Con Te Partiro has added to a stellar autumn carnival for co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott with the second Group One win of her campaign in the Coolmore Legacy Stakes.
Bought from America as a broodmare prospect by Newgate Farm, Con Te Partiro was retired to stud last year after a brief Australian racing stint but after failing to get in foal was put back into work with Bott and Waterhouse for another campaign.
The six-year-old, who won twice in America as a two-year-old and also won a stakes race at Royal Ascot in 2017, has only enhanced her CV this autumn with two Group One wins.
The mare claimed the Coolmore Classic last month at Rosehill and added Saturday’s Coolmore Legacy Stakes (1600m) at Randwick a week after finishing sixth in the Doncaster Mile.
Waterhouse and Bott have also won the $3.5 million Golden Slipper with Farnan and Vinery Stud Stakes with Shout The Bar at Group One level in the past month.
“She has been fabulous for the stable,” Bott said.
“She has been in a great frame of mind since she has come back this campaign. She’s been much better to deal with and she’s just had that time to acclimatise.
“She seems a happy mare. She’s putting herself in the race and she travelled beautifully. This was always the plan to come here off the back of the Doncaster.
“She’s had a nice week and it’s been executed well.”
With few big race options remaining this season, Bott flagged the possibility Saturday’s triumph may have been Con Te Partiro’s racetrack swan song.
“I’ve haven’t had a good chat to (Newgate Farm’s) Henry Field yet and the owners as to what’s in store for her now,” Bott said.
“It’s hard to see what’s there now.
“I guess she needs that time to let down to become a broodmare this season.
“Whether that’s her last run or not, we’ll see. If it is she’s gone out in style.”
After enjoying a nice trail in fourth under jockey Tim Clark, Con Te Partiro moved up with purpose rounding the home turn and sprinted to the front approaching the 300m.
Three-year-old Funstar, the $2.50 favourite, had to take an inside run and emerged to give chase but Con Te Partiro held the only filly in the field at bay to beat her by 1-3/4-lengths.
Funstar’s stablemate Danzdanzdanz ($21) was another two lengths away third.
Clark has also had a successful autumn carnival with two Group One wins on Con Te Partiro as well as another Group One victory on I Am Excited in The Galaxy.
“She ran well last week and I thought coming here on the back-up wouldn’t hurt her,” Clark said.
“She’s always the strongest horse late so I knew she would run it out strongly.”
