In an impressive display of enduring speed, Flying Houdini claimed the season’s first juvenile race, the Group 3 $250,000 Breeders Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The colt, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, proved a bargain at $60,000 as a yearling and performed beyond expectations, easily defeating colts with more prestigious breeding and higher valuations.
“Of all our two-year-olds coming here today, he has been the most natural all the way through,” Bott reported. “He has been thriving every single day of his preparation and we didn’t have an excuse not to bring him here today. You saw his attitude, he’s very determined, his ears went back and he was in for the fight. He has done it all very easily through the campaign and you saw today when he was challenged he found another length.”
With Regan Bayliss in the saddle, Flying Houdini ($7) led for the majority of the event, finishing a comfortable one-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Capitano ($3.80). The favourite, Nonu ($2.45), secured third place, a further length and a half behind.
Bayliss noted Flying Houdini’s resemblance to the famous strong Tulloch Lodge horses. “He’s a streetfighter and I knew if I could find the front today, nothing would get past him,” Bayliss said. “They’d come to him, but he just pins his ears back and goes right through the line. I came off the fence which is not ideal on a two-year-old because you lose your advantage coming off and being out there. But to his credit, once he straightened up and I switched the stick over, he really quickened well and his last hundred was the best part of his race.”
This win marks a record ninth Breeders Plate for trainer Gai Waterhouse. Adrian Bott confirmed the colt’s future aspirations. “He is a nice value purchase by RedFox and full credit to them, they continue to buy these nice horses that perform on the big stage,” Bott commented. “The path has always been for our two-year-olds to get here today, that is a big job in itself, and he will go for a spell now. He’s a horse we can bring back early in the New Year, resume here in Sydney, then we can go to the Blue Diamond and then target the Golden Slipper.”
A significant statistic is that eight previous Breeders Plate winners have gone on to win the Golden Slipper, including Vancouver (2015), Pierro (2012), and Sebring (2008), all trained by Waterhouse. Other notable horses to achieve this double include Capitalist (2016), Luskin Star (1977), Baguette (1970), Eskimo Prince (1964), and Sky High (1960). Conversely, the Gimcrack Stakes-Golden Slipper double has not been accomplished by a filly since the latter race’s introduction in 1957.
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