Petite Mustique evokes memories of dual Guineas heroine Hermosa
In 2018, Aidan O’Brien won the Colm Quinn BMW Irish EBF Fillies’ Maiden with subsequent dual 1000 Guineas winner Hermosa and it will be no surprise if Petite Mustique, who gave him back to back wins in the race with a facile success yesterday, emulates her illustrious stablemate.
With the benefit of two previous outings, the more recent of which was an eye-catching fourth behind stablemate Love, Petite Mustique looked a likely type for the race but was remarkably weak in the market, which saw sustained support for Azila and Too Soon To Panic.
A quick break from stall five allowed Donnacha O’Brien race prominently and next to the rails, with newcomer Chasing The Dawn keeping her company.
As they turned for home, Petite Mustique began to assert, and she won in the style of a class filly.
As a sister to former Melbourne Cup runner-up Johannes Vermeer, she should be equally effective over longer trips.
“I was very impressed with her,” said the winning jockey. “She broke quickly, and everything went smoothly for her, but I loved the way she picked up in the last couple of furlongs. I’d say she’s very smart. I’d say she’ll move up into Group or Listed company next and we’ll find out more.”
Former champion jockey Colin Keane leads this year’s jockeys’ championship and he edged further ahead of reigning champ Donnacha O’Brien with a double which included the featured Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap aboard Saltonstall, who gave trainer Ado McGuinness the biggest win of his career to date.
In yet another fiercely competitive renewal of the €70,800-to-the-winner race, Keane had to be patient aboard the 9-1 chance, but his move around the outside carried him in to contention early in the straight, and the classy sort battled on well to lead late for a half-length victory over Innamorare, with the fast-finishing Quizical just a head further back.
“On his last run, he looked as though he was coming to himself,” said Keane.
Ado thought the low draw didn’t help him last year, but he got no trouble this time, and it worked out well.
The winning trainer said: “Today was the plan. Some of these plans don’t come off but this one has — and it’s brilliant.”
Keane had earlier been successful aboard the Ger Lyons-trained Rita Levi in the Caulfield Industrial Irish EBF Maiden.
Vastly experienced, she used all her nous to get off the mark at the 11th time of asking.
Mudlahhim made strong late progress but Keane was strong aboard the winner, who prevailed with a neck to spare.
One Cool Poet has often traded short in running but been touched off in his races but there was nothing wrong with his resolution in the Caulfield Industrial Handicap. Billy Lee was in the saddle aboard Matthew Smith’s charge and he brought him with a challenge in the straight and got his mount to put his head in front in the final strides.
There was a terrific finish to the finale, the Caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap, but it didn’t go in punters’ favour as the heavily backed Beckwith Place (2-1 favourite) flew home but failed by the minimum margin to catch the Denis Hogan-trained Make A Challenge, who was ridden to victory by Joe Doyle.
