Yellow Sam charges home to win at Caulfield and earn crack at Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes
Yellow Sam has earned a shot at the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) next month at Caulfield with a strong win on Saturday.
The Lindsey Smith-trained mare finished powerfully under jockey Fred Kersley to overhaul Lim's Saltoro, well-backed favourite The Open and Rheinberg.
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'We thought this craziness she'd go to the Bletchingly with no weight,' Smith said.
'We'll throw a few darts and then if she competed well she'd go to the (PB Lawrence).'
Yellow Sam rounded the bend with work to do and duly saluted second-up.
Yellow Sam won the Golden Topaz at Swan Hill the start prior, first-up from a long break after a health setback last year – a benign tumour in her hind gut.
'It's easier to train fast horses, I've got a few slower ones,' Smith said.
'Courageous horse, has been from the day dot … great will to win, as I've said many times, will maybe outdoes ability sometimes.'
Kersley praised Yellow Sam.
'She has got better, she's probably the ultimate racehorse,' Kersley said.
'She's a professional, probably one of the gutsiest horses I've had the pleasure to do anything with.
'Time and time again she's come back, a filly, a mare, and she's held the form.'
Earlier on the card, former international Sayedaty Sadaty, trained by Ciaron Maher, opened his Australian account with victory in the 2000m Quality Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday.
Sayedaty Sadaty travelled outside leader Amberite and kicked clear in the straight to win third-up after consecutive 1800m placings at Sandown.
Unfortunately, the race was marred by separate incidents in the straight.
Rolls, trained by Maddie Raymond and Patrick Bell, failed to finish due to a severe leg fracture.
Racing Victoria confirmed the gelding was humanely euthanized by on-course veterinarians.
Jockey Harry Grace was taken to hospital with a sore hand and some general pain.
Dakotah Keane was also dislodged from her mount, King Frankel, in the straight.
Thankfully, Keane and King Frankel avoided injury.
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Zahra sets sail for big spring
Flemington trainer Simon Zahra has spring ambitions exciting Xarpo after the 'beast' responded to challengers at Caulfield on Saturday.
Xarpo, expertly handled by apprentice jockey Ryan Houston, found the front early in the straight as favourite Mercurial Lady mounted a case.
Xarpo lifted again to hold a margin, while Illyivy bloused Mercurial Lady for second and third.
'They were entitled to beat her,' Zahra said.
'She was a bit underdone, first-up 1200m, most of them had a run under their belt, so it's exciting.'
Zahra said Xarpo would get to a mile in the spring.
'She's won over 1400m but I reckon she's a miler, last preparation she just missed the starts, did everything wrong, we got away with that win at Flemington,' Zahra said.
'To see her now compared to what she was six months ago just a different horse.'
Xarpo, a rising four-year-old daughter of The Autumn Sun, has won three of six starts to date.
'We gave her a nice prep last time, she wasn't quite furnished and by the end she was starting to switch on,' Zahra said.
'She returned to the stable an absolute beast (after her spell) … we were pretty confident she would come here today and run pretty well.
'There's a bit of spring fortune we want to target … a complete different horse (now), like a big strong mare and she's starting to do everything right.'
Zahra deferred spring plans until after Xarpo's next run, potentially at Caulfield in a fortnight or Flemington in three weeks.
'If she can perform well there we'll freshen her up,' Zahra said.
Gilbert Gardiner
Sports reporter
Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun.
@gilbertgardiner
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