Growing Empire ($2.50) has returned to the racetrack in fine style, finishing off with a brilliant turn of foot to run away from his rivals in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes at Caulfield.
Ciaron Maher and Mark Zahra combined with the three-year-old colt, who has now won three of his four career starts, with this win being the best of the lot.
Zahra tried to cross the field and settle on speed aboard this son of Zoustar; however, Stay Focused ($4.60), Astapor ($8.50), and Band Of Brothers ($19) kicked up to lead the race, so he chose to sit three-wide with cover.
The field turned for home, and Zahra was sitting quietly on his mount, but as soon as he pushed the button, Growing Empire lengthened quickly and took over with 200m to go.
Wonder Boy ($5) wobbled on the corner and lost some ground on the eventual winner before picking himself up to run on strongly into second place.
It was all honours to Growing Empire as he was eased down by Zahra to win by a margin that could have been much bigger.
2024 McNeil Stakes replay – Growing Empire
Following back-to-back winners at Caulfield, Maher spoke post-race about the win.
“We’ve certainly got him on the same path (as Merchant Navy), he’s a very exciting colt,” Maher said of Growing Empire.
“I didn’t really tie Mark down with too many instructions, if he pinged the lids we were going to go forward.
“He ended up with a beautiful run, he’s a very very progressive colt and he’s on a Coolmore path so he’s started the prep well.
“He’s probably one of our benchmark colts.
“He’s always had that really good ability and he spelled well at Yulong.
“He’s come back in, the team have done a great job, you can still see late that there’s a lot more there, he still wobbles around and that’s why we wanted to get him to the races now, he needs that bit of experience.
“We’ll get him to Flemington, he can have a couple of looks down the straight and hopefully he’s right to go on Derby Day.”
Zahra was complimentary of the winner in his post-race interview.
“They don’t win much better than that,” Zahra said.
“I thought this prep, today would be the day, if he was going to get beaten, today would be the day and at the 400 (metres) I didn’t have to worry about that.
“Unbelievable feel.
“It was good to see him without the blinkers, I’ve been trying him in the blinkers and I said to Ciaron ‘I think he just wants to be a bit too keen in them… let’s just see how he goes first up with the option of putting them on’.
“The way he won I don’t think he needs them. He’s there for you, his turn of foot’s electric, he looks a pretty smart horse.”
When asked about the spring goals for Growing Empire, Zahra responded quickly, “Win a Coolmore would be nice.”
Growing Empire is the $5 favourite with horse racing bookmakers in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes futures market.
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