G2 Moonee Valley Cup Winner for Amicus
Winner of the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas in 2014, top class Fastnet Rock mare Amicus started her stud career in Ireland, but is now back in Australia for Coolmore and her Irish bred son Okita Soushi (7h Galileo x Amicus, by Fastnet Rock) landed his first stakes win on Friday night in Melbourne when taking out the $750,000 Group II MVRC Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m).
Ridden by Billy Egan for Ciaron Maher, the 7-year-old son of Galileo took charge before rounding the home turn and held on to defeat 2020 Epsom Derby winner Serpentine by a half-length.
An honest performer in Ireland, Joseph O'Brien brought Okita Soushi out to Australia last year for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups after finishing third in the Group III St Leger Trial at The Curragh having captured the valuable handicap Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at his previous start.
Okita Soushi was out of the placing sin the big Cups last year, but will now head for a second crack at the Melbourne Cup in winning form.
"He's just a classic stayer that wants twelve furlongs," assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said.
"Once you get him to that level and at a level of fitness, he excels. He showed that last start, and he's gone on and done it again today. He's in really good form.
"It's always been the long-term plan (the Melbourne Cup) when he came to us off the back of his last campaign in spring. It's really good and pleasing when things work out in terms of timing. We're very thankful for Rohit. He's given us the horse off the back of Joseph (O'Brien). It's all working out. It's fantastic."
Okita Soushi changed hands earlier this year when sold through Inglis Digital for $185,000 and has the overall record of five wins and six placings from 18 starts.
He is a full brother to Group III winner Chief Little Rock and is the second stakes-winner from Amicus, who comes from the family of champion sprinter and Group I sire Starspangledbanner.
Amicus is now back in Australia for Coolmore and has a yearling colt by Frankel and has foaled this spring producing a filly by St Mark's Basilica.