A deserved reward for Godolphin's consistent 3-year-old Frosted (USA) gelding Pisces, who opened his stakes account in Saturday's $500,000 Group III Catanach's Jewellers Blue Sapphire Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
With the unstoppable James McDonald in the saddle, Pisces settled fifth of the seven runners. Eased out three wide before the turn, the son of Frosted picked off the leaders with remarkable ease and was being eased down to defeat Rue De Royale (Per Incanto) by two and a half lengths with one and a quarter lengths back to Catoggio (Written Tycoon) a troubled third.
On the board in eight of his ten starts, Pisces advances his record to three wins, three seconds, and two thirds with earnings of $571,125.
"He’s been held back for a race like this and it has paid off,” winning trainer James Cummings said.
“I loved the way James rode him from the inner gate. In his trials he was quite content to be further back and out of the breeze, but he just cruised up to the opposition like he’s really going somewhere.
“He’s an exciting horse heading into his future as a lightly raced three-year-old.
“We like the idea of targeting racing in the autumn.
“He was excellent first-up at Moonee Valley, but it is one thing run well behind them and it is another thing to win in a race like this and put them away with style.
“This was a rich race worth targeting. A horse like Pisces this was ‘low hanging fruit’ it was worth targeting. We like going fishing for races like this and he is one to keep aiming for races like it.”
Pisces is the best of three winners from four to race for the Group III-placed Redoute’s Choice mare Pleiades, a sister to Godolphin’s star producer Glissade.
Runner-up in the Group III Blue Diamond Prelude, Glissade is the dam of the Group 1 Thousand Guineas winner Flit (Medaglia d'Oro) and multiple Group III-placed Flow (Street Cry).
Glissade has hit new heights as the granddam of the triple Group 1 winner Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot).
Godolphin consigned Pleiades to the 2023 Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale. Carrying a filly from the first crop of Shamardal's Poule d'Essai des Poulains (2,000 Guineas) and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Victor Ludorum (GB), Pleiades was a modest $16,000 purchase for Matt Houldsworth/Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA)/Merricks Station.
Pleiades foaled a Hellbent filly on September 12.
Pisces is the 32nd black-type winner for the former Darley shuttler Frosted (USA).
