Past year’s Coolmore Stud Stakes pointed towards it, and Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington locked it in, installing Tentyris firmly as Australia’s next sprint standout.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman colt grabbed back-to-back Group 1s courtesy of a thrilling charge past elite weight-for-age rivals in the 1000m showdown.
Fresh off dominating his age group in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Derby Day, Sam Freedman cited his father’s assessment – informed by time in the elite ‘FBI’ stable, Freedman Brothers Incorporated – of their special inmate.
“He has been in the game for so long and he said to me at the end of the spring campaign, this might be the best horse you ever train,” Sam said.
“(I said) I thought you might be suggesting you trained one better back in the 1990s and 2000s – there was a bit of cheek there, they had Mahogany and Schillaci – but he’s building his own record that will hopefully be right up there with some of the best.”
From the back in the eight-runner affair, $2.60 market leader Tentyris, a Street Boss progeny, repeated the Coolmore order by relegating filly My Gladiola, prepared by John McArdle, to second.
My Gladiola at $7 shrank her prior 2-1/4 length Coolmore loss to 3/4 length here, with $26 Benedetta the same adrift in third.
Damian Lane, Tentyris’s pilot for second in last season’s Blue Diamond Stakes, was back aboard Saturday for injured Mark Zahra and praised his ‘incredible talent’.
“We just only had the one play with him with how he steps out of the barriers, it was just a risk whether the 1000 was going to be too short (but) it certainly wasn’t,” Lane said.
“Mid-race I had to ask him to pick up the bridle and when he did, he really joined in well and as had become his trademark, that last bit of his race was outstanding.”
Enhancing Lane’s day of four successes, the Lightning joined Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes aboard Sixties and Listed wins for Hard Kick and Sass Appeal.
The $2 shot Tentyris leads betting for Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) returning to Flemington March 7, Freedman’s plan A subject to weight rise, where betting markets for the race offer keen prices already.
“I would love to come to the Newmarket if he was not heavily penalised for the victory. It’s not easy for a three-year-old to carry a big weight like that,” he said.
“We’ll have to have a chat about where he goes, but I can assure you it’s a very good problem to have.”
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