The win of high-class sprinting mare Spinning Hill in Saturday's Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley put her in an elite bracket - a mare winning an international Group One race as a seven-year-old.
In Australia, it hadn't been done since the fabled Tranquil Star won the W.S. Cox Plate at the same track in 1944. And even Hong Kong Mile heroine Sunline found it beyond her at that age last spring, although she did run second to Lonhro in the Yalumba Stakes (Gr 1) at Caulfield in October.
According to Darryl Sherer, editor of Thoroughbredinternet.com, the last females to win at the highest level in Europe beyond their fourth year include Only Royale (Yorkshire Oaks in 1994), Lochsong (Nunthorpe Stakes) and Lavinia Fontana (Haydock Sprint Cup). 'Dahlia and Triptych won at Group One level as five-year-olds but the general trend is for fillies to be retired at the end of their three-year-old season,' Sherer said.
The Argentinian mare Paseana won the Santa Margarita Invitational (Gr 1) in California as a seven-year-old in 1994 and is the joint oldest winner of the Breeders' Cup Distaff (along with Bayakoa) as a six-year-old. Sherer has called for a re-think of the policy that tends to exist in Europe, where fillies are generally retired after two seasons of racing for no other reason than 'it's the thing to do'.
Another tilt at the Melbourne Cup remains unlikely for topweight Vinnie Roe despite his historic third successive win in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh over the weekend.
Vinnie Roe earned a special place in Irish racing history by winning the classic by a length as the 2-1 second favourite under the riding of Pat Smullen, who also handled the gelding when fourth to stablemate Media Puzzle at Flemington last November.
Dermot Weld is strongly favouring a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Vinnie Roe rather than the $4 million extravaganza on the first Tuesday in November. 'He is very adaptable ground-wise, but if it came up soft in Paris and put the emphasis on stamina and courage, he would have a real chance in the Arc,' Weld said.
