Peters Investments has dominated the Group 1 Railway Stakes with multiple winners since the turn of the century but Bob and Sandra Peters had to be content with their 8yo bred geldings Western Empire (Iffraaj) and Sentimental Hero (Al Maher) running minor placings behind Watch Me Rock on Saturday.
Nevertheless, the cerise and white silks can’t be discounted and they were seen to advantage completing a treble at the Group 1 meeting with the Michael Grantham-trained stablemates Westbound (Toronado), Noteworthy (Charm Spirit) and Cosmic Crusader (Maurice).
Instead of gaining a start from fourth emergency in the Railway, Cosmic Crusader went out an odds-on favourite in the LR Carbine Club Of WA Stakes (1400m) and won with something in hand from Aztec Ruler (Universal Ruler) and Asphalt (Maschino).
Winning jockey Clint Johnston-Porter returned to scale and was quick to blame himself for the NZ-bred gelding’s losses in the Asian Beau Stakes and Bob Peters Stakes earlier this month. “First-up, I could have dropped out and gone from there and second-up I don’t know what else I could have done but I went home knowing I didn’t get the job done.
“Cosmic Crusader should have been in the Railway today. It’s unfortunate and I know he would have been very hard to beat.”
There’s still another Group 1 to come at Ascot and bookmakers have Cosmic Crusader on the fourth line of markets at $7.50 for the Northerly Stakes (1800m) on December 6.
Cosmic Crusader (Photo / Western Racepix) is the 34th individual stakes winner by Maurice (Jpn) who was a multiple Group 1 winner in Japan and Hong Kong. His dam Cosmic Storm (Street Sense) won the G3 La Trice Classic (1800m) and second-dam Stormy Nova (Metal Storm) also foaled Superstorm (G1 VRC Cantala Stakes), Royal Command (LR WA Tatts Cup) and Mikimoto (LR Burgess Queen Stakes).
