Sydney’s leading lady of racing Gai Waterhouse celebrated her ninth Flight Stakes win on Saturday with Global Glamour, sharing the Group 1 Epsom Handicap Day success with co-trainer Adrian Bott.
Gai Waterhouse celebrated her ninth Flight Stakes win in 2016 with Global Glamour. Photo: Steve Hart.
Waterhouse continued her dominant record in the three-year-old fillies’ classic that she won previously with: Assertive Lass (1996), Danglissa (1999), Ha Ha (2001), Lotteria (2004), Fashions Afield (2005), Cheeky Choice (2006), More Joyous (2009) and last Sydney Spring Racing Carnival with Speak Fondly (2015).
Her winning Flight Stakes filly in 2016 Global Glamour jumped in the inside barrier with Tim Clark aboard, the nicely-bred daughter of Star Witness coming off a sixth in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).
Two Flight Stakes scratchings including the former odds-on favourite Omei Sword left just six in the mix for the set weights mile classic.
The short-priced favourite was David Vandyke’s ATC Sires’ Produce winner from the autumn Yankee Rose.
But it was all about Global Glamour and the Waterhouse dominance this season, Clark riding the Flight Stakes winner up front from the barriers to the finishing post.
Bridle Lane was best out of the barriers, but quickly challenged by Clark on Global Glamour who led on the inside.
Settled in third was the James Cummings-trained Skylight Glow, the Chris Waller-trained Awoke one out in fourth ahead of stablemate Sezanne getting the run along the rails.
Yankee Rose meanwhile was switched off out the back awaiting a late charge.
Blake Shinn started his move on the top fancy as they approached the turn for home, but on the straight Global Glamour dug deep and had things her way.
Yankee Rose was trying her heart out running out of her skin and chasing the all-the-way winner, but couldn’t catch her up front.
On the line Global Glamour ($6.50), who gave nothing else in the field a look in, had a half-length to spare over the brave beaten favourite Yankee Rose ($2.20), while Sezanne ($4.60) finished off the Flight Stakes trifecta in third.
“It’s a great feeling,” winning hoop Clark said post-race.
“The start was all-important today. It was a masterstroke from Gai and Adrian putting the barrier blanket on her.
“Obviously it was a small field and I was able to control it up front.
“She’s got a great turn of foot and quickened really well.
“Thankfully she was strong enough late.”
Waterhouse was thrilled to pick up not only her ninth Flight Stakes trophy, but her 24th Group 1 win.
“It’s exciting for everyone,” she said of the big win by the $65,000 bargain buy Global Glamour.
Waterhouse’s former racing manager turned co-trainer Bott enjoyed his first elite level success and described it as “incredible”.
“She jumped to the front, controlled it and was strong to the line,” he said.
“We’ve always known she’s had the ability.”
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2016 Flight Stakes Results & Finishing Order
Randwick Race 6 – 01/10/2016
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | GLOBAL GLAMOUR | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | – | 1 | 56kg | $6 |
| 2 | 1 | YANKEE ROSE | David Vandyke | Blake Shinn | 0.5L | 5 | 56kg | $2.05F |
| 3 | 5 | SEZANNE | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 2.5L | 6 | 56kg | $5 |
| 4 | 3 | SKYLIGHT GLOW | James Cummings | Glyn Schofield | 7L | 3 | 56kg | $10 |
| 5 | 7 | AWOKE (NZ) | Chris Waller | Brenton Avdulla | 11.6L | 4 | 56kg | $6.50 |
| 6 | 8 | BRIDLE LANE | John P Thompson | Mark Zahra | 14.9L | 2 | 56kg | $61 |
| – | 4 | QUICK FEET | Peter & Paul Snowden | – | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 2 | OMEI SWORD | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | – | 0 | – | – |
