6, Wall Street travelled wide throughout the 1600m journey but responded bravely to the urging of jockey Hugh Bowman to defeat Dao Dao ($15) by a short-half head, with Chasm ($15) just a nose away in third place. Less than a length separated the first five horses over the line in what was a blanket finish to the mile feature event.

Wall Street, who was wearing blinkers and a tongue tie for the first time, has now won nine of his 13 races over his favoured 1600 metre distance and has now amassed a total of 11 victories in his career.

Trainer Jeff Lynds was delighted to notch another Group One success for the Kiwis after his good friend Murray Baker won the Victoria Derby last Saturday with Lion Tamer, who was also ridden by Bowman. Lynds pinpointed Wall Street's victory to his ability to accelerate.

"He's got a good turn of foot and it's a great pleasure to come and do this. We've come here many times before and I haven't had any luck, but things have gone right this trip," he explained.

"We're going to spell him and bring him back for the autumn and see how he goes right-handed."

Lynds said that he would return next spring for another tilt at the Cox Plate with Wall Street.

Bowman felt certain that his Derby victory last Saturday had contributed to him gaining the winning mount on Wall Street.

"I was really pleased when I picked up the ride during the week and there's no doubt my success on Saturday might have had something to do with that," he suggested.

"Jeff and I spoke at length about the horse. We expected to be in the first four or five, but they seemed to go really hard early and I didn't want to stoke him up with those blinkers. He was pretty keen going to the barriers and I was able to settle him and that was the key to winning."

Bowman said he had a soft run early but had become concerned when considerable interference unfolded in front of him.

"It wasn't just bad horses being shuffled back in front of me and I just had to get him out into clear room. He actually got into a nice rhythm then and I was pretty confident at the furlong (200 metre mark), but they were coming from all sides at the post. He fought on and that's what you need, a horse that really wants to win, and there's no doubt that this guy's like that," he observed.

Chief handicapper Greg Carpenter says So You Think is well weighted to win one of the great Melbourne Cups of all time after the four-year-old charged away to his second Cox Plate win on Saturday.

"That was breathtaking," Carpenter said after the Bart Cummings-trained champion romped home ahead of tough veteran Zipping and the forever honest Whobegotyou.

So You Think is the first dual winner of the Cox Plate as a three and four-year-old after last year leading all the way.

Carpenter was in awe of the performance as was the crowd packed into every vantage point to witness something special.

"I have said this for a little while now that I think we are all very privileged to be able to see a horse like this because he is one for the generations," Carpenter said.

Carpenter said Makybe Diva was a great stayer but in the last decade at weight-for-age over 2000m another dual Cox Plate winner, Northerly, had been the benchmark.

"As a pure weight-for-age horse at 2000 metres this horse is as good as I have seen," Carpenter said.

"The great unknown now is whether or not they choose to go on to the Melbourne Cup with him and stamp his greatness by winning that race."

Sadler's Wells sires ran hot at the weekend on three continents with Joshua Tree (3c Montjeu x Madeira Mist, by Grand Lodge) finding Group One success in North America in winning the prestigious Pattison Canadian International at Woodbine over a mile and a half.

Classy New Zealand trained stayer Harris Tweed  (5g Montjeu x Sally, by Prized) is no stranger to success in Australia having won the Group Two STC Tulloch Stakes at three before returning this year to finish third in the Group One AJC Sydney Cup, the son of champion staying sire Montjeu back in the winner’s list at Flemington on Sunday.

Prepared by father and son training combination Murray and Bjorn Baker, Harris Tweed finished fifth in the Melbourne Cup last year and could be on track for even better this year after a strong win in the Listed VRC Bart Cummings over 2500 metres.

Harris Tweed raced up near the pace throughout and held off a determined by from Exceptionally to win by a head taking his overall record to four wins and nine placings from 24 starts with prizemoney of $849,945.

The gelding’s co-trainer Murray Baker paid tribute to jockey Brad Rawiller’s ride to get Harris Tweed home with a well-timed move at the 400 metres.

“It was a very good ride by Brad,” Baker said. “He rode him very positive and kicked clear and held on.”

It was his third run back from a spell and the son of Montjeu is open to further improvement.

“We are coming out of a New Zealand winter and he has taken a lot of getting fit,” Baker said. “He’s been well behind the eight-ball but in the last couple of weeks he’s really picked up.”

Baker was reluctant to commit Harris Tweed to a Caulfield Cup, start but remained confident the gelding could repeat last year’s performance in next month’s Melbourne Cup.

“I don’t know whether he has got enough zip for a Caulfield Cup,” Baker said. “He is fully qualified in both races but he can stay. He might be a little bit dour and one-paced but he can stay.”

Not offered at public auction, Harris Tweed is from the Prized (USA) mare Sally, a grand-daughter of former outstanding staying mare My Blue Denim, who won a Group One STC Tancred Stakes and is the great grand-dam of this season’s stakes-winning three year-old Lion Tamer, also from the Baker stable.

Only a nose away from winning the Triple Crown during the Spring Carnival at Hastings, top racehorse Wall Street (6 B. G. Montjeu – Villa Wanda, by Grand Lodge) booked himself a trip to Melbourne for the Cox Plate following his win in the $250,000, Group I, Kit Ormond Memorial Spring Classic, raced under weight-for-age conditions over 2040-metres at Hastings on Saturday.

Australian racing has a new superstar adorning the racetrack – So You Think.

The lightly raced Bart Cummings-trained four-year-old reached a new Timeform master rating of 130+ as he toyed with his rivals in last Saturday's Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield.

The last galloper to reach that figure in Australia was another excitement machine Weekend Hussler who as a late three-year-old ran to 130 in the 2008 Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill defeating a classy line up of Group 1 performers such as Racing To Win, Casino Prince, Desert War and Scenic Shot.

So You Think signalled his rise to stardom at just his fifth racetrack appearance with an astonishing win in the 2009 Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) rating to 125P with Timeform, two pounds higher than the mighty Octagonal who took the race in 1995 after an epic struggle with Mahogany and a pound less than champion three-year-old filly Surround who defeated Unaware in 1976.

Quality gallopers like Weekend Hussler have the ability to reach lofty ratings several times during their careers. Weekend Hussler returned a Timeform rating equal or higher than 125 no less than six occasions during his three and four year old careers.

To see So You Think, who has raced just eight times, rate 125 or higher on three occasions to date and with the promise of more to come says much about the class and capability of this galloper – good horses don't even do that, only the very best do. 
  
So You Think resumed this campaign in the Memsie Stakes rating 128 defeating Whobegotyou who then franked that formline demolishing the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes field, himself going to 128 in the process.

After Saturday So You Think sits alone at the top of the Australian Timeform ratings for the season at 130+ - a level that places him in elite company, even at this early stage of his campaign.

For example, So You Think now rates superior to the following grand gallopers to have raced in Australia in the last decade;

Leading jockey Michael Coleman said he has rarely been aboard a horse that travelled so well in a Gr.1 race as Wall Street did in yesterday's $200,000 Windsor Park Plate at Hastings.

The big Montjeu gelding started a $2.20 favourite for the 1600-metre feature and was never fully extended to win by three-quarters of a length.

"Good horses do things that much easier than others and he is a really good horse," Coleman said. "He was travelling sweetly all the way and from the 600 I knew the others would be hard pressed to beat me."

Coleman had Wall Street in a prominent position from the outset, sitting in second place and trailing the pacemaking Time Keeper to the home turn.

Once he released the brakes Wall Street bounded to the lead and victory was never in doubt. Coleman gave the horse a few flicks with the whip, but said he didn't have to ride him right out to win.

The race was expected to be a repeat of the Mudgway Partsworld Stakes (1400m) at Hastings three weeks ago, when Keep The Peace and Wall Street had a tussle in the home straight before Keep The Peace got home by a nose and Fritzy Boy ran a game third.

The same three horses filled the first three placings yesterday, but this time Wall Street was clearly a cut above the other two.

Fritzy Boy turned in another game performance to finish second, a long neck in front of Keep The Peace.

Wall Street's Awapuni trainer Jeff Lynds said he would be meeting with the horse's owners in the next week to discuss future plans.

It is likely the horse will return to Hastings in a fortnight for the Group One $250,000 Kit Ormond Memorial Spring Classic (2040m), as a lead-up to the $A3 million Cox Plate (2040m), on October 23.

Fritzy Boy's rider Lisa Allpress said her mount tried his heart out again, but the winner was just too good.

"I thought I was taking ground off Wall Street halfway down the straight but then he just accelerated away from us again," Allpress said.

Keep The Peace's rider, James McDonald, echoed those comments when he said the mare had no answer for Wall Street's powerful burst. "My horse had every chance but she's looking for 2000 metres."

The mare's performance is likely to have confirmed her trip to Australia, where she will contest the Turnbull Stakes (2000m), at Flemington, on the same day as the Ormond Classic.

The prospect of a great spring just improved with the brilliant win of So You Think (NZ) in the $200,000 Group Two N Z Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

So You Think returns in style, picture Quentin Lang quentinjlang.com

Last season’s Cox Plate winner has been off the scene since last spring and there was some doubt about how well he would come back. In that time Shoot Out has taken over the mantle of Australia’s best galloper after dominating the autumn’s three-year-old events and continuing that form since resuming.

The highly rated, Group winning miler Guillotine has been purchased by Windsor Park Stud, New Zealand to stand the 2009 season.

A Group winner of four races from 1200m to 1900m, including the Group 2 John F. Feehan (Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes) over 1600m in Melbourne last spring, Guillotine has Windsor Park principal Nelson Schick excited at his stud prospects.

“I consider Guillotine to be the sharpest and most naturally gifted son of his Champion Sire Montjeu to have raced in Australasia,” said Schick.

“I have always said that in our racing environment the most talented sons of the ‘shuttle’ stallions are those most likely to succeed at stud. Current leading sires Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), Encosta de Lago (Fairy King), Flying Spur (Danehill), O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) and our own Thorn Park (Spinning World) are examples of this.

“A $300,000 yearling, Guillotine was an outstanding type from the outset and is from an exceptional broodmare whose only two foals to race are Group winners.

“Having followed his career from the time he was a two-year-old, with his natural speed, his suitability to good to fast ground combined with a great temperament, we identified Guillotine as Montjeu’s most talented and best credentialed stallion prospect in Australasia,” commented Schick.

Trained for his two and three-year-old seasons in Sydney by David Payne, Guillotine was aimed at prestige two-year-old races over Sydney’s Autumn Racing Carnival following a smart first-up win at Canterbury over 1200m.

A fast finishing fifth in the Group 2 STC Pago Pago Stakes (1200m), Guillotine closed out his juvenile season with a luckless fourth to Champion Australian 2YO Meurice in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

In the Champagne Stakes Guillotine suffered significant interference and his performance captured the attention and admiration of many astute observers who touted Guillotine as a leading prospect for his classic season.

The outbreak of Equine Influenza and forced closure of racing and movement of horses in Sydney meant Guillotine’s three-year-old spring racing targets had to be abandoned.

He subsequently followed a late December win by 6 lengths at Rosehill with an abbreviated autumn campaign where he finished 2 lengths from the seasoned Weekend Hustler in the Group 1 AJC Royal Randwick Guineas over 1600m prior to running fifth, on an unsuitable heavy track, in the Group 1 Australian AJC Derby (2400m) at Randwick.

Transferred to the stables of David Hayes for his four-year-old season, Guillotine won brilliantly first up over 1300m before beating some of Australasia’s best gallopers in the Group 2 John F. Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley over 1600m. The group of star performers Guillotine left in his wake that day included subsequent Group 1 WFA Tatts Cox Plate winner, and Australian Horse of the Year, Maldivian, as well as Sirmione, Pompeii Ruler, Zipping, Casual Pass and Alamosa.

“It was at this point Guillotine confirmed he had the right credentials to warrant a stallion paddock at Windsor Park.” said Schick.

“For a long striding horse to be able to handle tighter tracks and carry his form at the top level over three seasons of racing says a lot for his mental soundness and constitution,” concluded Schick.

After his Feehan Stakes win, Guillotine’s racing program was revised and following a close finishing third in the Group 1 MRC Yalumba Stakes over 2000m at Caulfield, Guillotine was diagnosed with a joint injury. This setback not only put paid to an autumn campaign aimed at the Group 1 AJC Doncaster Stakes over 1600m, but the injury ultimately proved to be career-ending.

Guillotine’s high ranking on the 2008/09 ANZ Classifications is an indication of the regard in which he is held. His rating of 116 in the mile category was the same given to multiple Group 1 winners Theseo, Mentality, Vision And Power and Niconero, and ahead of other Group 1 winners Racing To Win (115), Casual Pass (115) and New Zealand Horse of the Year Mufhasa (114).

Purchased by renowned yearling judge Les Samba from the Curraghmore Stud draft at the 2006 NZB Karaka Premier Sale, Guillotine is a son of the smart racemare and outstanding producer Refused the Dance.

In addition to Guillotine, Refused the Dance is also the dam of the brilliant VRC Victoria Derby and Melbourne Cup winner Efficient, crowned Champion Australian Stayer of 2008.

Guillotine is by the champion international stallion Montjeu, sire of 64 stakes winners (12 at Group 1 level) who last season finished second to champion sire Zabeel in the prestigious Dewar Award (combined Australasian earnings for NZ-based stallions).

Bred on the hugely successful Sadler’s Wells/Mr Prospector cross, Guillotine is scheduled to arrive at Windsor Park Stud, Cambridge, New Zealand in late August. He will commence stud duties at a service fee of $8,000 + GST with a Live Foal Guarantee.