The flying Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained American-bred mare Con Te Partiro completed a Group 1 double on Day 2 of The Championships, the Coolmore Classic winner taking out the 2020 Coolmore Legacy Stakes in runaway fashion.

Con Te Partiro was dominant winning the 2020 Coolmore Legacy Stakes on Day 2 of The Championships in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.

Continuing an outstanding Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival for the Waterhouse-Bott partnership, Scat Daddy mare Con Te Partiro posted her second elite level since coming back to racing after a failed stint in the breeding barn.

She produced a powerhouse performance in the $500,000 Coolmore Legacy Stakes (1600m) on the quick back-up on Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day.

Having failed to get into foal, connections made the decision to bring the six-year-old back to the track and reaped the rewards of that in mid-March when she thrived on a Heavy (9) track at Rosehill to win the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at a blowout price.

Last Saturday she was good again in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) showing a nice late turn of foot when a close sixth only 2.4 lengths off the upset winner Nettoyer.

Returning to the same track and distance seven days apart, Con Te Partiro was able to turn the tables on the Doncaster winning mare in the Coolmore Legacy Stakes results.

“She’s just been a great frame of mind since she came back this time in, she’s been much better to deal with this campaign, she just needed that time to acclimatise,” co-trainer Bott said told Sky Racing post-win.

We saw today she just wanted to be there, she’s a happy mare, she’s putting herself right in the race, she travelled beautifully.”

“This was always the plan to come here off the back of the Doncaster, she had a nice week and it’s been executed well.

“I’m just glad we were able to reward her and the owners who have been able to give us a chance with her and she’s obviously a very valuable mare for them.

“She was always bought as a breeding prospect first and foremost so anything she was going to be able to do on the track was a bonus, so we tried to do what we could in the limited time we had with her.

“It’s worked out well that we’ve now been able to have a proper campaign off a good break and being able to achieve those two Group 1s for her.

“I imagine she’ll need that time to let down to become a broodmare this season, so whether that’s her last run or not  we’ll see, but if it is at least she’s gone out in style.”

Ridden by Tim Clark once more, she relished the Heavy going and showed great speed when zipping away to defeat the well-backed filly Funstar to the line and hand her hoop with his 15^th career Group 1 win.

“It’s probably taken a bit of time to work her out but seem to have found the key to her now,” Clark said.

“She’s had a great preparation. She ran well last week but coming here on the back up wouldn’t hurt her and she is always the strongest horse late. I knew she would run into it strongly and really pleased with her.  

“I’m sure Gai and Adrian will be pleading with the owners to give her another prep but at the end of the day she has done her job if she does happen to go to the breeding barn.  

“She has been a tricky mare but everyone on the team has done a good job. It’s a good team to be a part of and the horses are running really well. Everyone deserves plenty of credit.”  

Clark had the eventual winner settled fourth as Amangiri went up to lead from Positive Peace in the race formerly registered as the Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

Once on the straight, Con Te Partiro was quickly on the scene storming to the front and beating off the pacemakers before charging home to hand co-trainer Waterhouse with her record ninth win in the event.

Group 1 winning filly Funstar was not without her chances going into a clear second for trainer Chris Waller as the beaten short-priced favourite, while the fellow Waller-trained Danzdanzdance rounded out the trifecta in third.

It was the first win for Waterhouse in partnership with her former racing manager Bott and the maiden victory for Sydney’s leading lady of racing in the event since Amanpour in 2014.

The Coolmore Legacy – Queen Of The Turf double meanwhile hadn’t been completed in the same year since Appearance for the late Guy Walter back in 2013.

2020 Coolmore Legacy Stakes Results