Well Written stuns in 1000 Guineas runaway

[Wandering Eyes]

Stephen Marsh had to wait until the 24^th season of his career to win his first Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), but an emerging superstar gave the Cambridge trainer his missing piece at Riccarton on Saturday with a performance that was worth every moment of that wait.

Well Written (Well Written) joined Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) (2022) and Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross) (2005) as only the third unbeaten winner of the 1000 Guineas in the last 20 years, and her three scintillating victories have come by a combined margin of more than 12 lengths.

It has been a dizzying rise to the top of the three-year-old crop for Well Written, who began her career with a three-length debut victory over 1200m at Ellerslie less than two months ago on September 20. She then stepped into stakes company for the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at the same venue on October 18 and blew her rivals away by six and three-quarter lengths.

Those two breathtaking performances made Well Written one of the highest-profile runners of the entire New Zealand Cup Carnival in Christchurch this year, and she jumped as a red-hot favourite for Saturday’s 1000 Guineas at $1.50.

In the end, the only nerves she provided for her connections and supporters came before the race even started. She got stirred up behind the gates and kicked and reared and had to be loaded into the starting gates riderless.

But from that point on, the race could hardly have gone better. Well Written was given a perfect run by regular rider Matt Cartwright and settled in fourth on the outside of Cream Tart (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) as Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) and Origin Of Love (Snitzel) set a moderate pace out in front.

The Te Akau Racing pair still led the field rounding the turn into the home straight, but Well Written cruised up alongside them without Cartwright having to make a move.

When Cartwright finally pushed the button, the race was immediately over as a contest. Well Written exploded away with a turn of foot that stamped her as one of New Zealand racing’s most exciting prospects.

Cartwright began to ease Well Written down in the final 50m, then stood up in the saddle in a celebratory salute as the favourite crossed the finish line two and a half lengths in front of Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) and Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel).

“There’s a lot of relief,” Marsh said. “I was nervous today with the expectations there, and it wasn’t good for the heart when she wouldn’t load.

“But I’d just told Matt to ride her like the best horse and don’t panic. I wanted him to pretend it’s just another race, put her there and put her to sleep. I was happy when he didn’t peel off at the top of the straight. He just sat in the slipstream for a bit longer and then came out.

“From that point on, it was something else to watch. It was pretty special. It’s the first 1000 Guineas we’ve won, and she’s just a special filly. She’s got that bit of freakishness about her. It’s exciting to have horses like that in your stable and makes the job so much easier.”

Marsh and his bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson paid a sale-topping $80,000 to buy Well Written from Brighthill Farm’s draft in the 2024 NZB National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus. Her flawless three-start, three-win career has now earned $462,875 in stakes.

Marsh’s large syndicate of owners that originally raced Well Written all sold down their share after the Soliloquy Stakes, with major international player Yulong Investments coming into the ownership. Saturday’s blistering performance came carrying their familiar emerald green and white colours.

“This is a great result for the Yulong team, we’re delighted to have them involved, and it’s also great for all of our previous owners that sold down – a lot of them are here today,” Marsh said. “I want to make mention of a special lady, Jane Henderson, an owner who’s very sick and had to late-scratch from coming down here today. I hope this is a real tonic for her, and we’re all thinking of her.”

Well Written became the second Group One winner for Cartwright, who won last season’s Tarzino Trophy (1400m) aboard Grail Seeker.

“She’s a very, very good horse,” Cartwright said. “The only concern she gave me was when she got a bit hot behind the gates, but as soon as they opened, she knew the job was on. She travelled beautifully. I tried to count to ten in the straight before letting her go, but I probably only got to six.

“Gee, she’s exciting. She was a bit green out in front, she was going that fast that her legs couldn’t really keep up. I don’t know where her ceiling is, but she’s one of the best horses I’ve sat on.”

Well Written’s victories in the Soliloquy Stakes and 1000 Guineas have carried her to the top of the table in the NZB Filly of the Year Series with 20 points. Lollapalooza sits in second place with 16 points.

Saturday’s big win was also a Bonus Eligible race for the NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 7, meaning Well Written could compete for the $1 million bonus pool on offer alongside the slot race’s $4 million stake. The winner of any of those races is eligible for a share of the lucrative bonus pool if they go on to finish in the top three in the NZB Kiwi at Ellerslie on March 7.

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