A $5,000 yearling and the first Group 1 runner for her trainer, Media Award's triumph in Saturday's $500,000 Group 1 Australasian Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville was 'bigger than Neil Armstrong walking on the moon' according to an emotional trainer Chris Calthorpe.
Sent off a $61 chance under Luke Nolen, the daughter of Shamus Award held the challenge of the VRC Oaks heroine Personal (Fastnet Rock) by a long-neck with Ripper Rita (Street Boss) a neck back in third.
Media Award was coming off a win in a benchmark 64 at Geelong, which followed a maiden win over 1200m at Kyneton on March 29.
"This is just unbelievable. She's a very special horse and made all the more special as one of my best mates Trumby (Luke Nolen) rode her," Calthorpe said.
"I met the ownership group from Lavington Football Club for the first time last night. I said you must think I am a dick when I said I wanted to go for the Australasian Oaks. They said 'no, you haven't lied to us yet and you've been honest with us, up front from day one'".."
Luke Nolen said the wide gate proved no disadvantage.
"It all worked out perfect," he said
"I found the back of Jamie Mott (on Ripper Rita), who was pretty effective at Caulfield the other day. When I wheeled off her back I thought I had got to the front soon enough, but she was resilient at the end.
"I won this race for Mick Kent on a similar profiled horse.
"Chris had a lot of faith in her and was rewarded today."
Purchased by owner Mark Arrowsmith's Aintree Park for $5,000 out of the Bowness Stud draft at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale, Media Award advances her record to three wins, a second and a third from six starts with earnings of $314,200.
The daughter of Shamus Award is the second foal and first winner out of the More Than Ready (USA) mare Music Media whose only win from 14 starts came in a 1200m maiden at Bathurst.
The victory has proved timely for Bowness, who will consign a Super One half-sister to Media Award to the Inglis Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale in a fortnight. (Lot 324).
A daughter of the Listed Morphettville Guineas winner Harley Ma (Shovhog), Music Media has a weanling colt by Brave Smash (JPN) and was covered by Bon Hoffa last spring.
Music Award becomes the 12th stakes-winner and second Group 1 winner for Rosemont Stud's Shamus Award who also celebrated the day with Whipcracker Way at Sandown and Award Knight at Beaudesert.
