Ending his 3yo spring campaign with success in the G1 VRC Derby (2500m) off the back of his G2 MVRC Vase (2040m) win, Ciaron Maher’s Ghaiyyath colt Observer resumed with another impressive performance, taking out the G2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
With regular jockey Mark Zahra out due to injury, Ethan Brown took the ride aboard the Godolphin bred and owned colt who settled in second position, just off the leader and equal favourite Davida (Bivouac).
Rounding the home turn, Brown said go, and Observer took the lead at the 300m mark and pulled away from the rest of the field to record his third consecutive black type victory.
Working home down the outside after coming from the tail of the field, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained Planet Red (Admire Mars) finished a length and a quarter away in second with Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained Ghaiyyath gelding Victorious Spirit, holding on for third.
Jack Turnbull was on course representing the Ciaron Maher stable and indicated he would head to the G1 Australian Guineas for his next start, a race won by former Maher trained Hitotsu (Maurice) who also won the G1 VRC Derby.
“He has matured a lot,” Turnbull said.
“We’ve taken the Norton Bit off and decided to go with the lugging bit today.
“To begin like he did and then for Ethan just to go with him and be in that position and travel so kind, it was good to see from our end.
“To respond and quicken, first-up off a Derby prep and so lightly raced, it was pretty exciting.”
“He’ll be second-up in the Australian Guineas in three weeks which is his early grand final. If we were to be successful then we could go a few different options.
“He’s a classy animal and it was fantastic for us to be training this colt for Godolphin, and to be hitting the ground like that after a Derby prep is very good.”
With a swathe of possible races post the Australian Guineas including the G1 Randwick Guineas, G1 Rosehill Guineas, G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and G1 Australian Derby, jockey Ethan Brown was extremely happy with the performance of Observer.
“He’s come back from the break really well,” Brown said.
“I know it is not his grand final but, gee, a great training performance to win first-up over 1400.
“He can be a bit dour but his last gallop was super. Ciaron has switched him on at the right time.
“The beauty of it is that he was fresh enough to hold a spot over 1400 so going up in trip he’ll dour out but that he can hold a spot makes it easier for connections, horse and jockey.”
With four wins and three placed efforts from eight starts, Observer took his earnings to $1,994,850.
Bred by Godolphin, Observer is one of three winners from three to the races for Lonhro mare Smooth, herself a sister to Coolmore’s Pierro and to the dam of Estriella, who was purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $2.8m at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
A half-sister to G3 winner Sandpaper (Snitzel), Observer is the third foal out of Smooth with the current 2yo being a colt by Champion Anamoe (Street Boss), while the mare foaled a colt in November by G1 Newmarket Handicap winner Cylinder (Exceed And Excel).
Observer is one of nine stakes winners Darley’s Dubawi stallion Ghaiyyath, joined by recent Jebel Hatta winner Opera Ballo as one of two G1 winners for his sire.
