The Bob Peters homebred Superstorm earned his first win at his second start for Danny O’Brien in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II Clamms Seafood Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley, and in the process, booked his ticket for the Cox Plate.
Under a rails-hugging ride by Damien Oliver, the 5yo son of Sebring handed the star New Zealander Elephant (Shocking) his first loss at his sixth start by the narrowest margin.
Another New Zealander, The Chosen One (Savabeel), was a neck back in third.
Previously trained by Grant and Alana Williams, Superstorm has been winless in eight starts since capturing the Listed WATC Challenge Stakes at Ascot last February.
In between time his was runner-up to Alligator Blood in the Group 1 Australian Guineas, was edged out by his then stablemate Regal Power in the All-Star Mile, and finsihed third in Mr Quickie's Group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.
The son of Sebring advances his record to three wins, two seconds, and two thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $1,545,350.
“We were confident the horse would run well. but it always looked like it would be complicated and needed a D Oliver special,” O’Brien said.
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uo;It was always going to be a difficult map for him. He hasn’t got much gate speed, albeit he took a more prominent position today, but you definitely would have preferred to be three-wide peeling and getting momentum.
“Particularly on a horse like Superstorm who builds so much through his finish. They had nowhere to go and as they straightened he’s gone back to the fence which hasn’t been the place all day and he’s still been able to lift him and get him over the line.
“I don’t think there was much in his favour today, and he’s still got there. He’s second-up still from nearly a year off, so the win was full of merit. He’s a horse that has always raced at the top level, and he hadn’t won for a while, so it is great to get back winning with him.
“We were very pleased with him the moment he arrived from WA. He came to us in terrific shape, and it has been a pretty straightforward preparation with him. We knew there would be good improvement from first-up to today.
“I’ll speak to Bob Peters and he’ll decide where the horse will be best placed. We really wanted to see how he went in the early part of the spring. I suspect the Underwood next in three weeks to the 1800 metres. A big track like Sandown will suit too.
“It is only going to get harder. There’s a lot of really nice horses going around in Sydney today, so we’re pleased to get on the board today and looking forward to the rest of the spring with him.”
Superstorm is one of four stakes-winners for the top-class Metal Storm mare Stormy Nova whose seven wins included the Group II WATC Champion Fillies Stakes, Group III Sir Ernest Lee Steere Classic, Listed SAJC Redelva Stakes and listed WATC Belgravia Stakes.
A brother to the Listed WATC Burgess Queen Stakes winner Mikimoto, Superstorm is a half-brother to Group III winner Cosmic Storm (Street Sense) and Listed winner Royal Command (Street Sense).
Purchased by Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $45,000 from the Holbrook Stud draft at the 2017 National Broodmare Sale, Stormy Nova has a yearling colt by Sessions and was covered by the son of Lonhro on the 6th of February.
