In well over 100 years of racing at Randwick no horse has ever run the 1300m distance faster than that achieved by Snitzel colt Dracarys this past Saturday, stopping the clock in 1:14.76, the first horse ever to break 1:15 for the distance. He did this in the Group 3 Up and Coming Stakes, despite the early pace being significantly slower than that of the older mares in a Group 3 later on the card, and as such stamped himself as an elite three-year-old.
A $1,000,000 yearling purchase for James Harron Bloodstock at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale, Dracarys has been a horse who has improved with each race and this first stakes win puts him on the path towards the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill in September. He is now one of four stakes winners from the second crop of the JHB Colts, each of whom races in the green and gold silks, the others being Pariah, Gunnison and Khan.
Dracarys is the first foal of the very good racemare Nocturnelle, twice a winner at Listed level in the Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle and the Angst Stakes at Rosehill. She is in turn out of another very fast mare, Group 3 winner Dama de Noche, a daughter of the great stallion Snippets.
Congratulations go to his owners Belinda Bateman, Phil & Glenda Mehrten, Fergus & Delia Doyle, Donna & Rob Love, John & Fran Ingham, Gary Diamond, Steve & Louise Gillard and Danny & Pauline Saab. Once again the whole team at Snowden Racing have done a superb job in bringing this impressive colt closer to his peak and plaudits also very much belong with young apprentice Andrew Adkins who gave Dracarys an outstanding ride to bring home the win.