‘That’s life’ – Land Legend causes Sheza Alibi boilover

For the second year in a row, the Might And Power Stakes has delivered a shock upset result with the 2000m test this time bringing star mare Sheza Alibi undone.

The graveyard Caulfield Group 1 was turned on its head when the Ciaron Maher-trained Land Legend and jockey Ethan Brown employed daring front-running tactics to cause the boilover.

Officially, Land Legend started at $61 in his short-head victory over Sheza Alibi ($1.40) but was available at much bigger odds.

Birdman was a length and a quarter away in third.

Sheza Alibi’s co-trainer Peter Moody was gracious in defeat and hoped to press on as planned to the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick on October 31.

“As long as his (Land Legend’s) arse points towards the ground he’ll never beat her again, but he’s had his day in the sun,” Moody said. 

“That’s life and we’ll bounce back and fight another day. It was a tough run race and all honours to the winner. We weren’t good enough on the day.

“We followed Birdman and unfortunately, he went terrible. We were going to use him to drag us into the race but that didn’t pan out. But that’s life.”

Jockey Luke Nolen, who attempted to track Birdman into the race as Land Legend opened up a break on the rest of the field, echoed Moody’s comments.

“For a race of no speed we found a bit. I came back to follow Birdman, she was good and solid through the line,” the jockey said.

“She’s ticked that 2000-metre box, just hopefully the run hasn’t taken too much of a toll for the race in three weeks, but I was very proud of her today.”

Last year, Hedged and jockey Blake Shinn upstaged hot favourite Threasurethe Moment in the Might And Power and it was that race which was forefront of mind for Brown on Land Legend.

“I said to Ciaron and Jack (Turnbull, assistant trainer) that it had a bit of a Globe feel about it,” he said. 

“Globe won the race last year and he beat Treasurethe Moment at $1.20. Small field, blindfold off today and I think he was a bit sharper in the gates, especially stepping away.

“He’s a rock hard fit horse. He’s won over 2600 (metres) bowling along so I was happy to make it a staying test. It was all the horse. I was in the back seat for most of the race. 

“(It was a) masterclass training effort. I’m just pleased to get the job done. I’ve upset a few punters out there, I’m sure.”

Maher admitted he didn’t envisage a Group 1 win on Saturday, crediting his Ballarat stable for the turnaround in Land Legend’s form.

“He ran his best race for us on a firm deck at Flemington, I think it was, and we thought with a muddling tempo we would go forward. I said to Brownie to keep him happy as he has a lot of fights with a lot of riders in trackwork and on race day,” Maher said.

“I thought it was a race where they might leave him alone, but I didn’t know he was going to go that quick. He did look happy during the run. He had his ears pricked. He was going quick, but he looked like he was enjoying himself, and so did Brownie.

“I thought coming down the side he’ll have a kick. I’m just thrilled.” 

Meanwhile, star colt Warwoven added to his value as a stallion prospect by adding the Caulfield Guineas to his Golden Rose win.

Racing in the Ridgmont colours, Warwoven completed the Group 1 spring double for three-year-olds after a masterful ride from Rachel King.

Warwoven joins Ole Kirk (2020) and The Autumn Sun (2018) colts to have won both races.

The son of Sword Of State, who ran down a gallant Blind Raise in the Guineas, had one and three-quarter lengths to spare over the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained colt who maintained a strong gallop in the lead.

Dundeel colt Call Me Coach ran on from back in the field to finish third, three and three-quarter lengths away.

Warwoven’s trainer Bjorn Baker remained in Sydney, leading on-track duties to his racing manager Luke Hilton who became emotional after the race having watched his wife guide the valuable colt to a defining victory.

“The race probably didn’t pan out as we thought.  (But it was an) incredible ride, Rach,” Hilton said. 

“(She) had her wits about her. She knew what she had under her and when she hadn’t moved on him on the corner I thought he must be travelling well.

“He’s an outstanding colt. Bjorn has said for a long time that he could be one of those special horses that don’t come around too often. He’s proving him right so far.”

King added: “He leaves me speechless, this horse. He’s unbelievable.

“There were a few question marks today, we didn’t know how he’d handle going this way around and Caulfield’s not an easy track to come to first time Melbourne way, but he’s just got so much class and he was still arrogant again.

“I’ve certainly never sat on a horse like this and he’s pretty unbelievable.”

The Cox Plate could be next on the cards for Warwoven while it is also the likely progression for Blind Raise who lost few admirers.

Jamie Melham has already been booked to ride Blind Raise at 49.5kg in the Cox Plate, to be run at Flemington in a fortnight.

In Caulfield’s other Group 1, the Toorak Handicap, Lady Shenandoah shouldered 58kg topweight to break a long drought out of the winner’s stall.

The beneficiary of a brilliant and brave ride from James McDonald, Lady Shenandoah denied Lucy Yeomans a maiden Group 1 with Changing Colours beaten by a head.

Tyler Donaldson-Aitken, who will be selling two-year-olds at Thursday’s Inglis Ready2Race Sale, also went agonisingly close to a Group 1 with his Showtime gelding Welcometotheshow another short head away in third.

“It’s credit to a good horse and a good ride from James,” Lady Shenandoah’s trainer Chris Waller said.

“That was one of the best you will ever see with the big weight and for a mare, that’s massive. 

“And then the wide draw and to have a wall of horses in front of them turning for home. She’s a really good horse and I think that’s her fourth Group 1 and she’s done it in handicaps. Not many horses do that in handicaps after three Group 1s.”

McDonald was delighted to win on the Snitzel mare for her owners Arrowfield and Hermitage.

“She hadn’t won for a while and I keep saying to everyone that it’s not that she doesn’t try, she’s got great tenacity, but she just hasn’t had much luck and she’s raced against the best horses in the land,” the jockey said.

“For her to win like that, she aimed up a needle eye gap, she just burst through. An incredible performance, really.”