Snitzel dominates Day 1 of The Championships

Snitzel emphatically stamped his dominance on a superb Day 1 of The Championships at Royal Randwick with a Group 1 quinella, a Group 3 quinella and two Group 1 placegetters adding $2.6 million to his prizemoney in a season that already exceeds every expectation.

His sons, Golden Rose winner Trapeze Artist and The Everest hero Redzel fought out a tremendous finish in the $2.5 million ATC T.J. Smith S. 1200m G1, with Redzel taking up his customary take-no-prisoners role in front while the 3YO colt was forced to run wide behind him.

Redzel didn’t give an inch, but it was Trapeze Artist who finally powered clear to score by two lengths in 1:08.29 on the Good4 track, breaking the race record set by none other than Black Caviar on a Dead track in 2011. Last start Galaxy G1 winner In Her Time – also by a son of Redoute’s Choice – was a further two lengths away third.

This was Snitzel’s second Group 1 quinella this season after Russian Revolution and Snitty Kitty filled the first two placings in the MRC Oakleigh Plate G1 on 24 February.

Trapeze Artist is raced by the Vieira family headed by Bert Vieira who paid $190,000 for the Domesday mare Treppes in foal to Snitzel from Edinburgh Park at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Two years later, the yearling Trapeze Artist was passed in for $300,000 at the Inglis Easter Sale – a disappointment erased by two Group 1 trophies and earnings of $2.7 million.

Earlier in the day, Snitzel notched up his 82nd career stakeswinner and his 24th in Australia this season, only three short of beating his own record 2016/17 tally of 26 stakes winners, shared with his grand-sire Danehill (in 2001/02).

Those milestones were achieved by another 3YO colt, Shadwell Stud’s home-bred Muraaqeb who confirmed the promise he’d shown in strong Melbourne stakes company with a convincing victory in the ATC Carbine Club S. 1600m G3. Dissolution chased him home, to complete Snitzel’s sixth same-day stakes double this season, ahead of race favourite Holy Snow.

The Lindsay Park-trained Muraaqeb is the first living foal of the Starcraft mare Tafseel, a $400,000 buy for Shadwell from Arrowfield’s 2009 Inglis Easter draft. This is the family of Queensland Oaks & Derby winner Bravery, Group winners Brave Prince, Timbourina & Media and more recently, Bob & Sandra Peters’ fine racemare Star Encounter and her stakes-winning daughters Perfect Jewel and Royal Star (both by Redoute’s Choice).

A pair of Group 1 placings contributed almost $500,000 to Snitzel’s generous share of the $10 million prizemoney offered on the first day of The Championships. Chris Waller sent out Tangled who claimed his third Group 1 placing when he came through on the rail for third in the $2 million Australian Derby, won narrowly by Levendi from Victoria Derby winner Ace High – both horses out of Redoute’s Choice mares.

Dynamic Syndications’ 4YO gelding Arbeitsam backed up in the $3 million Doncaster Mile G1 after winning the ATC Neville Sellwood S. G3 last weekend and he held on with great tenacity for third after leading the field into the straight. The race, first held in 1866, produced one of its most popular winners when Happy Clapper dashed clear in the straight to win by two lengths from Comin’ Through in race record time of 1:33.17.

Snitzel broke his own Australian season earnings record almost two months ago and ended Saturday’s racing with $24,926,451 on the board – more than double the earnings of his new, nearest rival I Am Invincible. The sensational son of Redoute’s Choice also heads the 2YO and 3YO Sires’ Premierships.

Fifty-six Snitzel yearlings, ten of them offered by Arrowfield, are scheduled to go through the ring at the Inglis Easter Sale which starts on Monday.