Godolphin’s progressive Astern colt Aft Cabin looked to be thoroughly enjoying himself in Saturday’s $300,000 Group III Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield, which was run in atrocious conditions.
With Jamie Kah in the saddle for James Cummings, Aft Cabin looked the winner after the field travelled 200 metres.
Travelling sweetly on the outside of Zamborghini in a strung-out field, After Cabin took control of the race shortly after straightening. He kept up a relentless gallop to defeat the Extreme Choice colt Meridius by three and a half lengths, with the Lonhro colt Amenable a further two lengths back in third.
Jamie Kah made no secret of what she thought of the conditions with rain and hail falling.
“That was one of the worst. I could not see anything,” Kah said.
“I would hate to be behind me as I had no horse in front of me, and I could not see.
“My boy was the ultimate professional. He had hail in his face, and he just tucked his head down and did his job. The feel he gave me was amazing. I didn’t know how far in front I was.
“Obviously, he’s a star on the rise, and it’s nice to see him back to the 1400m, and he was sharp at that trip, and further is just going to be great.”
With his stakes breakthrough, Afte Cabin advances his record to two wins and two seconds from four starts with earnings of $256,800.
Stable representative Sean Keogh said the son of Astern is on track for the Caulfield Guineas.
“It was an extraordinary watch. In the first half of the race, you were thinking about how this will play out, but he is a quality animal and can handle the conditions today. It was a tremendous win,” Keogh said.
“It was well documented during the week that we brought him here on Tuesday, and he put in a solid piece of work.
“It was a testament to the horse to absorb that work and come here in peculiar circumstances. When Jamie slipped him a bit of rein, away he went.
“We might get a look at Golden Mile prior to that.
“It’s a wonderful testament to the stable to have two staying colts that had no two-year-old preparations, and we see them with a strong hand in features during the Carnival.”
After Cabin is one of five winners from as many to race out of the Lonhro mare Shelters. He is a half-brother to the Group III PJ Bell Hcp winner Multaja (Medaglia d’Oro) and Listed ATC Lonhro Plate winner Veranillo (Medaglia d’Oro).
A sister to Group 1 BRC TJ Smith Stakes winner Benfica, Shelters has a yearling colt by Harry Angel (IRE) and was covered by Brazen Beau last spring.
Aft Cabin is the sixth stakes winner for Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes winner Astern (Medaglia d’Oro), who stands for a fee of $11,000 at Darley Stud.
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