Coolmore representatives left Flemington happy on Saturday after their own colt, Home Affairs, bolted in to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes under James McDonald.
The Chris Waller-trained runner ran disappointingly in The Everest a fortnight ago, but after being taken straight to the front in the 1200m stallion-making race by McDonald on Saturday, he raced away to win by three lengths.
The son of I Am Invincible thus became the champion stallion’s 10th individual Group 1 winner, while McDonald now has 56 victories at the highest level.
Keeping it all in the family as Coolmore’s Home Affairs blitzes rivals in the $1.5m Group 1 @CoolmoreAus Stud S. at @FlemingtonVRC. Sold by @torryburnstud
for $875,000 at the 2020 @inglis_sales Easter YS, Home Affairs becomes the 10th G1 winner for @yarramanpark’s I Am Invincible pic.twitter.com/v8vwM9iHEK— Aushorse (@Aushorse_TBA) October 30, 2021
“He’s a horse that’s shown so much talent,” the jockey told Racing.com.
“We’ve expected a performance like that – we didn’t expect it to be that good – but he’s such a good horse and when he uses that high cruising speed, gets the first half right – that’s the turn of foot he shows.
“You can just see him walk around; he’s got the most beautiful demeanour and he’s a super colt.”
While Home Affairs could only manage ninth place in The Everest, McDonald rode his stablemate Nature Strip to success in that race, with the star hoop hoping they don’t clash in the VRC Sprint Classic next weekend.
“I hope they don’t clash,” the jockey laughed.
“Nature Strip has been there done it for so many years, so hopefully they don’t line up against each other for a while, but I’m sure this horse will reach that sort of heights – that’s for sure.”
Home Affairs is now the $4.60 second favourite behind Nature Strip in the VRC Sprint, while he is a $10 chance in futures markets for next year’s edition of The Everest.
