Whobegotyou first announced his brilliance on the same stage twelve months ago and the son of Street Cry has excelled once again at Caulfield to take out the G1 Yalumba Stakes under a great stalking ride from Damien Oliver.
In last place early on in the eight-horse field, Oliver had last season’s Champion three-year-old travelling well within himself throughout. Rounding the home turn, Whobegotyou searched for a run, forcing his way through a gap to take the time-honoured feature by three-quarters of a length from Heart Of Dreams.
Supplying the champion jockey with his 2000th winner, Whobegotyou is out of the Japanese-bred Stakes-placed Carnegie mare Temple Of Peace. Carnegie also supplied the third placegetter Vision And Power, who is now likely to head towards a rematch with the winner at Moonee Valley.
Heading for the G1 Cox Plate (2040m) at his next start, Whobegotyou has an impeccable record at the course. Having had four starts on the Strath Ayr surface, the gelding is four for four, including a stunning length-and-a-half win in the G2 AAMI Vase over the distance.
“He’ll be 100 per cent for his next run. He’s got a good record at Moonee Valley and he is definitely the Cox Plate type of horse.” said an elated Mark Kavanagh after the race.
Bred by Lockyer Thoroughbreds, Whobegotyou has raced with distinction throughout his career, recording seven wins and eight placings from 17 starts and in excess of $2.1 million in stakes earnings. He is one of nine individual Group One winners for Street Cry, who recorded an average of 146,000gns ($271,000) at Book 1 of Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last week.
Later in the day, the same connections of Whobegotyou recorded a Group Two placing with another Street Cry four-year-old, Shocking, who finished an encouraging second in the Herbert Power Stakes over 2400m. Encountering some trouble turning for home, the connections of Shocking are hoping he will make the cut for next week’s G1 Caulfield Cup.
Three-year-old Commands filly Kanzan, who races in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed, produced a promising effort to work home well for third in the G3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) while earlier in the day, three-year-old Canny Lad gelding King Pulse signalled he is one to watch over the rest of the Spring Carnival when he remained unbeaten, winning the opening race on the nine-race card. At Morphettville, three-year-old Reset filly Well Rounded gained black type with third place in the Listed Hill Smith Stakes.
The Listed Cranbourne Cup was Sunday's feature race and this was landed in some style by Sermon, a six-year-old son of Octagonal, who is trained locally by Robbie Laing and already has the Pakenham Cup on his list of achievements. Jumping to the front right from the gate, Sermon was not only never headed but never had any of his rivals within a length of him as he piled on the pressure rounding for home to land the big race by three and three-quarter lengths under Mark Pegus. Sermon was bred by Gerry Harvey and is out of Eureka Jewel (Semipalatinsk).
