| Apocalyptic confirmed her status as the most exciting three-year-old filly in Australia with an emphatic win in today’s $750,000 Group One Flight Stakes (1200m) at Randwick. |
| At just her fifth lifetime start Apocalyptic notched her first win at the elite level and had connections searching for superlatives with the soft length and a bit win. The filly was sent out the $1.65 favourite on the strength of her back to back Group Two wins in the key lead up races – the Furious Stakes and Tea Rose Stakes. With today’s success she swept all three legs of the Princess Series. “What a filly,” Freedman said after the win. “(I was) just saying before, for a filly having a fourth lifetime start, and she’s won two Group Twos and a Group One. I’m a bit lost for words.” “You know, as any trainer would attest, you spend a lot of time getting up early and trying to find good horses to train. And when these sort of ones come along, they certainly make it easier to get out of bed in the morning.” “As I said after she won the Furious, I thought she was our sort of number one seed for the Slipper, but I’ve got no doubt now whatsoever that it was a blessing to be in a position where we had to stop.” “I think just giving her that extra time and allowing her to mature physically and mentally was a big, big plus.” Things went according to plan in the Flight according to Freedman. “We discussed before and I said look, I know we were three wide without cover the other day in the Tea Rose, but I said it’s a bit different over the mile.” “So I said just at all costs avoid being three wide and I could see early in the race that’s probably how it was gonna be, so I could see him pushing forward, making sure that that wasn’t the case.” “When she relaxed and came back off that leader and was just going at a nice rhythm, I thought okay, well, if you’re as good as I think you are, you should be a good watch.” What does the future hold for the incredibly talented daughter of Extreme Choice? “I’m not sure at the moment, I think we just get her home, see how she pulls up. Obviously, the Thousand Guineas in Melbourne is a possibility. The Empire Rose at Flemington on Derby Day is another possibility, or going to the paddock.” “She’s done such an amazing job in a short space of time. I’d just like to spend a few days with her and see how she comes through it and work it from there.” “Look, with this stallion, I mean, he’s sired a Melbourne Cup winner, so who knows? She’s out of a Medaglia d’Oro mare, I don’t know – it’d be hard to say.” “She could (extend), whether she needs to or whether you want to, is another thing, but I think she’s so versatile. Who knows, maybe something over a bit further later on.” Freedman teamed up with MyRacehorse and Julian Blaxland to secure Apocalyptic for $400,000 from last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She was presented as part of the Coolmore Stud draft. Superstar jockey Tommy Berry has ridden a lot of top liners in his career – but he’s already thinking Apocalyptic could be right toward the top of the tree. On the filly: “What she does at home is quite scary. I can’t wait for the Autumn with her as she still has some filling out to do and is still quite raw. But she helps you so much because she puts herself into a spot. I was so proud of her.” “She is one of the better fillies I have ridden and stamped herself as that today. Just so versatile, you can put her anywhere in a race. She is so quiet.” “MyRacehorse and other syndication businesses are what it is all about by bringing people into racing. It is a pleasure to be a part of.” “To do it for Michael. We’ve been a great team for a long while. We work so well together. He is a great trainer who takes his time. You can speak so openly with him. If you ride one badly we move on pretty quickly. A big secret to becoming a successful team.” “She’s a big frame girl. She still gets a little hot before a race but during it she is so relaxed. It is exciting. “I’m lost for words,” Berry added. “I think she could be something special.” Apocalyptic, who was bred by Kate Nivison’s Etak Thoroughbreds, is the latest elite performer for Newgate Farm’s sire sensation Extreme Choice. She is from the unraced Medaglia d’Oro mare Shadow – a sister to group performer Geist and blood sister to fellow stakes performed juvenile Testimonial. Shadow’s grandam is none other than Virage de Fortune, a former Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase who was a multiple Group One winner. At stud she produced six winners, including two stakes horses. Winner: Apocalyptic Breeding: Extreme Choice-Shadow (Medaglia d’Oro) Race: ATC Flight Stakes G1 (1600m) Sold for: $400,000 Sale: 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Earnings: $808,200 Breeder: Etak Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd Vendor: Coolmore Stud (As Agent) Buyer: MyRacehorse/Michael Freedman/Julian Blaxland Owners: MyRacehorse No. 1 (Mgr: BK Willis), Etak Thoroughbreds (Mgr: Miss KS Nivison), WK Loughnan, Peake Racing (Mgr: PN Edwards), Mrs MC Fleming, Mrs JH Sinclair & TR Wilkinson Trainer: Michael Freedman (Randwick) |
