For the fifth time in the last six years, China Horse Club and partners will take their place in the world’s richest two-year-old race after Holmes A Court secured his berth with a convincing display in Sunday’s AUD250,000 G3 Black Opal Stakes in Canberra (Australia).
The AUD5,000,000 G1 Golden Slipper remains the defining ‘stallion making’ race of the Australian thoroughbred industry. A holy grail the syndicate secured in 2021 with Stay Inside who they secured a controlling interest after his second career start.
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Holmes A Court is the second winner of the Black Opal Stakes for connections in the last three years after Barbaric accounted for his stablemate Bartley in 2022. The handsome colt was one of three winners for China Horse Club in 24 hours with successes also enjoyed by Kingdom Come (Britain) and Kimono (Australia).
Holmes A Court was a standout yearling in 2023 and is now a Golden Slipper contender
The performance of Holmes A Court was a partial balm for the high profile group who were proud but naturally disappointed when boom colt Militarize was denied in a photo finish a day earlier from making the AUD1,000,000 G1 Randwick Guineas his fourth G1 major.
“Holmes A Court is a real pro. You can ride him anywhere and he just wants to do the right thing the whole time, that is a vital quality in a high pressure event like the Golden Slipper,” said Mike Smith, China Horse Club’s Australian representative.
“He’s launched himself into the Golden Slipper off the back of the Black Opal. There is no race that challenges a juvenile pre-race more than the Slipper. Horses melt pre-race ever year under such intensity but he should handle the occasion and acquit himself well.”
Holmes A Court is the second stakes winning juvenile this season for the China Horse Club / Newgate Farm / Trilogy Racing syndicate with the gifted High Octane having accounted for the above mentioned Holmes A Court on debut in the AUD200,000 Listed Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings last month.
Militarize is also expected to be seen again on Golden Slipper Day. The star colt is a contender for most major events over the Sydney Autumn Carnival between 1600m – 2000m and will be entered for a trio of G1s for his next outing. Champion trainer Chris Waller will ultimately determine whether the G1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), G1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) or G1 Ranvet Stakes is the optimum option for his charge.
“It really was a game of inches here,” Smith said in his assessment of the Randwick Guineas result.
“Militarize has run well and with more speed on or possibly getting the first run on the winner and it may have been a different result. All three placegetters were very good.
“Chris remains happy with how Militarize’s preparation is progressing and we remain highly excited by what he will do over the autumn.