Derby Day had it all and South Australian racing was to the fore.
Exciting filly Victoria Quay kick started things at Flemington winning the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes with Jamie Kah in the saddle before Richard and Chantelle Jolly claimed a second successive TAB (Lithgow) Stakes with Kemalpasa.
And then it was SA sprint star Gytrash’s turn.
His win in the Yes Yes Yes Stakes was a just reward for connections, a fitting end to a stunning Sydney campaign that netted the Group 3 Concorde Stakes, a third placing in the world’s richest race on turf in the $15m Everest and a nice little $750,000 bonus on Saturday.
The horse will now head to the paddock with the Group 1 Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap on the agenda, while a shot at redemption in next year’s Group 1 Goodwood in Adelaide May is firmly on the radar.
Richards said the horse’s will to win was an attribute that had had been embraced by not only his legion of owners, but punters and racing fans across the country.
“He’s the people’s favourite and you can see why,’’ Richards said.
“He just knows how to win.
“Once he gets a full head of steam, he’s hard to hold out,’’ he said.
Richard and Chantelle Jolly’s second successive victory down the straight with Kemalpasa could see the underrated sprinter Perth bound.
The stable nominated the horse for the $1m Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes in Perth later this month and they’ll look at that option of a return to the Gold Coast when he finished fourth in the $1m Magic Millions Sprint last year.
Their day only got bigger when Regalo Di Gaetano claimed the inaugural running of the $100,000 John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville.
It was a big performance from the lightly-raced horse sitting wide but proving superior with Caitlin Jones in the saddle.
It was massive day all round for the Jolly family, David claiming the $100,000 Riziz Spring Series Final with classy six-year-old Thompson’s Reward, the second leg of a double at Morphettville after Biarchi scored earlier in the day.
It was Jolly’s second $100,000 feature in as many weeks after Trip was successful last week and the Goolwa horseman’s stats over the past few months have been frightening.
He’s trained 14 winners from his past 50 starters which include two Group 1 wins, a Group 3 Spring Stakes, two $100,000 Adelaide features and a Horsham Cup along the way.
The stars of the saddle were all in-form in Adelaide, riding honours shared between Jessica Eaton, Barend Vorster and Todd Pannell who all had doubles.
And the South Australian success didn’t end there, superstar filly September Run, trained by Chris Waller winning the $1.5m Coolmore Stud Stakes.
The filly was bred in SA at Greg White’s Alpara Lodge in before being sold for $380,000 at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.