FOR once owner Peter Tighe won’t need to rely on his champion mare Winx to be part of the big-race action at Saturday’s Epsom meeting at Royal Randwick.
Tighe has shares in two leading contenders for the Group 1 $ 1 million TAB Epsom Handicap (1600m) — the last-start winners Unforgotten ($ 4.60 equal favourite) and roughie Mister Sea Wolf ($ 41).
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He is also in the ownership group of Jake’s Hill ($ 81) in the Group 1 $ 750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) and Satono Rasen ($ 19) in the Group 2 $ 500,000 Hill Stakes (2000m).
“We’ve got some nice chances but it is an Epsom day and there are no ‘gimmies’,” Tighe said.
The Chris Waller-trained Unforgotten is considered by many to be racing’s “next big thing” and is already drawing comparisons with the mighty Winx.
Unforgotten’s race career almost mirrors Winx’s, with both winning the Phar Lap Stakes and an Oaks as three-year-olds before contesting the Epsom Handicap as four-year-olds.
Winx was a stunning winner of the 2015 Epsom, one of the earliest glimpses of her emerging greatness.
Tighe said Unforgotten had a similar attitude to training and racing.
“I’m not saying Unforgotten is another Winx but this mare is all business, a bit of a no-nonsense type,” Tighe said.
“Unforgotten is no star on the training tracks, she can be very lazy but she knows when it is race day which is a bit like Winx, to a degree.”
Unforgotten has joined stablemate D’Argento at the top of Epsom betting, with both drawing inside barriers.
“The mare’s good draw (gate three) looks OK on paper but we still need some luck,’’ Tighe said.
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“But we have a big-race rider in Kerrin McEvoy and Chris has trained her for the race so everything is in place. It is up to what happens on the day.”
Waller seems to have found the key to Mister Sea Wolf, who has responded to the addition of blinkers and scored successive Listed wins in the Winter Challenge and Rowley Mile.
“This horse has been a work in progress but Chris is starting to work him out,” Tighe said.
“He has struck form now and won a couple of handy races, but whether he is up to Group 1 level or not, we will find out (today).”
Jake’s Hill, a former English stayer, has been unplaced in all five Australian starts since joining Waller.
“The longer the race distances the better for this horse,” Tighe said.
“He is going into The Metropolitan with a light weight so we will see what happens.
“We have no expectations.”
Satono Rasen was a Group 2 winner in Japan and runner-up in the Japanese Derby but he has also struggled to find form since being sent Down Under.
But Tighe said Satono Rasen was fitter for two runs from a spell and could run an improved race in the Hill Stakes.
“He has taken a good 12 months to find his feet here,’’ he said.
“But he has a good record in Japan, he is a horse with a bit of class about him.”
Tighe also reported that mighty mare Winx was pleasing the stable ahead of her attempt at a 28th consecutive win in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington next Saturday.
Winx is also set to claim a third successive Australian Horse of the Year title when it is announced on Thursday.
The champion mare won her eight races during 2017-18, including a third Cox Plate and second Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Winx will join unbeaten Black Caviar and Sunline as the only three-time winners of the Horse of the Year award.
The finalists in each category are:
• Champion Two-Year-Old — Estijaab, Oohood, Seabrook, Sunlight, Written By;
• Champion Three-Year-Old Filly — Alizee, She Will Reign, Shoals, Unforgotten (Chris Waller), Youngstar;
• Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding — Ace High, Kementari, Levendi, Merchant Navy, Trapeze Artist;
• Champion Sprinter — Redkirk Warrior, Redzel, Santa Ana Lane, Trapeze Artist, Vega Magic;
• Champion Middle Distance — Gailo Chop, Happy Clapper, Humidor, Tosen Stardom, Winx;
• Champion Stayer — Ace High, Almandin, Johannes Vermeer, Rekindling, Who Shot Thebarman;
• Champion Jumper — Cougar Express, Gold Medals, Self Sense, Wells, Zed Em.
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• Chris Waller will be presented with the Bart Cummings Award for training the most Group 1 winners for the season, while Hugh Bowman will be awarded the equivalent for jockeys.
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FABULASS BUT ‘NO SAM YET’
TRAINER Kris Lees isn’t about to rate Miss Fabulass up with his former champion filly Samantha Miss.
Well, not yet anyway.
But Lees might be forced to reconsider his position if Miss Fabulass wins the Group 1 $ 500,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Samantha Miss, the dam of Miss Fabulass, won the Flight Stakes a decade ago and Lees understands comparisons between the two are inevitable.
“I don’t think Miss Fabulass is ready to be compared to her mum,’’ Lees said. “Samantha Miss was a natural from day one, while Miss Fabulass has the ability although it has taken some time to get her to where she is now.
“But I can understand comparisons are being made as there are some similarities.’’
The John Singleton-owned-and-bred Miss Fabulass goes into the Flight Stakes after an impressive Tea Rose Stakes success and is the $ 2.20 favourite to win today’s classic.
Lees said Miss Fabulass, a daughter of English super horse Frankel, had taken confidence from her last-start win.
“I can’t fault her,” Lees said. “I’ve been really happy with how she has gone in trackwork since her last-start win. She is more relaxed now and the penny is starting to drop.”
Lees said Miss Fabulass should appreciate getting out to 1600m for the Flight Stakes.
“It appears the mile will be more to her liking,” the trainer said. “The barrier (three) should work in her favour as long as she can get some cover.
“Kerrin (McEvoy) has a good understanding of the filly now and he won’t want to be too aggressive on her early to take up a position.”
Miss Fabulass wove through the field before racing clear of Fiesta and Pretty In Pink to win the Tea Rose Stakes over 1400m last start.
