Two brilliant mares battled it out in an outstanding edition of the 2021 Futurity Stakes with the Jamie Richards-trained Kiwi Probabeel defeating the brave WA star Arcadia Queen at Caulfield ahead of their rematch in next month’s $5 million The All-Star Mile.
$5 million The All-Star Mile favourite Probabeel was excellent winning the 2021 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Matamata-based New Zealander Richards at just 31-years-old celebrated the incredible milestone of a 40th career Group 1 success with Savabeel four-year-old Probabeel rocketing home in the $500,000 Futurity Stakes (1400m) on Blue Diamond Stakes Day.
She was well-backed by the punters and didn’t disappoint, jockey Damian Lane guiding her to an excellent win out wide off a hot speed.
“To sit deep, in that quality of field and put them away pretty comfortably in the end was a terrific effort,” stable rep Brad Taylor told Racing Victoria post-race.
“She’s a grand, fit mare now and the whole team can be proud of her.”
Probabeel won the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick in the spring carrying a light 52.5kg weight to victory, and came off a lead-up win earlier in the month with 60kg on her back first-up at Caulfield in the Group 3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m).
She showed a terrific turn of foot that day and her late acceleration was superb again in the Futurity Stakes.
“A really good turn of foot. She showed that here first-up too. When she sprinted clear of them (today) it was a nice watch the last hundred,” Taylor added.
The Grant & Alana Williams-trained Pierro five-year-old Arcadia Queen lost no admirers first-up since her Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) win last November at Flemington.
She was huge fresh coming from last to second over the 1400m and will take improvement off that going up to 1600m for The All-Star Mile 2021 race at The Valley on March 13.
Rounding out the Futurity Stakes trifecta in a fast-finishing third at good odds was the Phillip Stokes-trained Mr Quickie, winner of the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at the track last October.
Beaten favourite was Behemoth who had the perfect run tucked away third the fence throughout before eventually running fourth.
He too is one of the Top 10 vote-getters confirmed a start in the 15-horse The All-Star Mile field along with both Probabeel and Arcadia Queen.
Probabeel dominates All-Star Mile betting at Ladbrokes.com.au in from $4.80 to $4 favouritism following the Futurity Stakes results.
Arcadia Queen is the firming $4.20 second elect (in from $5), while Behemoth has eased out from $6 to $8 after his Futurity loss.
Click here for the latest futures markets on The All-Star Mile 2021 courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2021 Futurity Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | PROBABEEL (NZ) | Jamie Richards | Damian Lane | 9 | 57kg | $3.50EF | |||
| 2 | 6 | ARCADIA QUEEN | Grant & Alana Williams | William Pike | 0.5L | 8 | 57kg | $4.60 | ||
| 3 | 3 | MR QUICKIE | Phillip Stokes | Ms Jamie Kah | 2.5L | 4 | 59kg | $17 | ||
| 4 | 1 | BEHEMOTH | David Jolly | Damien Oliver | 2.9L | 2 | 59kg | $3.50EF | ||
| 5 | 4 | SO SI BON | Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes | Luke Nolen | 3.65L | 5 | 59kg | $81 | ||
| 6 | 2 | STREETS OF AVALON | Shane Nichols | Zac Spain | 4.4L | 7 | 59kg | $12 | ||
| 7 | 5 | TOO CLOSE THE SUN | Lindsey Smith | Declan Bates | 6.4L | 3 | 59kg | $101 | ||
| 8 | 8 | OLE KIRK | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Kerrin McEvoy | 6.5L | 1 | 55.5kg | $8.50 | ||
| 9 | 10 | CROSSHAVEN | Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes | Daniel Stackhouse | 6.6L | 6 | 55.5kg | $18 | ||
| 9 | AMISH BOY | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Jye McNeil | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
