Rachel King became the first woman to win the time-honoured Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes on Saturday, saluting aboard rough 18-1 chance Ozzmosis down the Flemington straight.
The 33-year-old punched clear to lead all the way in the 1200m feature, a dominant win aboard the Zoustar colt who was having his third run of the spring.
Out of the Bjorn Baker yard, King combined to win the Heritage Classic first-up at Rosehill, stepping up in class to tackle the Group 2 Roman Consul a fortnight later where the pair were within two lengths off King’s Gambit in third.
King, who had won four Group 1’s prior to Saturday, said after the race that it doesn’t get much better than winning a Coolmore.
“It’s definitely top of the tree, it’s unbelievable,” King told Racing.com.
“I love coming down here every year and I don’t often get as good a chance as him.”
Having drawn a nice soft gate, the pair always rated a genuine chance as the tempo setters with no real early speed on paper.
“He flew the gates like he does, but he just traveled. I couldn’t believe the way he was traveling,” King said when asked about the run.
“I sort of had to take a little second when I was getting toward the 300m and he was still on the bridle, I still felt I had so much horse there.”
Ozzmosis looked a little green at times in previous runs, but he seemed to dig deep when King asked something extra of him at the 100m mark.
Race-favourite Cylinder was no match in the finish despite finding a nice position midfield, while Golden Slipper winner Shinzo ran a much-improved race along the inside for third.
I Am Unstoppable again turned in another eye-catching effort for second, simply finding one better after going down narrowly to Stretan Angel the start prior in the Danehill Stakes three weeks ago.
The complete 2023 Coolmore Stud Stakes finishing order can be viewed here.
The post Rachel King, Ozzmosis Combine to Claim Group 1 Coolmore appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
