Coming off a last start effort in the G3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) at Doomben, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Mastercraftsman (IRE) mare Alalcance (GB) appreciated the step up to 2400m on Saturday, defeating stablemate Bella Montagna (NZ) in the $200,000 G3 BRC Premier’s Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm.
One of six runners in the 14-horse field to start at odds of 10/1 or under behind stablemate and race favourite Bella Montagna, the Tim Clark ridden Alalcance settled in fourth position with the Brad Widdup trained Sunset Park (GB) going forward to take up the lead with the race favourite Royal Supremacy (IRE) just off the leader.
As Sunset Park started to feel the pinch before the home turn, Royal Supremacy came around the leader to hit the lead while Clark came even wider aboard Alalcance to put herself into a challenging position.
Exploding away from the field with 300m to run, Clark kicked into gear aboard Alalcance, and while her stablemate Bella Montagna made up considerable ground late, the grey mare took the price by a half-length margin. The run of both mares should see they ready to tackle the 3200m of the $400,000 G2 Brisbane Cup on June 13 should connections decide to head that way.
Five and a half lengths back in was the tiring Royal Supremacy who battled on well to hold down the third, with the So You Think mare So We Are taking home fourth.
Taking home the quinella for the stable, co-trainer Adrian Bott was on course.
“I had the poker face on there, but I was very satisfied don't you worry. It was an easy watch from the top of the straight.
“He (Tim Clark) knows the horse very well, and you know, that's been her pattern right from the outset and Tim's obviously a very good tactical jockey on pace.
“But you know, if it's taking him a fair bit of work to get going, it's certainly not an easy task.
“And that's where, again, his experience comes in handy. He's had a great record on her, and I think he's delighted to get back on board.”
“I thought getting up to this distance would be suitable. A little bit of softness in the ground we certainly welcomed today and the further the better for her.
“Bella Montagna is a very nice, progressive filly and they've both been up here with the Brisbane Cup in mind.
“Hopefully that placing today gives her enough of the ratings points that we needed to see just to make sure she's up in the order.”
Having ridden the mare in all of her black type victory, Clark took his tally to four stakes victories on the grey.
“She burst onto the scene 12 to 18 months ago and she started a long odds-on favourite in a Sydney Cup, and just sort of since then, just little things have just gone against her
“It's great to see her back in the winter.
“The gallop was strong enough for the middle stages, but still, she's quite on pace, so I knew that I had to still put her into the race and she toughed it out well.
“I think that (Brisbane Cup), you know, although she's failed once at two miles, I think she's had a better preparation for it this time, and for sure, she'll acquit herself well.”
Purchased for 240,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2023 by McKeever Bloodstock and Waterhouse/Bott Racing with a record of one maiden win at the Curragh from four starts, she’s looking a very good buy indeed.
Recording her sixth career victory, four at black level with a further five placed efforts with earnings of $727,739 from 18 starts, Alalcance is the fourth winner for Galileo mare Albamara, herself a daughter of the Champion Older Female Stayer in Britain and Germany, Albanova.
From the family of the Australian based Kingswood (IRE), a winner of the G1 Zabeel Classic in New Zealand, Alalcane is one of 110 stakes winners for Mastercraftsman who died in 2021.
