In a race that can often produce a rough result, with the last favourite to win the race being Champion Black Caviar back in 2012, this year’s running of the $1m G1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville saw another upset result as 30/1 chance Geegees Mistruth claimed the prize.
Having won the race prior, the G1 Australasian Oaks for B2B Thoroughbreds and Chris Waller, jockey James McDonald was after a rinse and repeat effort as the trio saddled up race favourite Generosity who was coming off a narrow last start fifth in the G1 Galaxy.
As the gates crashed open, Michael Mehegan’s 100/1 chance Bossy Benita went forward to lead with the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained Bridal Waltz on her outside while last year’s Robert Sangster Stakes winner Charm Stone was wider again in third.
Generosity was getting a cosy run in fourth, while another of the favoured runners Point Barrow was in last position, racing on the outside of fellow Yarraman Park graduate Flying For Fun.
As Bridal Waltz took the lead in the home straight, the runs were starting to come from everywhere as Stretan Angel was looking for room towards the rail as Charm Stone and Super Smink were both appearing chances down the outside.
Hitting the lead at the 100m mark, Charm Stone looked set for consecutive wins, but Jordan Childs aboard the Mark Walker trained Geegees Mistruth was accelerating at high speed down the outside with Point Barrow and Flying For Fun also making their presence felt.
When the line was reached, it was a four-way photo with Geegees Mistruth diving through the middle to win by a nose from Bridal Waltz on her inside with another nose back to Charm Stone in third, followed by another nose margin to Flying For Fun back in fourth.
Having started her race career in Tasmania where the mare recorded four black type victories for local trainer Stuart Gandy, Geegees Mistruth was having just her seventh start for Mark Walker on Saturday.
Recording her seventh career win, coupled with a further seven placed efforts from 19 starts, Geegees Mistruth took her earnings to $1,273,310.
Speaking on behalf of Te Akau Racing’s Australian trainer Mark Walker, assistant Ben Gleeson felt that the mare had been unlucky on numerous occasions.
“She came to us last spring. We acquired her through some mutual friend we promised we’d win a big one with her,” said Gleeson.
“She came over in great order. Stuart Gandy did a great job with her as a young horse. She’s had nothing but doors shut on her. Her journey over spring and autumn sums up racing. There’s a lot of lows but the highs are worth it.
“We were wondering when we were going to have some luck and we did when it mattered the most.
"Just credit to the staff at home. They're working their backsides off. It's been a good month, we've won two group ones, but it's been a long year and they deserve all the hard work they put in morning and night.
“Just got the most amazing group of staff and clients, they just deserve this result.
“We were watching the run. She got shuffled back a bit further than we thought, but she's never had clear running in, I think, all the runs we've had her for, really, apart from probably Flemington down the straight.
“She just peeled off the backs and I thought, 'Oh, here we go.' And she, very rarely, changes legs, and you sort of saw her do it for the first time in a long time. Credit to Jordy— he got his hands down in her neck and got the head down when it counted."
Recording just his second G1 victory, jockey Jordan Childs felt the race worked out perfectly.
“It's been a long time between drinks,” said Childs. “Written By in 2018, I've had quite a few placings in between in the big group ones, and I was sort of hoping my second one would come a bit sooner, but anyway, still very grateful for the ride and the connections. And, yeah, winning another group one, it's great.”
“It worked out perfectly. She's obviously a mare that can get quite up and about and do a few things wrong, but she was really relaxed today.
“She went down to the gates lovely, stood in there well. She began nicely out of there and I just wanted to ride her where she was really comfortable.
“I managed to get on that three-wide line behind Willow, and he got moving at the right time and just allowed me just to track up for as long as possible.
“And once I presented her, she quickened up well, we were getting challenged by the other horses, and she was able to hold on.
“I wasn’t sure (who won), and I was looking up the drone to see where it was going, and it was pretty close to me, but Zahra was there as well, so I wasn’t sure if it was me and him, and then he said that I won.
“Winning another group one, it’s great.”
Bred by P A & E J Geard, Geegees Mistruth is the best of four winners from four to the races out of the Jetball mare Miss Mana, whose current 3yo, Geegees Missile is a stakes placed, winner of four races.
Having been covered by Wordsmith in every season since, Miss Mana has a yearling gelding, followed by a filly foaled in the spring before the mare was one of just three covers the stallion made last season.
The best of 22 stakes performers for the Testa Rossa stallion Wordsmith, Geegees Mistruth has the honour of becoming his first elite level winner.
