I had to go and look up what number 17 was and it was Mighty Boss, a flashy light chestnut by Not a Single Doubt with a flaxen blonde mane and tail and look at me attitude!
A quick look at his price showed him to be a rank outsider, but half way up the
straight that baldy face and flashy blonde mane were poking up the fence under
an inspired ride from Michael Walker.He hit the front and then held off a challenge from Godolphin's Lonhro colt Kementari to win the 1600 metre feature by half a length with star Fastnet Rock filly Catchy a brave third.
While the crowd reacted with shocked silence, there were scenes of unbridled joy from the staff of Mick Price, who trains the winner, a horse labelled as 'lazy' back at the stables.
"He has been a fatty and lazy horse and a real laidback type who has been a bit wound down," Price said.
"He has had a 'who cares' kind of attitude.
"The girl who rides him at work suggested something different, she
suggested we pop him over the little rubber jumps and hurdle him.
"He went over three jumps yesterday morning.
"It has taken time to tune him up and to be fair he was entitled to be a
longshot because there was a lot better form in the market than him.
"But we persevered and persevered and he peaked on the day."
Mighty Boss broke his maiden at Sale in July and came into this race off a last
start fourth in the Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes, his overall record now two wins
from six starts with prizemoney topping $1.2million.
Price now plans to spell Mighty Boss and set him for the Group I Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington next March.
Mighty Boss runs in the colours of Teeley Assets, who won this race in 1999 with champion sire Redoute's Choice, the grand-sire of Mighty Boss.
Mighty Boss was bought in New Zealand at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale for $180,000 from the Curraghmore Stud draft by his trainer, who has a 10% share in his ownership.
"He and Tulip were amongst the annual group of yearlings that we chose to bring over from Coolmore to offer in our draft at Karaka," Curraghmore's Gordon Cunningham said.
"He was a horse with plenty of natural strength and I was very happy to secure him for our draft.
"I'm delighted for Mick Price who has trained a number of horses from our farm with great success."
Price has trained seven stakes winners sourced from Curraghmore, including fellow Group I winner Velocitea and Alister Clark Stakes winner and VRC Derby place-getter Pre Eminence.
Teeley Assets originally owned his dam Bullion Mansion, but sold her in their 2014 Dispersal Sale at the Magic Millions National Sale where she made $160,000 and was bought by Coolmore Stud.
She was in foal to Not a Single Doubt with Mighty Boss the resulting foal who was born and raised at Coolmore before heading to New Zealand to be sold.
A three-quarter brother to stakes-placed Shiralee, Mighty Boss is one of four winners from Bullion Mansion, an Encosta de Lago daughter of Group I winner La Volta and full sister to the dam of Group winners Catch a Fire and Seaburge.
Bullion Mansion has left two fillies for Coolmore following Mighty Boss by Declaration of War (USA) and is due to foal to No Nay Never (USA).
Mighty Boss is the 48th stakes-winner for Not a Single Doubt and is his eighth Group I winner capping a remarkably successful day for the Arrowfield Stud based sire, who stands at a fee of $88,000.
Snitzel might have had The Everest winner Redzel, but the day belonged to Not a Single Doubt with four stakes-winners!
Mighty Boss broke his maiden at Sale in July and came into this race off a last
start fourth in the Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes, his overall record now two wins
from six starts with prizemoney topping $1.2million.Price now plans to spell Mighty Boss and set him for the Group I Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington next March.
Mighty Boss runs in the colours of Teeley Assets, who won this race in 1999 with champion sire Redoute's Choice, the grand-sire of Mighty Boss.
Mighty Boss was bought in New Zealand at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale for $180,000 from the Curraghmore Stud draft by his trainer, who has a 10% share in his ownership.
"He and Tulip were amongst the annual group of yearlings that we chose to bring over from Coolmore to offer in our draft at Karaka," Curraghmore's Gordon Cunningham said.
"He was a horse with plenty of natural strength and I was very happy to secure him for our draft.
"I'm delighted for Mick Price who has trained a number of horses from our farm with great success."
Price has trained seven stakes winners sourced from Curraghmore, including fellow Group I winner Velocitea and Alister Clark Stakes winner and VRC Derby place-getter Pre Eminence.
Teeley Assets originally owned his dam Bullion Mansion, but sold her in their 2014 Dispersal Sale at the Magic Millions National Sale where she made $160,000 and was bought by Coolmore Stud.
She was in foal to Not a Single Doubt with Mighty Boss the resulting foal who was born and raised at Coolmore before heading to New Zealand to be sold.
A three-quarter brother to stakes-placed Shiralee, Mighty Boss is one of four winners from Bullion Mansion, an Encosta de Lago daughter of Group I winner La Volta and full sister to the dam of Group winners Catch a Fire and Seaburge.
Bullion Mansion has left two fillies for Coolmore following Mighty Boss by Declaration of War (USA) and is due to foal to No Nay Never (USA).
Mighty Boss is the 48th stakes-winner for Not a Single Doubt and is his eighth Group I winner capping a remarkably successful day for the Arrowfield Stud based sire, who stands at a fee of $88,000.
Snitzel might have had The Everest winner Redzel, but the day belonged to Not a Single Doubt with four stakes-winners!
