Frosted (USA) mare Arctic Glamour added a second black type victory to her record when the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou trained 5yo mare surprised many on Saturday at Rosehill, winning the $500,000 Group 2 ATC Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) when resuming from a spell.
Not seen in the winner’s enclosure since her success in the Listed ATC Reginal Allen Quality at 3 where she started a short-priced favourite and defeated the now multiple Group 1 winner Joliestar by more than a length, Arctic Glamour has contested black type races in her proceeding 16 starts without any success.
Starting the outsider in the eight-horse field, jockey Tom Sherry jumped the mare away well from the outside barrier where she followed Grahame Begg’s favoured runner Miraval Rose across the field to settle in second position, which may have proven the key to her success.
Never allowing Miraval Rose to get too far ahead, Sherry pulled his way to eyeball the leader as the field headed into the home straight.
Taking the lead with 300m to run, Arctic Glamour toughed it out all the way to the line, holding off the late challenge of Hellbent’s Bauhinia by a quarter of a length, with the Group 1 Flight Stakes third placed Snow In May a length and three quarters back in third.
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s Miss Roumbini started favourite once again, and like her effort in the Group 2 The Invitational the start prior, failed to show much fight when it mattered and disappointed in the run to the line.
Speaking to the media post-race, co trainer Sterling Alexiou felt the mare had come into her first up run ready for a good preparation.
“It has been a while between drinks but she has 'prepped' up really good this preparation,” said Alexiou.
“She was a bit unlucky in a Missile (Stakes) behind Schwarz, but she just hasn't won for so long. She drew awkward today but Tommy (Sherry) pressed the button. Good effort first-up, 1400. I'm proud of the stable.
Sporting the blinkers for the first time, which was one of a few things the stable tried to reinvigorate the amre.
“We were probably clutching at straws,” said Alexiou. “She normally wears the visors, we put the blinkers on and did a few different things with her.
“We worked her a bit sharper. We put her over some hurdles. She worked over the hurdles this morning just to get her thinking about things again. Completely rapt."
Having produced some outstanding runs in her career, the mare has just been unable to crack it for a win for some two years.
“You go back to when she ran fifth in the Epsom (Handicap) behind Ceolwulf and about another three Group One winners and she hasn't looked like going close in a race,” said Alexiou.
“She just forever draws bad barriers and finds plenty of luck, but it's always bad luck. Tommy took bad luck out of the equation today so very happy."
As for where she heads now, Alexiou was non-committal, but suggested she would have been ready to start her broodmare career if she failed.
“I don't know because if she went no good today she was going to the breeding barn."
One of three winners on the day for jockey Tom Sherry, the winning jockey suggested to connections that he’d take her forward in the run.
“Obviously we drew the outside gate but I spoke to Gerald beforehand thinking if we go back, I don't think she's quite good enough to make up as many lengths to catch a horse like Miraval Rose,” said Sherry.
“She began well so we made use of her. Was tough there late."
Recording her third win, and second at black type level with a further five placed efforts from 21 starts, Arctic Glamour took her prizemoney haul to $736,750.
Purchased by her trainers at the Inglis Premier yearling sale for $185,000 from the draft of Noorilim Park, the Mill Park Stud raised daughter of Frosted was bred by The Toorak Thoroughbred Breeding Trust.
Arctic Glamour is the best of two stakes winners, joining Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes winner Waging War, out of the placed Galileo mare Fartoo Flashy who has had four winners from eight to the races.
Fartoo Flashy’s current 2yo is a Maurice filly named Fartoo Frisky in the stable of Andrew Gluyas and looked good winning a recent barrier trial, while the mare has a yearling filly by Dalasan, and this season foaled a filly by Newgate Farm’s Cox Plate winner State Of Rest (IRE) in his second season at stud.
One of 37 international stakes winners by Darley’s triple Group 1-winning Tapit stallion Frosted, Arctic Glamour is one of 12 Australian bred stakes winners which includes the dual Group 3-winning, Group 1 Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond placed Ingratiating who is covering his second book of mares this season for $9,900 (inc. GST) at Western Australia’s Oakland Park Stud.
