Benagil secures trainer Glen Thompson emotional first Group 1 in Australasian Oaks
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It's been a whirlwind two months for trainer Glen Thompson, and it took another emotional turn on Saturday, securing a maiden Group 1 win with Benagil in the $1m Australasian Oaks at Morphettville.
The passing of co-trainer Michael Moroney to cancer saw Thompson left in charge of Ballymore stables in late February, as he worked to keep the ball rolling under tragic circumstances.
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There's no easy way to fill the void left by a Melbourne Cup-winning trainer, but Thompson has stamped the beginning of his own legacy with Benagil's Oaks win – a first at Group 1-level in his own right.
'It's been a tough few weeks, I just tried to focus on today, we got her here in as good order as we could,' Thompson said.
'I thought she was spot on today, and she raced liked it.'
The Manhattan rain filly settled back in the field under star jockey Mark Zahra, peeling wide on the turn as the race heated up, looming up strongly at the 300m.
• What the jockeys said: 2025 Australasian Oaks
The filly let down powerfully over the final 200m, cruising to a one-length win in the 2000m feature.
Finishing second to triple Group 1 winner Treasurethe Moment in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes last start, Thompson had no doubt Benagil ($3) was capable at the elite level.
'She's always shown a lot of ability, she come back as a 3YO in the spring, she was very unlucky in the Thousand Guineas and those sort of races, she's just gone to another level this time,' he said.
The win saw Zahra claim back-to-back Australasian Oaks wins, after piloting Vibrant Sun to victory in the $1m feature last year.
There was a blowout result among the placegetters, six-start maiden Sweltering ran a massive race at odds of $151, finishing second for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
Second favourite Polymnia, trained by John O'Shea and Tom Charlton, charged home alongside Sweltering to finish third.
Meanwhile, Athanatos secured an early training double for Phillip Stokes after Regal Azmon won Saturday's opener.
Athanatos scored a strong win in the Chairman's Stakes but the gelding will sidestep the SA Derby and head to the paddock.
Zloties won the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes for Cranbourne trainer Grahame Begg. Begg's patience with the talented mare has paid off after shoulder stress fractures and a pelvic injury kept the mare sidelined for two and a half years across 2022-2024.
Beauty Rising's win in the last race saw the Stokes stable claim a winning treble on Saturday, taking home training owners on the nine-race card, but with two Group 1 wins, it was a day owned by Zahra.
Originally published as Benagil secures trainer Glen Thompson emotional first Group 1 in Australasian Oaks at Morphettville
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