Three-year-old New Zealand filly Probabeel has added a Group 1 to her resume by taking out the 2020 Surround Stakes at Randwick in dramatic fashion.
Probabeel broke through for her maiden Group 1 win in the 2020 Surround Stakes at Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.
Returning from a freshen up after winning back-to-back starts in New Zealand last month, the daughter of Savabeel showed an enormous turn of foot storming from second-last at the 300m mark to win by no more than a head.
Funstar, Xilong and Lyre all hit the line strongly with less than a furlong to go before Opie Bosson and Probabeel swooped in from the outside.
“She had to do it the hard way. She is just so much stronger this time in. She is an amazing filly,” Bosson said after the race.
“I just got myself into a little bit of a pocket and hit a bit of a flat spot. I’m just lucky enough that this filly was good enough to get me out of it. Otherwise I didn’t want to be coming back in that’s for sure. Just turning in she lost it until we straightened up.”
Saturday marked Probabeel’s third career start at Group 1 level after running second behind Funstar in the Flight Stakes at Randwick back in October. She’ll now look ahead to her next challenge in the Coolmore Legacy Stakes (1600m) on April 11 as a $7.00 chance with Vinery Stud in a months’ time.
“She’s going to improve a bit further again as soon as we get up in trip. She’ll go to the Phar Lap then into the Vinery, she’s got a Group 1 now,” winning trainer Jamie Richards said.
Only four horses have completed the Surround Stakes-Coolmore Classic double, with Regal Cheer being the last to do so back in 2006.
There was no such luck for race-favourite Flit however, who found himself caught deep early before failing to place. As a result, the Godolphin hopeful has now drifted from $4.60 out to $6.00 for the Coolmore Classic on March 14.
Funstar also lost no irers running a very bold second. At one stage last year’s Flight Stakes winner looked the winner down the straight, with bookies firming her ever slightly into a $4.40 chance for the Coolmore Classic.
The complete 2020 Coolmore Classic betting market courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au can be viewed here.
2020 Surround Stakes Results
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | PROBABEEL (NZ) | Jamie Richards | Opie Bosson | – | 5 | 56kg | $4.60 |
| 2 | 4 | FUNSTAR | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 0.2L | 11 | 56kg | $4.60 |
| 3 | 8 | XILONG | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Glen Boss | 0.7L | 10 | 56kg | $31 |
| 4 | 2 | LYRE | Anthony Freedman | Kerrin McEvoy | 1.2L | 2 | 56kg | $8 |
| 5 | 6 | MISSILE MANTRA | Peter & Paul Snowden | Brenton Avdulla | 1.4L | 1 | 56kg | $31 |
| 6 | 1 | FLIT | James Cummings | Hugh Bowman | 1.6L | 7 | 56kg | $2.60F |
| 7 | 9 | AKARI | Brad Widdup | Christian Reith | 3.8L | 9 | 56kg | $41 |
| 8 | 11 | HEART OF THE OAK | Gerald Ryan | Tim Clark | 5.8L | 3 | 56kg | $18 |
| 9 | 3 | KIAMICHI | James Cummings | Ms Rachel King | 6L | 6 | 56kg | $31 |
| 10 | 14 | ASPECT RATIO | John Sargent | Andrew Adkins | 6.7L | 4 | 56kg | $151 |
| 11 | 13 | SAAS FEE | Gerald Ryan | Joshua Parr | 7.6L | 8 | 56kg | $81 |
| – | 7 | HOW WOMANTIC | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Jye McNeil | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 10 | BETCHA FLYING | Chris Waller | Jason Collett | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 12 | EMERALDS | John Sargent | Ben Melham | – | 0 | – | – |
