Impressive Racing partners Darren McAuliffe and Kevin Berry drew first blood at the launch of Ascot’s 2yo racing season on Saturday.
They produced Albirex to win the MC Equine Surfaces Initial Plate (1000m) and the normally reserved McAuliffe didn’t hold back when asked about the readymade youngster by Universal Ruler. “He’s all class and knows exactly what’s he’s doing. It’s freaky. He’s only slight but is a cool dude and is a real professional.”
Albirex (Photo / Western Racepix) had won a Lark Hill 400m trial on Monday and he backed up to score a three-quarter length victory over Malastar (Tiger Of Malay) and All That Class (Aysar).
“He took a run between horses to cut them down and you can’t teach that,” McAuliffe declared. “I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve never had one like him.
“He conserves energy and does things the right way. You rarely have to show him anything twice. There’s no sign of shin-soreness, either. He’s a homebred and didn’t have a yearling prep and he’s the first winning foal off our new farm.”
Winning jockey Lucy Fiore was very impressed with Albirex. “He’s a ripper and I struggled to pull him up after that barrier trial on Monday. The speed was on today and he relaxed. He has a lovely action and put them away after taking that gap.”
His sire Universal Ruler stands at Scenic Lodge and McAuliffe prepared him to defeat subsequent Australian Horse Of The Year Scenic Blast as an autumn 2yo in the 2007 edition of the LR Perth Stakes. Since retiring to stud, there’s been a conveyor belt of McAuliffe-trained winners led by Velvet King (G3 Belmont Sprint) and Rebel King (LR Bolton Sprint) who both banked more than $900,000 in prizemoney.
Albirex is the first foal of Belmont winner Niigata (Reset) and the mare has a yearling colt by Awesome Rock and a colt on the ground by Gingerbread Man. Impressive Racing bought Niigata for a rock-bottom $500 at the 2016 Magic Millions Perth Winter Sale. Second-dam Shibata (Testa Rossa) is a full-sister to Deledio (LR SAJC Hill Smith Stakes) and a half-sister to Kidnapped (G1 SAJC Derby), Hauraki (G1 ATC Epsom Hcp) and Academus (G2 West Australian Guineas).
