The Ken Elford-trained Ashford Street had well-earned a reputation as a wet tracker, with all seven wins coming on tracks rated soft or worse. But a good three at Flemington on Saturday did not stop the 5yo son of Moshe from recording his first stakes success in the Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m).
Ridden by Teo Nugent, Ashford Street came down the grandstand rail to defeat Yulong’s Written Tycoon gelding Yulong Command by a short-head with the Canford Cliff’s gelding Colsridge a length and a quarter back in third.
A homebred for Peter McLaren, Ashford Street advances his record to eight wins, four seconds and three thirds from 26 starts with earnings of $508,900.
Warrnambool-based trainer Ken Elford said it was a huge thrill.
“I can’t believe it. He has taken us on a great journey, and we are so pleased with him,” Elford said.
“Teo is a local boy, and he treats you with respect. We talked to him about this race today and said to try to be a bit closer and a bit more positive, and he did it.
“He will have a break soon, and we will aim him at the Wangoom. “That’s the race we want to win with him.”
Ashford Street is a half-brother to Listed Carlyon Stakes winner Grandview Avenue out of Peter McLaren’s overachieving Magic Albert mare Magic By Gosh.
Purchased for $15,000 at the 2008 Inglis March Thoroughbred Sale, Magic By Gosh had six foals before her death in a paddock accident in August 2019 when in foal to Squamosa.
Five of the six made the track, and all won.
Ashford Street is her final foal.
Ashford Street is the third stakes-winner for Black Caviar’s brother Moshe who was exported to Indonesia in 2019.
It was the second leg of a double for the family after Black Caviar’s daughter Invincible Caviar scored a controversial win over 1200m.
