Few fillies would stand up to the grueling schedule assigned to Jameka (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) over the last 12 months, but that 15-race sequence that included six Classics–three against males–proved the foundation the 4-year-old needed when running away with Saturday's A$3.15-million G1 Caulfield Cup. Away well from barrier 14, Jameka took up a prominent stalking position as Godolphin's Tally (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) led the charge into the first turn. Pulling on rider Nicholas Hall as the top flight bunched up coming off the turn, Jameka eventually allowed herself to be reined back to travel fifth on the rail as British raider Scottish (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) emerged to take up the running, but the filly continued to show plenty of spirit, tossing her head down the backstretch. Sir Isaac Newton (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) made a bold move on the turn, circling rivals, and Jameka chased him around the bend. She swung three-wide into the straight and had just Scottish on her inside to pass at the 300 metre mark. The bay struck the front under hand urging at the 200 and the result was never in doubt thereafter, her three-length clearance giving Hall plenty of room for celebration at the line.
Saturday, Caulfield, Australia
CAULFIELD CUP-G1, A$3,150,000, MRC, 10-15, Open Handicap, 2400mT, 2:28.88, Good.
1–JAMEKA, 52.5, f, 4, by Myboycharlie (IRE)
1st Dam: Mine Game, by General Nediym
2nd Dam: Aperto (NZ), by Grosvenor (NZ)
3rd Dam: Pathos (USA), by The Minstrel (CAN)
(A$130,000 Ylg 2014 WI Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale) O-C
L Maher, Mrs J M Mckenna, D Degenhardt, T A Cole-Sinclair, M
R Fallon, G M Verdoorn, S Priestley & Mrs S A Cockram, Ms J
Nolte, M Mills, & Halo Racing Services Pty Ltd; B-Gilgai Farm
VIC; T-C Maher; J-Nicholas Hall; A$1,900,000. Lifetime Record:
19-5-4-4, A$3,670,725. *1/2 to Nikitas (Snitzel), MGSP-Aus,
$468,200. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Scottish (IRE), 55.0, g, 4, Teofilo (Ire)–Zeiting (IRE), by Zieten
(USA). (€170,000 Ylg 2013 GI Orby Sale) O-Godolphin
Management Co Ltd; B-Knocktoran Stud, IRE; T-Charlie
Appleby; J-K Mc Evoy; A$425,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Exospheric (GB), 55.5, c, 4, Beat Hollow (GB)–Bright and
Clear (GB), by Danehill (USA). O-A Kheir, P M Mehrten, F
Palazzo, J A O'Neill, T Day, R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd (Mgr: R P
Legh), Horseshoe Investments Pty Ltd (Mgr: R N Russell), J & M
Kheir Builders; B-Clare Castle Farm, IRE; T-Lee & Anthony
Freedman; J-D Oliver; A$225,000.
Margins: 3.0 len, 3.8 len, 4.3 len. Odds: 3.20, 6.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Almoonqith (USA), Real Love, Our Ivanhowe (GER), Sir Isaac Newton (GB), Vengeur Masque (IRE), De Little Engine, Sir John Hawkwood (IRE), Preferment (NZ), Tally, Articus (FR), Pemberley (NZ), Sacred Master (NZ), Go Dreaming.
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
Jameka was allowed to flash her talent at two, winning Flemington's 1400-metre G2 VRC Sires' Produce S. in mid March, but was not seen for the remainder of that campaign. She hit the board in all five outings during the spring of her 3-year-old season, finishing second in the G1 Thousand Guineas before winning the G2 The Vase upped to 2040 metres and the G1 Crown Oaks over 2500 metres. She failed to find the winner's enclosure in five starts during her autumn campaign, but was beaten just two lengths in both the G1 Australian Guineas and G1 Rosehill Guineas when fifth and third, respectively, and was second in the G1 Australian Derby before settling for fourth in her seasonal closer in the G1 Australian Oaks Apr. 9.
Jameka resumed in the G2 PB Lawrence S. at Caulfield Aug. 13, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths when fourth over an inadequate 1400 metres. She was just seventh in a Group 1-quality lineup in Moonee Valley's G2 Dato' Tan Chin Nam S. going a mile Sept. 3, and bounced back to win the 2000-metre G3 Naturalism S. over this course two weeks later. She warmed up for this with a second to Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) in Flemington's 2000-metre G1 Turnbull S. Oct. 2.
Jameka's Caulfield Cup win provided trainer Ciaron Maher with a first win in Australian racing's “big three”–which also includes the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Melbourne Cup–and she could aim to give him a second in the Melbourne Cup in a little over two weeks' time.
“You never know, she might be even better in 17 days,” Maher told Racing.com. “She just keeps on improving into her campaign and so I'm thinking that she might have more to come.”
The trainer added, “On the back of her 3-year-old year we just thought that if we could give her a good campaign in the spring, she'd do the same and fortunately for us, she's just had the best campaign. She hasn't missed a beat and has improved from each run to the next just as she has her whole life.”
Reflecting on his purchase of Jameka for A$130,000 as a yearling at Inglis's Melbourne Premier Sale, Maher said, “I didn't have the $130,000 to buy her but I kept going [bidding] as it was all on credit,” he said. Jameka has since well rewarded the owners that decided to take a chance on her and Maher, her bankroll now sitting at more than A$3.6-million.
Trainer Charlie Appleby said he was “delighted” with the runner-up effort of Scottish, and noted the gelding could progress to the Melbourne Cup or G1 Mackinnon S. four days later.
“Kerrin [McEvoy] gave him a great ride and let the horse get into a rhythm as we asked him to,” Appleby said. “It was a little bit unfortunate that he missed the kick. He was a little bit restless in the gates, which is unlike him. He's run a great race and take nothing away from the winner, who is obviously an exceptional filly.”
Pedigree Notes…
Jameka is the second produce of the 1400-metre winner Mine Game, who has produced three winners from three to race also including Nikitas (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who was second in the A$2-million Magic Millions 2YO Classic and third in the G2 BRC Sires' Produce S. and G3 BJ McLachlan S. Mine Game is a half-sister to G1 Canterbury Guineas winner Jymcarew (Aus) (Danzero {Aus}), and the fourth dam is GI Matchmaker S. winner Warfever (Fr) (Luthier {Fr}), herself a half-sister to U.S. champion older mare Waya (Fr). Mine Game has a yearling filly by Shamus Award (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) to come. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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