The $1million Listed ATC Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday provided a dress rehearsal for the $10million Group I ATC Golden Eagle (1500m) in two weeks time and saw an explosive return to form for last year’s G1 Flight Stakes winner Apocalyptic.
Trained by Michael Freedman, the four year-old daughter of Extreme Choice has loads of talent, but has struggled to find her best form since finishing second in last year’s G1 MRC Thousand Guineas following her Flight Stakes triumph.
Fitted with a lugging bit and visors after hanging out at her most recent start when fifth in the Group II ATC Sheraco Stakes, Apocalyptic raced straight and true up the straight for regular rider Tommy Berry.
She chimed in down the middle of the track with a determined charge to grab top class entires Skyhook and Beiwacht to win by a neck.
“She is back to her best today. It’s really satisfying because for the last six to twelve months, she has been going as well as she was twelve months ago at home, but on race day she has been doing a few things wrong,” said Michael Freedman.
“She’s been in a little bit of a mood and doing that hanging business up the straight, so we changed her gear around and put some visors on, a lugging bit on. It’s just great to see her back to what I know she’s capable of.”
Bred by Kate Nivison’s Etak Thoroughbreds, Apocalyptic was a $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Coolmore draft for MyRacehorse Pty Ltd/Michael Freedman Racing/Julian Blaxland Bloodstock and runs for a big syndicate of owners with Nivison also retaining a share.
She has the overall record of four wins and four placings from 10 starts with prizemoney topping $1.7m and the rich Golden Eagle looms large on the horizon.
“As long as she pulls up okay, I can’t see any reason why we wouldn’t have a crack at a race like that because she is one of the better horses I’ve ever had anything to do with,” Freedman said.
“It’s really, really satisfying because she has been going so well at home and just not executing on race day. I know how good she is when she’s right.”
Foaled and raised at Coolmore, Apocalyptic is the older sister of Group III winning 3YO colt Hidrix being the best of three winners from three foals to race from Shadow, an unraced Medaglia D’Oro (USA) grand-daughter of dual Group I winner Virage de Fortune, whose grand-dam is the great champion Emancipation.
Shadow was bred by Godolphin and on-sold for $140,000 to Mitchell Bloodstock at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when in foal to Harry Angel (IRE), so has proven to be an outstanding investment for Etak Thoroughbreds.
Shadow has a yearling filly by Pierro, but no foal this year after missing to Newgate Farm’s exceptional stallion Extreme Choice.
