While many felt leading South Australian breeder Harry Perks would provider the winner of Saturday’s Listed SAJC Hill Smith Stakes (1800m), it was the outsider of his trio that took the race, as 3yo Ghaiyyath filly Freedom Flame proved too strong in the run to the line at Morphettville.
With five prior runs under her belt, Freedom Flame had improved at each run, especially as the distances were increased and last time out finished second to Safe Bet who she defeated with ease in Saturday’s black type race.
Starting at 30/1 odds, apprentice jockey Taylor Johnstone jumped Freedom Flame out of the gates well, heading forward to settle in third behind Richard and Chantelle Jolly’s Microphone gelding Kalmama who went to the lead from barrier 8, with race favourite Talent Scout in second.
As Talent Scout pulled out from behind the leader to make his run, Johnstone was forced to bring Freedom Flame even wider as the field entered the home straight.
Joining in powerfully, Freedom Flame hit the lead at the 200m mark where there looked only one danger as Henry Dwyer’s Different Gravy charged late, missing on the line as Andrew Gluyas trained Freedom Flame held a narrow winning margin, giving Darley’s four-time Group 1 Ghaiyyath (IRE) a one-two result.
Holding on for third, some three and a half lengths way was Kalmana who produced a solid effort after leading throughout.
With seven previous winners of the Hill Smith Stakes bred by Perks, all raised at Mill Park Stud, Freedom Flame became the eighth, and third in a row, joining Air Assault (2023) and Goldrush Guru (2004) who both headed to the Melbourne Spring carnival after their wins with the latter recording a length and a half victory in the Group 1 VRC Derby (2500m) at his next start.
Connections will now need to decide if Freedom Flame heads to Melbourne with the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Derby Day as a possible lead up race to the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) the following Saturday.
“It’s been a pretty good race for us over the last three years in particular, but over a long time as well,” Gluyas said.
“For Taylor to ride her like that, we had some conversations about what was going to happen and she’s executed it perfectly.
“The horse prepared up beautifully with the racing that she had. We thought that she would be ready for the 1800m, and perhaps beyond that as well.
“It’s great for the team to get another win in the Hill-Smith today, I’m really proud.”
Bred by Harry Perks’ The Toorak Thoroughbred Breeding Trust, Freedom Flame is fifth winner from seven to the races for Kitten's Joy mare Khandallah, joining the Group 2-winning, multiple Group 1 placed Dalasan and the Listed winner Party Princess, while another half sibling Liberty Lover is the dam of the Group 2-winning, Group 1 placed Thedoctoroflove.
After foaling Freedom Flame, Khandallah has produced colts by The Autumn Sun and So You Think before unfortunately missing to Pride Of Dubai, so there will be no foal this season.
The colt by The Autumn Sun sold through this year's Mill Park Stud yearling sale draft for $200,000 to Andrew Gluyas at the Magic Millions yearling sale.
Becoming the seventh international stakes winner for Darley’s Dubawi stallion Ghaiyyath, it was the second in Australia after the Listed Jim Maloney Stakes victory of 3yo filly Yum a few weeks back.
After shuttling to Australia for four seasons at a fee of $27,500 (inc. GST) where he covered 377 mares, Ghaiyyath did not return this season.
