Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
The Listed TAB Trophy (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington has been a good race for emerging Kiwi-breds, and Opening Address(NZ) (So You Think) continued that trend in the A$175,000 feature on Tuesday.
Last year’s edition of the three-year-old race was won by Warmonger, who was having just the third start of his career. That son of War Decree went on to win the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) by 10 lengths in June, and he was also runner-up in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m).
Opening Address, meanwhile, was bred by Ben Kwok and races in the colours of part-owners Windsor Park Stud. The son of So You Think was a maiden winner in his second start in September, then stepped on to the black-type stage with a promising second in the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) on October 26.
Trainer Liam Howley had the option of taking a shot at the big time in the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) on Saturday, but he favoured a more patient approach and was rewarded with black-type success three days later.
Rider James McDonald had Opening Address stalking the leader up to the home turn, then pushed the button and went to the lead.
Challengers lined up across the track and briefly looked like they might swamp the favourite, but Opening Address changed gears in the final 200m and kicked away again. He still had three-quarters of a length up his sleeve when he reached the finish line.
“It was nice to get the phone call to ride this horse,” McDonald said. “He was either going to go to the Derby or this race, and I could ride him if he started here, so it worked out really well. Obviously we’ve got good connections with the Schick family and Windsor Park Stud, and I grew up right next door, so it’s nice to get a winner for them on such a big day.
“This horse is still learning his craft. He's probably a bit better than that. He's only scratching the surface. He just felt like he had plenty in the tank, and he was never going to get beaten from the 400m onwards. Even though they probably looked like they would come at him, he was holding them at bay.
“He's just got raw ability, and what he's doing now is just a bonus, because as a four-year-old, he'll come into his own.”
Opening Address has now had five starts for two wins, two placings and A$198,900 in stakes. He was bought for $160,000 by Liam Howley Racing, Andrew Williams Bloodstock and Bevan Smith Bloodstock at Karaka 2023.
“Just a really proud day, to be honest,” Howley said. “Proud of the team at home. They’ve done a super job.
“I thought his run in the Vase was enormous. He seemed to get forgotten out of it, because we didn't go to the Derby, but he freshened up really well and the team's done a super job with him. So I’m very proud.
“Just walking in today was pretty exciting, especially having J-Mac on. For my family and all the friends who have supported the journey, it's just exciting. The amount of messages this morning was unbelievable, so to get a win like that with a nice horse is pretty special.
“He’ll head straight to the paddock now. He's done. Five runs in, and we avoided the Derby – we wanted to look after him, and he's returned the favour, so off to the paddock and back for a big autumn hopefully.”
Opening Address is the first foal out of the Kingman mare Royal Welcome, who is a half-sister to the British stakes winners Haddaf and Lamar. Royal Welcome was bought by Kwok’s Lionrock Bloodstock for A$120,000 from the 2021 Inglis Sydney Broodmare Sale. “
