Confucious Flyer breaks track record
Confucious Flyer looks likely to be the next local star sprinter after destroying the Morphettville Parks track record on Saturday at Champions Stakes Day at Morphettville.
The four-year-old gelding was outstanding down the straight after jockey Noel Callow released Confucious Flyer against the field, winning the Beyond Bank Handicap (1000m) by almost five lengths.
Even with a slow start, Confucious Flyer charged to the front of the field with Super Wonder, and jockey Jake Toeroek went for home on the turn, but Callow hadn’t yet released the Stuart Gower-trained sprinter.
After four winners last Saturday, the victory turned around Callow’s afternoon, after a number of placings earlier in the meeting.
“It’s amazing what a good horse can do to your day,” Callow, who had two seconds on Bohemian Angel in the Mimi’s Fast Fillies Handicap (1250m) and Inevitable Award in the Philip Bryant Memorial Handicap (2260m), said.
“I was having a shocker, and this horse, he’s a serious horse. I watched him and I thought he was good, I rode him and I thought he was good, but he was super today.
“The only chink in his armour is that he’s just a runner. I wanted to come back and sit off Super Wonder, and he said, ‘no, you’re not having that’.
“I wasn’t happy because we were going at a clip. It doesn’t matter how good you are, (normally) something will get over the top of you.
“I went for him, and I looked up at that big screen, and I said ‘how long has this been going on?’.”
Confucious Flyer powers clear under Noel Callow to stamp himself as South Australia’s latest sprint sensation. Picture: Makoto Kaneko
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A five-time Group 1 winning jockey, Callow has ridden winners across the globe, and he believes Confucious Flyer has star potential.
“He’s a star in the making. I rode against Nature Strip, and I hope he’s a Nature Strip, I’m not saying it yet – but he’s doing all the right things,” Callow said.
The victory came in 55.82 seconds, nine tenths quicker than the previous track record of 56.71 set by Star Hills in 2020.
Morphettville trainer Gower is keeping his expectations for Confucious Flyer subdued at this stage.
“He’s doing everything so easy, and he’s still so raw, he still doesn’t really know what he’s doing,” Gower said.
“He’s a promising horse; he’s going to go to the paddock tomorrow for three weeks then we will reassess and work out where we go in the autumn.”
Trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly were in complete control to open the nine-race card, with a quinella with Miss Parton and Hard Copy in the opener, the Sportsbet Green Tick Two-Year-Old Plate (1000m) before Kalmana saluted in the Sportsbet More Places Handicap (1400m) to give the father and daughter duo a milestone 500th win as a partnership that began in 2018.
“It’s a great milestone, I’m sure Chantelle will be back home, proud as punch,” Richard Jolly said.
“It’s good to have family involved, James (son) will be the next cab off the rank. Next season we’ll look to bring him on the side.”
