Imposing filly Machine Gun Gracie decimated her rivals with a bold front running display of relentless speed and stamina to take the Listed WATC Natasha Stakes over 2200m at Ascot on Saturday.
A field of twelve starters lined up in the time honoured race, which is the final lead up event to the Group III WA Oaks next month on April 5.
At only her fourth career start and following on from her brave second in the Listed WATC Ascot 1,000 Guineas (1800m), Machine Gun Gracie was sent straight to the lead by Shaun O'Donnell and set a strong pace with the field stringing out behind her.
Turning for home the big girl needed no asking to kick clear and career away to a 3.4 length victory, stamping her absolute authority as the favorite for not only the Oaks but likely the WA Derby into the bargain.
In her wake came home the regally bred runner up Twilight Tale (Savabeel) and stoutly finishing third placed Funchal (Playing God), but neither could make any impression on the winner, while the 1,000 Guineas heroine Glasgow Lass (Alabama Express) seemingly failed to run the trip out and finished well out of contention this time.
Machine Gun Gracie gave her Muchea based trainer Justine Erkelens and O'Donnell a second success as a team in the Natasha Stakes, after they combined to win with Friar Fox in 2018, while for Justine it was a case of triumphant back to back victories in the event having trained last season's winner and subsequent Oaks champion Own The Queen (Awesome Rock).
While the trainer runs a small operation outside the metro area she always seems to have a good horse on her hands, and this gifted conditioner is widely recognized as having one of the very best “eyes” in the business.
So it’s not surprising to learn that Justine selected the Maschino filly as a youngster out of her paddock at Scenic Lodge, as she shared in an interview after the race.
“I was there with some owners looking at the babies and the moment I saw her I said that's the one. I don't care what I have to pay, I'm taking her home. That's a stayer. There's a number of first time owners in her,” she added.
“So this is great for them!”
When asked if the filly would contest the Derby should she win the Oaks as expected Erkelens sounded confident.
“Absolutely - that's why I bought her” she said.
O'Donnell was obviously impressed with his charge’s effortless performance, saying simply “she is just special.”
Machine Gun Gracie was bred by J and C Kelly and consigned as part of the Scenic Lodge (As Agent) 2023 Perth Magic Millions draft, where Erkelens in partnership with John Chalmers Bloodstock went to $45,000 to purchase the upstanding youngster. That's now looking like quite the bargain as her career earnings sit at $167k and counting with two wins and two placings from just four starts.
Machine Gun Gracie is the ninth stakes winner for her sire, long time Alwyn Park Stud resident Maschino. The classy and versatile son of Encosta De Lago won up to 1800m, but is known for getting fast sprinter milers although several of his best runners have been highly effective at true middle distance trips.
Machine Gun Gracie's dam Gracie May is a four time winning Written Tycoon mare successful from 1300m to 2200m, and her three foals to date have all been winners. Machine Gun Gracie, her third, is the first by Maschino.
The family maintains a high percentage of winners to runners and goes back to the classy Argentinian bred mare Libia (Ringaro) who was imported into this part of the world and won a stakes race at Flemington before going to stud. Her daughter Abenezra ( Rory's Jester) has founded a successful line in New Zealand, including among her immediate descendants the stakes-winner Pennacchio (Align), dam of top class Hong Kong sprinter Full Of Beauty (Darci Brahma).
The family has also produced stakes-winner Strada Cavallo, dam of this season’s Group I placed filly Powers of Opal, who was second in the VRC Oaks during the spring and heads now towards the Group I ATC Australian Oaks.
With such stoutness on the female line the introduction of Written Tycoon, Encosta De Lago and Redoute's Choice to the equation has injected plenty of extra class and speed.
Breeding buffs can take real delight in perusing the extended pedigree of this filly.
Aside from the obvious noted successful patterns - inbreeding to Danzig and permutations on the endlessly prolific Redoute's / Encosta/ Last Tycoon nicks being but two examples - in further removes she is cleverly bred on a complex interplay between full and half siblings and extremely close genetic relations resulting from the historic mating of the great American “Blue Hen” La Troienne, to the mighty racer and sire War Admiral.
The influence of War Admiral, one of the greatest broodmare sires of all time, is all-pervasive, with duplications of most of his best female descendants to the fore in Machine Gun Gracie's pedigree.
No wonder she can run, fast and hard.
Gracie May had a colt last year by Universal Ruler and went back to the son of Scenic again last spring.
Maschino is currently enjoying a successful run with another of his classy daughters Bonjoy (Snitzel) recently taking out the Starstruck Classic ( Listed 1600m) at Ascot, her third stakes win.
The handsome bay stands at Alwyn Park Stud in Serpentine WA at a fee of $8,800.
