Newgate toasts another Group 1 victory with Champagne result
Newgate’s massive investment in its stallion roster returned another bumper dividend at Randwick on Saturday when Capitalist’s high-priced youngster Captivant struck a winning blow in the G1 Champagne S.
Henry Field’s Newgate shares in the ownership of the G1 Moet & Chandon Champagne S. winner Captivant and is blessed with an abundance of young stallion talent with Capitalist now matching the feats of his youthful associates Extreme Choice and Flying Artie.
Through an outstanding autumn for the Hunter Valley farm, Extreme Choice’s son Stay Inside claimed the G1 Golden Slipper S. while Flying Artie sired the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Artorius.
Newgate is also involved with a number of partners in the ownership of all three Group 1-winning colts so the future quality of the roster is assured when the time comes for the trio to move on to the second stages of their careers.
Capitalist has now usurped Extreme Choice at the top of the first-season sires’ list with Flying Artie in fourth spot. Arrowfield Stud’s Shalaa (Ire), whose son Shaquero won the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, is third preventing total Newgate domination.
Mile proves ideal
Captivant’s trainers Peter and Paul Snowden have long been of the opinion that the best would be seen of him at 1600 metres and so it proved on Saturday when he finished resolutely to take top honours.
The writing was on the wall after he had made late ground for fifth in the G1 Golden Slipper S. and then improved to run third in the G1 ATC Sires’ Produce S.
Peter Snowden, who has now prepared five Group 1 winners with son Paul after training 29 before the partnership was established, paid tribute to the winning ride of James McDonald.
“It was a super win and it was a magic ride. I know he drew one and he gave the horse the rest he needed and waited for as long as he could to balance up,” he said.
“He picked up and then gave him another little rest and then asked him for something in the last 300 metres and he was really good.”
Captivant had idled along on the rail behind the pace and when McDonald asked him to click into top gear the colt responded in style for the second victory – he had won the Victory Vein on debut in the spring – of his fledgling career.
“Barriers win races and everybody knows that. He drew the perfect marble for him to switch off back on the fence and do no work,” McDonald said.
“He’s got a very good turn of foot, but a mile is as far as he wants though to be fair. He was primed here today for his grand final, albeit he had a little spell in the paddock and maybe Peter should start training all his horses like that.”
Captivant held off the late challenge of Hilal (Fastnet Rock) by 0.3l with Listed Fernhill H. winner Converge (Frankel {GB}) handling the seven-day back-up well to finish third.
The Queensland visitor I’ve Bean There (Spill The Beans) turned in a courageous performance to take fourth money ahead of the heavily-supported Port Louis (Maurice {Jpn}). He was backed in from $33 to $5, but a wide barrier didn’t help his cause and he was forced to come from last in the running.
Captivant was offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Ashleigh Thoroughbreds and Newgate, the China Horse Club and Starlight Racing joined forces joined to secure him for $550,000.
He is a son of the Commands mare Speedboat and she is a half-sister to the two-time Listed winner Cross Current (Keltrice).
Their dam River Express (Blazing Sword) was successful on two occasions and is a half-sister to the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove (Hurricane Sky), dam of the G2 Silver Slipper S. winner and sire Headwater.
The G1 New Zealand Derby winner Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and the Group 2 winners First Command (Commands), One World (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Willow Creek (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) also feature on the pedigree page.
