Away Game (black, red & grey stars) & Exhilarates (blue) take control of the W.J. Healy S. G3 at Eagle Farm. (PHOTO: Michael McInally)

Snitzel’s girls deliver Group quinella

Two of Snitzel’s best daughters, Away Game & Exhilarates fought out the finish of Saturday’s $175,000 BRC W.J. Healy S. 1200m G3. 

Both fillies are past winners of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic RL and among Snitzel’s six female million-dollar earners. They are also among the 13 stakeswinners that have spear-headed Snitzel’s $13.5 million 2020/21 season in Australia and New Zealand.

Away Game was last season’s Champion 2YO Filly and her return to winning form was just reward for a 3YO season of consistent black type performance.

4YO Exhilarates had already achieved Listed success at Flemington and Eagle Farm this season, and all-up has won six races (5 at Group & Listed level), returning Godolphin four times her purchase price of $600,000.

Away Game finishes the day in thrilling fashion with a win in the Group 3 WJ Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm. pic.twitter.com/F6eYoBSTfv

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 26, 2021

Away Game was a $425,000 Magic Millions purchase by Kerri Radcliffe for an all-women partnership led by American Hannah Mathiesen. She has now won $3.2 million in a 14-start career that includes 5 Group & Listed victories and an outstanding Golden Slipper G1 second to Farnan.  

After Saturday’s win, co-trainer Ciaron Maher mentioned the possibility of a Breeders’ Cup campaign for Away Game, but her owners have emphasised that their priority is to do what’s best for the filly and her career.

Away Game and her stakes-winning full sister Modern Wonder were both bred by the celebrated South Australian farm Mill Park with the Mills Thoroughbred Breeding Partnership. Their dam Elusive Wonder (by Gone West’s son Elusive Quality) was subsequently bought by Peter O’Brien with Chris & Jane Barham for whom she has left 2YO placegetter Pippa Charlotte (by Not A Single Doubt), and two foals by Merchant Navy.  

Away Game, this season’s star juvenile Four Moves Ahead and Sydney Group 3 winner Vulpine all highlight Snitzel’s excellent strike rate with Gone West-line mares: 7 stakeswinners (19%) from 37 runners.