Trainer Mark Kavanagh shook his head in amazement and wiped away tears as his once in a lifetime horse Atlantic Jewel returned from injury with a breathtaking victory at Randwick on Saturday.
A relieved Kavanagh watched the race with Coolmore’s Tom Magnier as the unbeaten filly crossed the line to destroy her rivals by 3-3/4 lengths in the Group Two Sapphire Stakes (1200m).
It was the daughter of Fastnet Rock’s first start since a back injury forced her out of the VRC Oaks in the spring after easily winning the Group One Thousand Guineas and Group Two Wakeful Stakes.
“They don’t come along very often like this,” Kavanagh said.
“They are once in a lifetime horses.”
Since Atlantic Jewel has been off the scene another filly, Mosheen, has posted four Group One wins including the Australian Guineas and Randwick Guineas against the males.
Kavanagh and Atlantic Jewel’s owners Coolmore Stud have had to be patient and the Melbourne-based trainer said it was a relief to see the three-year-old return in such emphatic fashion.
“It looks like she is back,” Kavanagh said.
“She’s just a special horse.
“Look at her today, it was just remarkable what she did there. She sat four deep and Michael (Rodd) was just arrogant. She just strode away.”
Atlantic Jewel was nominated for both the Group One TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and the Sapphire Stakes (1200m) on the Randwick program and it was decided to remain against her own sex for the first-up assignment.
After jumping from a wide barrier, Rodd was content to sit wide throughout and just let the filly’s class show in the straight.
He described Atlantic Jewel as the best horse he had ridden.
“All arrows were pointing towards a win like that,” Rodd said.
“Her trackwork and her trials and everything she was doing at home was just that exciting that we couldn’t really talk about it.
“We were just waiting for today to come to get her out here and let her produce her best.”
Atlantic Jewel is likely to have just one more autumn start with Kavanagh pinpointing either the Group One All-Aged Stakes (1400m) or Group Two Emancipation Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in two weeks.
She will then be given a break before being aimed at the spring carnival where Kavanagh said the sky was the limit.
Mid Summer Music led in the chasers in second place with Ladys Angel another neck away third.
