Making his 21st Group 1 start, Godolphin’s warhorse Cascadian (GB) defied the pattern of the day when charging home to deny Tofane a winning farewell in the $600,000 Group 1 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Ridden by James McDonald for James Cummings, Cascadian (GB) missed the starts. McDonald saved plenty of ground by taking inside runs before extracting the 7yo son of New Approach (IRE) at the 250m. By then it looked like the bird had flown as Tofane set up a five-length break.
With giant strides, Cascadian collared Tofane (Ocean Park) to win by a length with Ellsberg (Spill The Beans) two and a half lengths back in third.
The pair met recently when Cascadian (GB) was fast-finishing fifth and Tofane eighth behind Zaaki.
Cascadian (GB) had shown Group 1 form in France, where Andre Fabre trained him to a narrow defeat by Intellogent in the 2018 Group 1 Prix Jean Prat.
The son of New Approach opened his Group 1 account in last year’s Doncaster Mile.
He advances his record to eight wins, five seconds, and six thirds from 38 starts, with earnings of $4,437,575.
“It was quite breathtaking really, and a special victory for the horse, who has got so much heart,” Cummings said.
“We wondered to ourselves do we want to run him in the Australian Cup, do we want to freshen him up for the All Aged or run in the Doncaster.
“I always think to myself, as (form analyst) Dominic (Beirne) has always taught me, running in one doesn’t preclude you from running in the other, and I actually think his run in the Doncaster set him up for today. He was enormous on that day, but it was something of a barrier trial. He freshened up beautifully from then and he was unbeatable today.
“James came out to the enclosure and I said, ‘what did you think of the ride on Kementari?’ and he said, ‘mate, if you think I’m going to ride Cascadian like Nash (Rawiller) rode Kementari, you need to find another jockey’.
“Riding Cascadian today was all about using his energy wisely. He had the fitness of a horse that was back from 2000 (metres) two runs ago and was going to be fit in a fast-run 1400 and was going to handle the track beautifully. He’s a wonderful horse.”
Cascadian (GB) is a half-brother to three winners, including Albahr, winner of the Grade Summer stakes at Woodbine.
The son of Epsom Derby hero New Approach, is out of the talented Street Cry (IRE) mare Falls Of Lora, whose four wins included the Group III UAE Oaks and the Listed Distaff Stakes at Sandown.
Falls Of Lora was one of four stakes-winners for Danehill's stakes-winning daughter Firth Of Lorne, runner-up in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.
