Further franking the form out of the recent running of the G3 ATC Triscay Stakes in which she finished fifth, Peter Snowden’s 4yo So You Think (NZ) mare Tuileries secure her first black type victory, winning the $250,000 G3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) on Friday.
With the Triscay Stakes third placed Verona Rose having since won the G2 Guy Walter Stakes and will now target the G1 Coolmore Classic, Tuileries went into Friday’s race as a leading contender with only Coal Crusher and Just Feelin’ Lucky priced shorter.
Joe Pride’s $2.8m earner Coal Crusher went forward in his usual pattern to take up the lead with Michael Freedman’s Just Feelin’ Lucky a half length back in second as the grey Berkshire Shadow (GB) settled in third on the rail with Chad Schofield giving Tuileries the run of the race in fourth.
At the 400m mark when Coal Crusher started to show signs that he’d had enough, Rachel King asked Just Feelin’ Lucky for an effort, and she reeled in the leader before Tuileries came off her back to commence her run.
Descending on the leader with 200m to run, Tuileries gave nothing else a chance as the she sprinted to the line to record her first black type victory.
Nathan Doyle's locally trained Churchill’s Choice worked home extremely well from back in the field to finish just under a half length from the winner in second while Scott Singleton’s Melody Again continued her solid first up record to finish third.
With a host of runners in stakes runners over the weekend, trainer Peter Snowden was on course to see his mare record victory.
“The worry was before the race, we were thinking, where are were going to be, and we didn't want to stick her up too much,” said Snowden.
“We've got her settled really well into work now, and didn't want to start her up to much earlier, but she began really well.
“She managed to go forward, ease back, and drop into the perfect spot and go a gun ride.
“Yeah, it was a great race the other day. There was a lot of form come out of it. Gary Portelli’s horse was beaten a neck, and it came out and won his next start, so there was good depth to that race.
“She's on her way up and she's been stakes placed a few times, so it's good to get a greet through and win on her own.
As for where she might head, Snowden has a few races picked out for the daughter of So You Think.
“The race I really want to target the Hawkesbury mares’ race and the race at Scone,” said Snowden. “I think they would be two perfect races for her.
“If she did something there, we'd go to Brisbane for a shot at a bit more black type up there, but she's come back in really good order.
“She's very genuine and got a really good 300-meter sprint on her, so if the race pans out fine for her, she'll always be hard to beat.”
Taking her overall record to four wins and two placed efforts from 12 runs, with earnings of $403,200, the G S A Bloodstock Pty Ltd-bred Tuileries was purchased for $360,000 from the Magic Millions yearling sale draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds by Snowden Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock.
Tuileries is the first stakes winner from two to the races out of Hediard, a Bernardini half-sister to Listed SAJC Centaurea Stakes winner Exocet and Listed VRC Festival of Racing Stakes winner Ready For Victory, who also finished third in the G1 MRC Caulfield Guineas.
The 4yo mare is also from the family of the ill-fated, Champion 2YO Colt Meurice, a winner of the G1 ATC Champagne Stakes, who also placed in the Golden Slipper and the Sires’ Produce Stakes, as well as G1-winning and G1-producing sire Rubiton.
Hediard’s current 2yo named Neos Cosmos, is an unraced full-sister to Tuileries, while the mare has a yearling filly by Justify (USA) before foaling a filly to King’s Legacy. After unfortunately missing to Castelvecchio in the spring, there will be no foal this year from the mare.
Tuileries became the 69th stakes winner for Coolmore’s former stallion So You Think who passed away in October last year.
So You Think will be represented by ten yearlings at the upcoming Inglis Easter yearling sale including Riversdale’s Lot 178, the full brother to G1 Queensland Oaks winner You Wahng.
