On a day that had been playing to the swoopers, the race fit Mornington Glory made all the running in the $750,000 Group 1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley to credit Woodside Park Stud's Shalaa IRE) with his second Group 1 winner and first in Australia.
It has been a remarkable rise to the top for Mornington Glory, which was in danger of being retired before blooming under the guidance of Gavin Bedgood.
Ridden by Ethan Brown, Mornington Glory used her blinding speed to take up the running. Kicking clear on the turn, the 6-year-old gelding repelled the fast-finishing Blue Diamond heroine Hayasugi (Royal Meeting) by a half-length with a long-head back to the Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), who held on bravely for third.
Coming off a stakes breakthrough in the Carlyon Stakes over the same track and distance on August 26, the first crop son of Shalaa (IRE) advances his record to seven wins, four seconds and two thirds from 20 starts with earnings of $993,600.
It was the first win at the elite level for Gavin Bedgood, who said he was remarkably composed.
"I felt a bit of pressure last time, but I was pretty comfortable coming here today," Bedgood said.
"We were the underdog, and he always seems to be that way."
"He took bad luck out of the equation today. He's begun his last two starts well, and when he jumped a half in front of them today - there was no instruction to lead - but Browny just used his initiative and went with the horse, and the rest is history." “I wanted to draw two, three, four, and give us options, but one was better than nine. So I was pretty happy.”
“It nearly didn’t happen. He was retired this horse, and as I said last time, these owners throwing me a bone (is appreciated). It’s a great ownership group, and there's no doubt they’ll party hard tonight.
“I had a great career riding over the jumps and loved it, and I still love following the jumping races, but we just do what we can with whatever horses get thrown our way.”
It was the fourth Group 1 for Ethan Brown.
“He was presented here in terrific order,” Brown said.
“He drew gate one, flew the lids, and just had an easy time of it.
“(He was) fit, well. I was the beneficiary of a well-prepared horse for a great bunch of owners.”
“I’m very over the moon, it’ll take a while to sink in, but, as I said, there’s a great bunch of owners in this horse, it’s terrific to get a Group 1 win for Gav, it’s his first, capped off what was a challenging day. I’m so rapt.”
Bred by Gooree Stud, Mornington Glory was a $360,000 purchase for Matt Laurie Racing/Bahen Bloodstock/Andrew Williams Bloodstock from the Estate of Eduardo Cojuangco at the Magic Millions in 2020.
A half-brother to Twin Hills Stud’s Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes and Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas winner Hallowed Crown and Armidale Stud’s Group III ATC Carbine Club Stakes winner Needs Further, Mornington Glory is the final foal of Crowned Glory.
In a 7-start career, the daughter of Danehill won the Group III VRC Bloodhorse Breeders' Stakes and was runner-up to Belle du Jour in a dramatic Group 1 Golden Slipper.
Shalaa (IRE) stands for $19,800 at Woodside Park Stud this spring.
