Life is Sweet at Caulfield
They were both born at Arrowfield in the Spring of 2010, just 21 days apart, and on Saturday they both scored tremendous Group victories at Caulfield.
The Snitzel-Flidais filly, bred by the Arrowfield & Jungle Pocket partnership, left the farm first. She travelled in January 2012 to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale where she was bought by her trainer Gai Waterhouse and James Harron Bloodstock for $240,000, making her Arrowfield’s top-priced filly of the sale.
The Not A Single Doubt-Dazzling Gazelle filly, bred by Teeley Assets, left about five weeks later to be broken in and sent to her first trainer Daniel Clarken in Adelaide.
The paths of the two fillies did not cross again until Saturday when they took major roles on an outstanding Caulfield Cup day.
The Snitzel filly, Sweet Idea began with her customary speed in the $200,000 MRC Tristarc S. 1400m G2 and controlled the pace, with Enquare and Catkins leading the chasing pack. Sweet Idea’s familiar courage kicked in over the final stages and she proved too strong for the fast-finishing Girl Guide and the gallant Catkins, winning by almost a length in 1:25.42.
It was Sweet Idea’s fourth Group 2 success among her seven wins in a 17-start, $2 million career that began almost exactly two years ago when she won on debut at Randwick. She is raced by the Gold Coast-based brothers David & Luke Henderson with Nick & Amy Vass, Wayne Cook, Danny Maher, Grant Scott, Campbell Brown, Beric Lynton, Gary & Graeme Diamond and Matt Allen.
As Sweet Idea’s jockey Tommy Berry later tweeted, “She’s a star.” Sweet Idea is the leading earner this season for Snitzel, represented by four stakeswinners since 1 August and currently 7th on the Australian General Sires’ list with $1.6 million prizemoney.
Gai Waterhouse purchased Sweet Idea’s 2YO full sister, now named Sweet Sister, for $200,000 from Arrowfield at the 2014 Magic Millions Sale. Flidais also has a yearling filly and a colt foal by Snitzel and, not surprisingly, visits him again this Spring.
The Not A Single Doubt filly, Miracles Of Life made her season debut in the $200,000 MRC Caulfield Sprint 1100m G2 for her new owner Stonestreet Stables and new trainers Peter & Paul Snowden after being sold for $900,000 at the Teeley Dispersal Sale conducted by Magic Millions earlier this year.
Already a Group 1 Blue Diamond winner at two, and a Group 2 winner last season, the diminutive mare settled behind the speed and hit the front halfway down the straight, only to be challenged by Bel Sprinter. Miracles of Life refused to concede, Bel Sprinter did not relent and the result was a spectacular dead-heat finish.
Peter Snowden said of Miracles Of Life, “I knew her size when she got to us but she’s strong. I’ve had plenty of small horses and it’s not how big they are, but it’s the ticker that counts.
“It was a matter of her wanting to do it and getting her back to that mindset. In her work, she’s always been brave and Hughie (Bowman) says she’s a dream to ride.”
Miracles Of Life’s sixth win from 13 starts takes her earnings beyond $1 million. She has also taken Not A Single Doubt past that mark for the season – he’s among Australia’s top 20 sires by prizemoney, and fourth by individual winners (37).
Dazzling Gazelle, also now owned by Stonestreet Stables, has a yearling colt by Not A Single Doubt and delivered a full sister to Miracles Of Life in August.
