Lilac Lifts Value with Carr Stakes Success

Blue-blooded Karaka graduate Lilac (Justify) added further value to her CV with a Group Three victory in Saturday’s A$250,000 Mostyncopper James H B Carr Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.

Lilac was a $300,000 purchase by Champion Thoroughbreds and Annabel Neasham Racing from Curraghmore’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2023. Her nine-start career has now produced three wins, three placings and A$374,975 in stakes.

But Lilac’s value extends far beyond that figure. She is by one of the world’s most in-demand stallions, Justify, while her dam Paulownia (Fastnet Rock) is a Group Two-placed full-sister to the Group One winner and sire Foxwedge. Another full-sibling, She’s A Fox (Fastnet Rock), was a Listed winner.

Lilac herself made an impact in the spring with two wins including the Listed Jim Moloney Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Since relocating to Sydney for the autumn, she has finished third in the Group Three Light Fingers Stakes (1200m), fourth in the Group One Surround Stakes (1400m) and third in the Group Three P J Bell Stakes (1200m). Saturday’s three-year-old fillies’ feature marked a deserved return to the winners’ circle.

Ridden by James McDonald for trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald, went straight to the lead and dominated the race from the front. She kicked clear at the home turn and had more up her sleeve when challenged in the straight, beating More Territories (Territories) by a long neck.

“She was good today,” McDonald said. “She’s been running against the best of the three-year-old fillies. This was a perfect race for her. She enjoys a gallop, and that’s what she did today. She’ll continue to get better as she gets older.”

Neasham was delighted with Lilac’s Group-race breakthrough.

“It’s so deserved,” she said. “She’s been brilliant all preparation and has run great races in the Light Fingers and the Surround behind those really good fillies.

“We’ll chat with Champion Thoroughbreds and Coolmore about our future plans with her. There’s a great team of owners in this filly, and there’s such a good programme available for four-year-old mares. There’ll be lots and lots of races for her like The Invitation (Group Two, 1400m). Onwards and upwards for her.”