Godolphin youngster Broadsiding has become the first colt to win a Group One two-year-old race this season, handling the heavy conditions best to overhaul Linebacker in the Champagne Stakes at Randwick.
Fillies had captured the first three juvenile majors and ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes victor Manaal was sent out a $2.50 favourite to continue that trend on Saturday.
But while she struggled to let down on the wet track and finished a well-beaten fourth, Broadsiding ($3.30) skipped through the ground, coming from back in the field to overhaul Linebacker ($4.20) by three-quarters of a length with Fearless ($14) another 4-1/2 lengths away third.
Winning trainer James Cummings said it was a great result for his team, not only because Broadsiding became the first Australian Group 1 winner for his sire Too Darn Hot, but also due to their management of the colt.
“He has been a real work in progress. He’s the type of horse that has improved with a lot of experience, a lot of handling,” Cummings said.
“We took him for a trip to Melbourne and back and a lot of that travelling has helped wake him up and mature the horse.
“He has managed to stamp himself as quite some horse to follow in the spring with these big performances deep into the two-year-old season.”
Broadsiding was beaten in his first two starts at Ballarat and Newcastle before putting the writing on the wall with a closing third in the Baillieu (1400m).
He appreciated stepping up to 1600 metres to win the Fernhill Mile last weekend and took that fitness into the Champagne Stakes (1600m) on Saturday with James Mcdonald in the saddle.
McDonald was content to bide his time at the back of the field before weaving a passage through.
“I begged James to ride the horse that way and it has really paid off,” Cummings said.
“He has performed so strongly. He loved that quick back-up and he has excelled once he’s got to a mile.
“He’s every bit a (Caulfield) Guineas horse or a Spring Champion Stakes horse in the spring.”
McDonald brought up his 13th Australian Group 1 win of the season on Broadsiding, adding to the three majors he has claimed in Hong Kong.
He took little credit for the Champagne success, saying it came down to whether or not Broadsiding handled the testing track.
“He left us with no real option, it was just back and brush home and if he handled it, he handled it,” McDonald said.
“Race tactics don’t really get involved there, you’re either on a horse that can handle it or if you’re not, then you’re cast.”