Source: The Australian, by Courtney Walsh. October 31, 2020
Star filly September Run has delivered a knockout blow to the colts in the prestigious Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Victoria Derby day.
The 1200m sprint for three-year-olds is renowned as a “stallion making race” given the top studs pursue colts who have succeeded in the race down the Flemington straight.
But none of the colts in the 2020 edition were a match for September Run, who was ridden perfectly by Craig Williams.
He slotted the filly in with cover, protecting her from the wind blowing at Flemington, before pulling September Run out and allowing her to stride away for a dominant victory.
It was Williams second winner for the day following an earlier triumph on Kemalpasa.
He praised trainer Chris Waller and September Run’s owners for showing patience with the filly, who is a daughter of Exceed and Excel from Pittsburgh Flyer.
She has now had nine starts for six wins. After a first up fifth at Randwick in August, September Run has now won three in succession at Flemington.
Craig Williams comes back to scale aboard September Run. Picture: Getty Images
“She has got an affinity with the straight,” Williams said.
“Credit to Chris Waller. They have a really good handle on her. Wow, she just won the best three-year-old sprint through the spring.
“If I got the first half right, we all know what sort of acceleration she has got, and she showed that today.”
Connections pocketed $900,000 for winning the Group 1, with September Run hitting the front at the 200m mark before winning by 1.75 lengths from Swats That.
Wild Ruler, which finished third, was the first colt home. Golden Slipper winner Farnan had been trialling well but failed to finish off the race when finishing 10th, beaten 8.75 lengths. Anders led but succumbed to the pressure, weakening to finish last, more than 15 lengths behind September Run.