Point Barrow has upset Australia’s best sprinters to take out the first feature race on Stakes Day at Flemington.
The four-year-old ($19) upstaged Everest star Tempted and five-time Group 1 winner Joliestar to claim the $3 million Champions Sprint on Saturday.
Mark Zahra steered the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained mare to her first Group 1 win, beating Plaintiff and Sky Bird in a blanket finish.
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“I had good confidence coming into the race, albeit with Tempted obviously in the field,” Sam Freedman said.
“But she’s been a bloody good mare for a while and it’s been a long time coming, so I’m glad she’s got the win at the top level.”
It was the third time Zahra has won the sprint race after previous triumphs with Giga Kick in 2025 and Santa Ana Lane in 2018.
The star jockey said he didn’t like the ground out wide so went back to the inside after following Tempted, who ended Hong Kong star Ka Ying Rising’s 21-race winning streak in the Everest.
“She’s got such a good turn of foot I was able to just part the seas,” Zahra said.
“She was in for a fight late, they were all coming at each other and she dug in.
“I always say the fresh horse on the scene that hasn’t been to the Everest, they’re always the ones to beat, and she got the chips.”
There was no such drama for Autumn Glow in the Champions Mile with the Chris Waller-trained superstar comfortably winning.
Autumn Glow jumped a $1.20 favourite and had way too much class for the eight-horse field.
Lindermann and Buckaroo completed the top three to give Waller the trifecta.
More to come …
