Kiwi Hall of Famers combine in Coolmore triumph

[Wandering Eyes]

A trio of New Zealand Racing Hall of Famers joined forces to triumph in the Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday when Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) ran out a dominant winner of the stallion-making sprint.

Champion trainer Chris Waller put the polish on the I Am Invincible colt, who powered away from his rivals under star jockey James McDonald.

To top it off, the colt who sports the navy blue colours of the Magnier family’s Coolmore Stud, is part-owned by New Zealand Bloodstock principal Sir Peter Vela.

Waller, McDonald and Vela are all members of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, with McDonald celebrating his best day at Flemington with four winners, while a treble for Waller at Headquarters on Derby Day is almost unremarkable, such has been his training rank dominance.

“This is what we come for,” McDonald said after the three-length victory, which almost certainly enhanced the value of the well-bred colt to north of A$20 million.

“To ride such a special colt like this, he was electric. I couldn’t believe at the furlong that I was so far in front.

“That is the acceleration of this horse, he just idled through his paces early. Nothing could keep up with him and he ran out the six furlongs so strong. He is a weapon this horse.”

Home Affairs winning the Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

McDonald was delighted to win for his close friend Sir Peter Vela, who cheered home the top three-year-old from the confines of Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ), having recently returned to New Zealand.

“I am normally quite restrained in watching the races, but when he quickened and went clear, I thought I was seeing something a bit special,” Vela said.

“Security had to knock on the door and make sure I wasn’t being killed or killing someone. It was a magnificent display.”

The speedster is one of a number of three-year-old colts that race for a syndicate that Vela is involved with, put together by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier.

“There were actually three in that race, including Ranch Hand, a stakes winning Fastnet Rock colt that ran fourth and Minsk Moment, another son of I Am Invincible who ran seventh, and it wasn’t a bad effort,” Vela said.

“It has been a very successful syndication exercise in buying horses that could go on to be stallions if they did the job. It has been driven by Tom Magnier. He has been the architect of it with the might Coolmore.”

Gr.3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) winner Head Of State and Gr.1 Golden Rose (1400m) placegetter Coastwatch are also in the partnership.

Vela was delighted to taste success with his fellow Kiwis.

“It was absolutely magnificent. I just didn’t realise it could mean so much until it happened. I spoke with both Chris and James relatively soon after the race.

“With James you could see the absolute delight coming back to scale. He is just a great person and it is wonderful to see the reward for the effort he has put in.

“And Chris Waller, you just can’t believe how efficient he is and effective in every possible way. He is a master at what he does. It is quite amazing.”

Home Affairs could potentially be set for a tilt at the feature sprints at Royal Ascot next year, in a bid to bolster his profile in the northern hemisphere and make him an even more valuable stallion prospect.

“It was the first thing that sprung through a number of minds, the way he did it,” said Vela, who has regularly attended the Royal meeting.

“There are races like the King’s Stand Stakes (Gr.1, 1000m) on the Tuesday and then on the Saturday the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr.1, 1200m).

“You can definitely dream about it for a while. It is a justified dream and it would be great for a few Kiwis to be part of it.”

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