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By Sam Turner
Connections of Imperatriz were plotting an ambitious raid on Royal Ascot after witnessing the star New Zealand mare land the Group 1 Darley Champions Sprint at Flemington.
Trained by Mark Walker across the Tasman, the five-year-old landed her third top-level victory in workmanlike fashion having hit the front some way out under veteran rider Opie Bosson.
The duo held on gamely in the closing stages as Buenos Nochas under Blake Shinn and the James McDonald-ridden In Secret closed in to make life interesting.
Bosson later admitted the Flemington straight felt like a long way home on the brilliant mare who was tackling the Melbourne venue for the first time.
“Probably got there a bit soon - geez it’s a long way up that straight,” he said.
“You don’t realise how long it is when you’re left there in front and you can hear them coming, but to her credit she knuckled down and put her ears back.
“She’s a real darling. To have a horse like this in the twilight of my career, it’s a dream come true riding a horse like this.”
“I’ve known Mark (Walker) since he was 13-year-old and we’ve done a lot of work together. He’s an absolute champion to ride for,” he said.
“We always knew she was really talented. She’s just getting better with age, and she is the real deal and she has proven it now.
“I’d love to (go overseas). I’d love a trip away. It’d be nice to get to Ascot and show them how good she is.”
Brave Jenni the Pride of Flemington
Pride Of Jenni, brilliant trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, became the only horse to win two Group 1 races at the Flemington carnival when she captured the Kennedy Champions’ Mile under Declan Bates.
Successful from the front when she led throughout under a tactical masterclass from Bates to win the Empire Rose Stakes earlier in the week, the daughter of Pride Of Dubai repeated the performance despite the likes of Alligator Blood keeping closer attendance.
Mr Brightside closed to within a length-and-a-quarter at the line under Craig Williams, but Bates had completed grand larceny from the front to poach another Group 1.
The win gave Bates his third Group 1 and his second on Pride Of Jenni so it was unsurprising he was fulsome in his praise for the mare after the race.
“She’s proven now that it wasn’t a fluke last week and she’s a champion, I believe,” Bates said.
“You need a horse with a serious engine and a will to win. I just love this mare so much. She proved its no fluke. She’s a champion now, especially in my eyes.”
Royal Ascot was again on the agenda with Maher looking to the English summer after an interim target in Australia in March.
Maher said: “The All-Star Mile (Caulfield) and maybe Royal Ascot for the Queen Anne (1600m).”
No Flemington fairytale for Oliver as Atishu blows them away
The soon-to-be retired Damien Oliver managed an honourable second aboard Duais on his final spin in a Flemington Group 1 as the James McDonald-ridden Atishu ran out an impressive winner of the 2000m Champion Stakes for trainer Chris Waller.
The six-year-old daughter of Savabeel became the third female Group 1 winner on the card as she quickened up smartly under her confident rider to hand him a third Group 1 win of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
