Monday 18 September 2023
Both SIYOUNI and SEA THE STARS enjoyed Group winners in Australia at the weekend, with both Amelia’s Jewel and Just Fine staking their claims as star names for the new Southern Hemisphere season ahead.
Amelia’s Jewel defied a wide barrier draw to win the Gr.2 Let’s Elope Stakes – the first race in the east of Australia for the SIYOUNI filly dubbed ‘the best in the west’. It was her eighth Stakes success overall from 10 starts, as she took her career prize-money to beyond $2.5 million. Trainer Simon Miller said: "The exciting thing from our point of view is she's not screwed down yet so we've got plenty of wiggle room to go. This is just a nice starting point for her and when he [jockey Damien Lane] hadn't moved on straightening I was like ‘this is an easy watch’. Without being arrogant, he hadn't gone full throttle, so I thought ‘at least we're going to be in the finish’. I'm so proud of her, proud of my staff, they do an amazing job."
Miller suggested that the Amelia Park Racing homebred would head next to the Gr.2 Stock Stakes on 29th September, with a decision yet to be made as to whether she runs in the Gr.1 Cox Plate or the Golden Eagle.
SIYOUNI enjoyed a double on the day at Flemington, as his son Carini also won on just his second Australian start. The Aga Khan Studs-bred four-year-old was sold at last year’s Arqana Autumn HIT Sale to Equos Racing and Astute Bloodstock.
Meanwhile over at Randwick, Just Fine made it two Australian wins from two starts by landing the Gr.3 Kingston Town Stakes, becoming in the process the 113th individual Stakes winner for his sire SEA THE STARS. He is now favourite for the Gr.1 Metropolitan on 30th September, and also holds an entry for the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup.
