Catchy (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) came with a rattling run from off the pace to mow down Pariah (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) close home to claim the G1 Blue Diamond S. at Caulfield on Saturday. Jockey Craig Williams had the choice of a number of mounts in the race including fifth-placed Property (Aus) (StarCraft {NZ}) and early in the straight it appeared Williams may have gotten it wrong as that horse and 'TDN Rising Star' Pariah did battle for the lead. Catchy, however had other ideas and once in the clear down the outside she ate up the ground and got her in head in front barely twenty metres from the wire to beat the favourite by half a length with Formality (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) running on well for third. It was a first win in the Blue Diamond for Craig Williams and a victory he clearly relished. “To win this race is great. It was a really tough choice as they are a quality bunch of 2-year-olds but she's a really, really good horse.” Williams added, “I wanted to get on the back of Pariah early but I couldn't. Once we got into the straight though I knew she'd get there.”
Catchy is unbeaten now in four runs for the training partnership of David & Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig and it is a sequence that began at Moonee Valley Dec. 9 in the William Hill Plate. She inflicted her first defeat on Property on her next start at Caulfield Jan. 7 before stepping up successfully to pattern level when landing the hat trick in the G2 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude Feb. 11 when she beat Limestone (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}) by just a short head. It was a sixth Blue Diamond win for David Hayes but his first since forming the partnership with his son Ben and nephew Tom and he said, “She was sensational over the final 200 metres. It's been a great team effort but the result is quite a relief because I thought we were going to run second, third and fourth at one stage – Pariah looked to have us covered.”
It did indeed look Pariah's race to lose as he got to the lead a furlong out, went a length clear, only to be overhauled by the winner close home. Trainer Peter Snowden was proud but deflated and commented, “I was very proud of his effort. He's a great colt and will be a better horse in the spring.”
Pedigree notes…
Catchy is the 27th Group 1 winner for dual champion Australian sire Fastnet Rock (Aus) (Danehill) and she is the best of four runners and winners from six foals from her dam Cat's Whisker (Aus) (Fusaichi Pegasus). Cat's Whisker was no slouch on the track, her six wins including two at group 2 level while also placing second in the G1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas. She in turn is a full-sister to the stakes places Cat's Pyjamas . Bred by Joy Jenkins Catchy had a full-sister sell at Magic Millions last month for A$700,000 to Alan Bell Racing while the mare produced a full brother to Catchy in 2016. Cats Whisker is currently in foal to Pierro (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}).
LADBROKES BLUE DIAMOND S.-G1, A$1,515,000, MRC, 2-25, 2yo Open Set Weight, 1200mT, 1:09.38, gd.
1–CATCHY (AUS), 54.5, f, 2, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Cats Whisker (Aus) (MGSW & G1SP-Aus, $492,097), by Fusaichi Pegasus
2nd Dam: Perfect Halo, by Don't Say Halo
3rd Dam: Perfect Melody, by Palace Music
(A$220,000 Ylg '16 WI Sydney Easter Yearling Sale) O-Dorrington Farm (Mgr: R J Crabtree) & Mrs S Crabtree; B-Mrs J Jenkins NSW; T-D & B Hayes & T Dabernig; J-Craig Williams; A$915,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, A$1,102,000. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A++
2–Pariah (Aus), 56.5, c, 2, Redoute's Choice (Aus)–Secluded (Aus), by Hussonet. (A$700,000 Ylg '16 WI Sydney 'TDN Rising Star' Easter Yearling Sale) O-James Harron Bloodstock Colts, Mrs B C Bateman, Love Racing, Doyles Breeding & Racing, P Mehrten, Rockingham Thoroughbreds, J A & Mrs F A Ingham, G1g Racing & Breeding, S N Gillard; B-Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd & Planette Thoroughbred NSW; T-P & P Snowden; J-B Shinn; A$270,000.
3–Formality (Aus), 54.5, f, 2, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Jolie's Shinju (Jpn), by Jolie's Halo. (A$120,000 Ylg '16 WI Sydney Easter Yearling Sale) O-Coolmore (Mgr: Mrs S Magnier), P Shanahan & M V Magnier; B-Dr K Tan NSW; T-D & B Hayes & T Dabernig; J-Ryan Moore; A$135,000.
Margins: 0.4, 2.2, 2.5. Odds: 19-5, 3-1, 8-1.
Also Ran: Tulip (Aus), Property (Aus), Muraahib (Aus), Wait for No One (Aus), Roomooz (Aus), Aspect (Aus), Cao Cao (Aus), Taking Aim (Aus), Sheer Madness (Aus), Will's Bid (Aus), Blondie (Aus). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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