Observer added the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington on Saturday, 28 February to his VRC Derby triumph, becoming just the fourth horse to complete the prestigious Derby-Guineas double.
Winner of the G1 VRC Derby at the same track last spring, the three-year-old settled third before angling to the inside in the straight under Ethan Brown. Striking the lead at the 200m, he held off Planet Red by a half-length, with Sixties a long neck away in third.
The victory was his second at G1 level and his fifth win from nine starts, alongside three placings. Now a Group winner from 1,400m to 2,500m, Observer has continued to progress this preparation for trainer Ciaron Maher, with the G1 Australian Cup among potential next targets.
Observer’s success propelled his sire Ghaiyyath to the top of the second-season sires’ prizemoney table in Australia. The champion son of Dubawi has sired 14 Australian winners this season for $3,816,298 in prizemoney, contributing to a global record of 81 winners of 144 races, including nine Stakes winners of 16 Black-Type events.
“Ghaiyyath is having a wonderful season and, knowing his profile, when his horses got to their three-year-old season they would be seen to full effect,” said Godolphin Australia racing and bloodstock manager Jason Walsh.
“That’s been proved by one of the great stallion influences in Dubawi.
“We are very committed to him and thankful to our team in the north for allowing the horse to come down for those seasons at stud, and we are reaping the benefits of that.
“I don’t think it’s lost on anyone that he’s a very exciting stallion prospect and this horse (Observer) will be in his own right, too.”
Commercial demand for Ghaiyyath continues to build, with yearlings selling to $375,000 at Karaka and a colt topping the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale at $625,000. He has 17 lots catalogued for the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale (1–3 March).
