Coming off a last start fourth in the $1m ATC Five Diamond Prelude (1500m), 5yo Harry Angel (IRE) gelding Harry’s Yacht secured his first black type victory, proving too strong for his rivals in the $200,000 Listed VRC Chester Manifold Stakes (1600m) on Oaks Day.
Stakes placed on a few occasions including a narrow third behind G2 winner Abounding in the G3 BRC Sprint during the Brisbane winter carnival, the Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin trained galloper started as one of five in the ten-horse field under double figure odds.
With Ben Allen in the saddle, Harry’s Yacht jumped away well from the middle of the line where he sat in second position behind G1 Australian Guineas winner Feroce (NZ), with the Kris Lees trained Tavi Time getting a good run on the rail back in third.
Approaching the home turn, Robert Hickmott’s Revelare was one of the first to get going from a mid-field position, working his way around the leaders to be in a challenging position once the field entered the straight.
Passing the 400m mark, Harry’s Yacht set out after the tiring Feroce and with the G1 winner Pinstriped making a concerted effort to chase down the leader, going down by three quarter of a length once the line was reached.
Known over further and having not raced since finishing down the track in last year’s G1 Caulfield Cup behind Half Yours, connections would surely be pleased with the return of Revelare to finish in third, and with an unbeaten record second up, he looks the one to watch from the race.
Smooth sailing ?? HARRY'S YACHT takes out the @Channel9 Chester Manifold Stakes over 1600m at Flemington. #OaksDay https://t.co/rh1IPRuHBv
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 5, 2026
Co-trainer Troy Corstens felt his last start effort indicated he would run well here.
“He ran really well last time,” said Corstens. “He drew terribly up in Sydney last time and had to go back, but he hit the line nicely in a good race. That gave us the confidence to come here today.”
“Unfortunately, Steve (Smith) can’t be here today and Greg, the two main owners, Greg passed away not long ago, but a number of his good friends are in this horse. He would be looking down and giving us some help.
Co Trainer Will Larkin feels that he will probably head to Pakenham for his next start to contest the Supernova.
“I think so, the horse probably profiles very well for that, albeit we've seen him at the mile today, he was just getting tired towards the line, I think 1400 is his best trip and he's going to a race worth good prize money I'm sure we'll get him that far.
“He’s a horse that just consistently runs very well and he's not far off the money every time he goes out there, so he’s a good horse to train.”
Winning jockey Ben Allen was glad to get the win after the gelding hasn’t experienced much luck of late.
“He was tough,” said Allen. “He hasn’t had a lot of luck this prep. He’s been drawing low gates and he doesn’t muster pace off a low draw and he’s just been able to hold a spot. Today, when the speed came out, and being a query at the distance, we had to roll the dice, go forward, off the soft tempo and he’s a very tough horse.”
“He’s been running good all prep, first up was enormous, short trip. Second up was a bit of a head scratcher but it was suiting on speed that day and then third up the plan was to ride him closer and we weren't able to do that, he drew low and you can’t bustle him for a spot or he gets over racing.
“And then today, there was no speed. Drawing out wide, I think, suits him. Can just take our time coming across. I was able to sit outside Feroce and ss soon as I put my hands down, he relaxed beautifully. I was then, from then on, pretty confident.”
Taking his earnings to just shy of $1m from his nine wins and six placed efforts from 30 starts, the Mr S Smith bred Harry's Yacht is the second winner and first stakes winner from three to the races out of the Beneteau mare Yacht Club, a half-sister to the multiple stakes winner Lim’s Objective.
Yacht Club has foaled in consecutive years to Rosemont Stud’s Hanseatic, with a yearling colt before foaling a filly at the start of September.
It’s interesting to note that the past two winners of the Chester Manifold both headed to Western Australia to end their campaign with Apulia winner consecutive G2 races in the west while Light Infantry Man (FR) secured success in the G1 Northerly Stakes before heading back to the eastern states where he went on to take victory in the G1 Australian Cup.
Harry’s Yacht also holds nominations to both the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and the G1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) during Perth’s summer carnival.
A son of Darley’s Harry Angel, who is standing this season at a fee of $88,000 (inc. GST) at Darley Kelvinside, Harry’s Yacht became the 26th stakes winner for his sire which is headed by G1 winners Angel Capital, War Machine, Tom Kitten and Private Harry.
