Gr.1 Blacktype For Benagil

We may not have cheered home a winner at Rosehill on Tuesday but we were proud of the efforts of both our horses - Benagil earning valuable Gr.1 black-type with her game second in the Vinery Stud Stakes whilst Coeur Volante was on the heels of the placegetters not having had much luck in the Gr.2 Emancipation Stakes.

Benagil boasts great form lines at the moment, recording a big win in the VOBIS Guineas with the runner-up from that race - Athanatos - proving too strong for his rivals in the VOBIS Gold Reef at his next outing.

And today she took on arguably the country's best filly Treasurethe Moment, showing great heart challening that odds on favourite in the run home before having to settle for second... with two lengths to the next horse home.

"I could not be more proud of her," Glen said.

"She ran out of her skin and it took a really good horse to beat her. I thought for 50m we were going to catch the winner but she was just too strong."

"But our girl gave it a really good shake. She is a high class filly who will win plenty of good races."

Glen has been impressed by the way in which Benagil has handled her trip away from home.

"She has got a good brain and she has settled really well up here. We will give her a few days and work out a plan for her, there are a few options."

Jockey Tim Clark was taken by Benagil's performance.

"She was terrific," he enthused.

"She helped me a lot - she settled really well, got into a good rhythm and went to sleep."

"When she strode up to the back of the favourite felt like the winner but Treasurethe Moment had too much for her late. It was a fantastic performance, she tried her guts out."

We are also proud in another way of the winner, she being a daughter of Ballymore's Gr.1 C.F Orr Stakes winner Alabama Express who has made such a terrific start to his stud career.

Coeur Volante (pictured, Racing Photos) was also brave in defeat, finishing fourth despite having no luck at a vital stage with the stewards reporting that she was "held up for clear running from the 400m until approaching the 200m."

"It was a very messy race for her," Glen said, "the race was over by the time she got out - they were off and gone."

race panned out for her but not with her effort, I am really happy with the way she is going; she is in a really good place at the moment."

"She ran well," jockey Jason Collett reported.

"She didn't have much room when we needed it but once she got out she really attacked the line."

A big day at Rosehill concluded with acceptances for Saturday's $2 million Gr.1 ATC Derby and we are delighted that Plymouth has drawn barrier 3 with Mark Zahra to again take the ride... bring it on!