Guess who?
Group 1 magnet James McDonald passed his fellow riders, climbing closer to the rail, and in doing so helped Madame Pommery edge her companions in the Thousand Guineas ($1600m).
North Star Lass set the pace in Wednesday’s Thousand Guineas before Tim Clark pushed the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained towards the middle of the track.
As the rest of the field followed suit, looking for better ground, McDonald, who had the back of the North Star Lass, jumped into his purple and white muddy jacket, adorned with champagne flutes.
Madame Pommery runs and delivers @mcacajamez his first Thousand Guineas win ????@cwallerracing@MelbRacingClubpic.twitter.com/oyTmqNRsOe
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 12, 2022
“At some point in time they’re going to overdo it and I think it was timed and a lot of the racing is about pace as well,” McDonald said.
“I was very comfortable with where I was, it was so economically closed… a Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott-trained runner, ridden by Timmy Clark, was always going to go to the right place.
“He got me to the right place at the right time and my person was classy enough to get the job done.”
Revolutionary Miss, one of three fillies trained by Peter and Paul Snowden in the Thousand Guineas, finished best of the outside to be pipped into second place by She’s Licketysplit.
Favorite Boogie Dancer couldn’t do better than fourth.
Despite hitting a wetter-than-expected surface at Caulfield, McDonald went into the Thousand Guineas comforted that Madame Pommery would handle the conditions compared to her Sydney form.
James McDonald added the Thousand Guineas to his wins in the Caulfield Guineas and Might And Power last Saturday. Photo: Pat Scala-Racing Photos via Getty Images
La Nina has hit Sydney over the past six months with record rainfall that has destroyed racetracks.
“It was on the gentler side for her (Madame Pommery), but you have to remember that they were deep tracks in the house and it’s not a deep and not tired track,” McDonald said.
“She overcame it though which was OK, she ran the mile really hard and was right on the day.
“She was in superior form, although far from the best in Sydney, but she had excuses on those wet tracks.”
Sydney-based McDonald won a Caulfield treble last Saturday, including a pair of Group 1s.
His victory in the Thousand Guineas improved McDonald’s stunning rate of last Group 1 Victorian.
The Melbourne Cup champion has won eight of his last 16 Victorian Group 1 starts.
Chris Waller’s racing manager and assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth hailed McDonald’s management.
“A fantastic ride … we were a bit nervous if she was going to see a tough mile, especially when the rain came down which threw some serious doubts into our minds, but she had a precious ride.
“I didn’t work early and I just had to get down to 400 (meters) and land impressively.”
Madame Pommery clearly succeeds in winning the Thousand Guineas. Photo: Morgan Hancock-Racing Photos via Getty Images
No Nay Never filly Madame Pommery, bought for just $150,000, is raced by an all-female syndicate.
“It’s above and beyond expectations and I think everyone would be happy to have a winner in Kembla or Geelong on Thursday, so it’s surprising,” Duckworth said.
“It’s almost a gift at that price ($150,000) and it’s obviously worth a lot more than that now.
“They will be the famous colors now and the Group 1 winning colors now.”
TAB BETTING REPORT: THOUSAND GUINEA
The Chris Waller-trained Madam POMMERY was too good to stay in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield. The winner was steady in the betting all day, and despite the deteriorating track, was able to sneak inside under James McDonald and greet punters with $10. She was the fifth best backed runner in the race and accounted for just 5 per cent of the stakes in the running with TAB. Favorite BOOGIE DANCER was the most backed runner in Group 1 carrying over 40 per cent of all stakes. Notable bets on the winner included $1000 @ $10 and $1000 @ $9.
