Having previously recorded eight black type placed efforts, the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Kobayashi mare Midnight In Tokyo started favourite in Saturday’s $160,000 Listed BRC Eureka Stud Tattersall's Classic (1200m), pulling clear in impressive fashion to record a thoroughly deserving first stakes victory.
One of four winners at Saturday’s Doomben meeting ridden by Ryan Maloney, including both Listed races, Midnight In Tokyo was coming off a last start second in the Listed Keith Noud Stakes (1200m) at the same track two weeks prior.
Robert Heathcote’s 50/1 outsider En Pointe flew the gates and went forward to lead under Robbie Dolan with Midnight In Tokyo settled in second position getting a lovely run where she poised to commence a challenge.
As En Pointe led the field into the home straight and showed some fight, Maloney was ridding hands and heels down the outside aboard Midnight In Tokyo as the 6yo mare strode clear to record victory by just shy of a length and a quarter.
Working out of the pack late to charge into second was the Chirs and Corey Munce trained Lonhro’s Queen while En Pointe battled away strongly to hold onto third, just ahead of second favourite Zaszou who got a long way back before working home well.
Speaking post-race, inform jockey Ryan Maloney joked as to why he is riding in great form of late, but couldn’t take credit for the great job the stable has done with the mare.
“The only thing I eat these days is what I catch when I go fishing, so I'm obviously not eating much,” Maloney said.
“I didn't expect this mare to be sitting outside the leader but when she began like she did, we found our spot very easily.
“We controlled it and as soon as we released the brakes in the straight, I was basically just a passenger.”
With six wins and 12 placed efforts from 30 starts with earnings of $608,400, the stakes victory for the mare has added considerable value to her broodmare potential.
Bred by Aquis Farm, Midnight In Tokyo is the third winner from four to the races out of the Casino Prince mare Orabelle, a three-quarter-sister to the Listed winner All Too Royal and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Bel Merci.
Also the dam of the Listed-winning, Group 2 placed Generosity, Orabelle is herself a daughter of the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Bel Mer.
Currently based at Parson Creek, Orabelle’s current 2yo is an unraced Russian Revolution filly named Bella Tatiana in the stable of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, while Newgate Farm will consign the Capitalist yearling colt out of the mare at January’s Magic Millions yearling sale as a Lot 641.
Midnight In Tokyo is one of four stakes performers by I Am Invincible's Listed-winning son Kobayashi who is standing this season at Aquis for a fee of $13,200 (inc. GST).
