A well-executed long-range plan by trainer Grahame Begg saw his mare Splash Back capture the Group 1 Tatts Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Following a disappointing Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) run at Flemington in the Spring, Begg turned his attention to Queensland. With Fangirl and Spicy Martini absent from the field, Splash Back carried the favoured number one saddlecloth.
Jordan Childs adopted a similar strategy to Splash Back’s prior victory in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m), saving ground near the inside. The $8.50 chance accelerated impressively, crossing the line 1-1/4 lengths ahead of Savagery Vibe ($21), with Gerringong ($5) a further length back in third.
Begg, a dual winner of the Tatts Tiara with Bonanova when it was a Group 3 race in 1999 and 2000, noted the mare’s strong lead-up performances in the Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap.
“It’s always been a race that I really love,” Begg commented. “She’s been a beauty, this horse. Since we got her to train, she’s been outstanding. She’s all heart, she just goes out and goes to war for you.”
This marked the 16th Group One win for Begg. It was also only the second time Childs had ridden Splash Back, despite Childs having significantly more rides for Begg than any other jockey.
“I gave him (Childs) licence and said, ‘If you’ve got to go back to the inside because there’s nothing wrong with it today’,” Begg continued. “The track’s played beautifully… they’ve done an amazing job and they’ve absolutely looked after us a treat. We’ve had a good number of horses here and it’s just great.”
Childs expressed his satisfaction with the win, his second Group One aboard a Begg-trained horse, following his success on Written By in the 2018 Blue Diamond Stakes and his recent win in the Robert Sangster Stakes.
“I was able to sneak runs up the inside and coming to the corner, I knew I just needed to unfold the way I needed it to and a few runs to appear,” Childs said. “Once she did, she really burst through. Great to get another Group One winner for Grahame and especially this horse, she’s been fantastic.”
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