The best local hope of toppling the mighty Ka Ying Rising in the upcoming $20m ATC TAB Everest (1200m), 4yo Street Boss mare Tempted continued her upward spiral, producing a scintillating finish to win the $1m G2 ATC Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
Clearly a class above her rivals, the Godolphin bred and raced mare started at prohibitive odds with Chad Schofield allowing her to drift back to settle with just a few behind her.
With last start G2 The Shorts winner Mazu taking up his customary leading role, Savvy Hallie tracked along in second place aiming to add the Premiere Stakes to her last start win in the G2 Shearco Stakes.
Railing like a greyhound as they headed for home, it appeared as if we may have a repeat of The Shorts, but Savvy Hallie and Weeping Woman were quick to take over from Mazu, but none were ready for the finishing burst of Tempted.
Hitting top gear at the 200m mark, the G1 winner powered away from her rivals to score by almost three lengths from Savvy Hallie with G1 Golden Slipper winner Marhoona improving from her sixth behind Tempted last start in the G2 Concorde Stakes to finish third.
With two outstanding wins this time in ahead of a start in the Everest on October 17, Tempted took her overall record to nine wins (eight at black type level) and four placed efforts from 14 starts with earnings of $7,020,650.
With trainer Ciaron Maher at Flemington, stable rep Johann Gerard-Dubord was at Randwick.
“It probably is her best win, the way she put them away,” enthused Gerard-Dubord. “It was a very good field and she made them look like they’re nothing special.”
“It’s a genuine Group One field and the way she quickened, which is her best asset, she’s one of a kind.
“Everything she does, she’s very special. She’ll have to be very special in two weeks, but we’ll be spot-on for that. Ka Ying (Rising), if he’s at his best, he’s very hard to beat. But he’ll have to be at his best.
“Every horse is beatable on the day. And there’s more there. She quickens so well, but every time she gets to the front, she waits for them. So, if she’s got something to chase for a bit longer, I think there’s a bit more there.
“It has been her target to have her peaking on Everest day, so in terms of where she’s at, there is a touch more to come. The good thing about her is she goes on any ground and she’s got such a good turn of foot, a high-pressure race will only suit her. We’ll try our best.”
While she finished second last yer in the Everest as a 3yo, this time she is a yer old and more mature.
“Naturally, as they mature they get stronger. It will take a very special horse to beat her. It’s not often you go to the races for races like that and you’re just confident nothing can happen. She’s that kind of horse. She makes you feel like you can’t get beaten.”
“It has been a target to have her peaking third-up, and that’s the path we followed with Bella Nipotina and Jimmysstar and they both peaked on the day. She will be peaking on the day.”
When asked if she has extra gears, jockey Chad Schofield was slightly unsure as he is never in a position to need them.
“The problem is she runs past them in 50m, so I don’t really know how to answer that. She is a machine.”
“The draw was tricky today, but she got out cleanly, I got cover then circled up for home a long way from the leader. She has an amazing trait where she grabs the bit around the bend, locks on and is ready to explode.
“You let her go and off she goes! I can’t wait to aim her at Ka Ying Rising. She is going to be ready to go and she is an amazing horse.’’
The best of three winners from four to the races out of the G2-winning Exceed And Excel mare Calliope, a sister to G3 winner Zethus, a three-quarter sister to G3 winner Bacchanalia and Listed winner Aquitaine, the mare is also the dam of the dual G2 winner Kallos and the multiple stakes placed 3yo Zambales.
From the family of G1 VRC Oaks winner Bulla Borghese, Calliope foaled a filly to Anamoe in September 2025, before unfortunately slipping to the Champion son of Street Boss the following season.
One of 14 G1 winners for Street Boss amongst his 91 international stakes winner, the son of Street Cry is standing this season at a fee of $66,000 (inc. GST) at Darley’s Northwood Park.
