Will Larkin doesn’t take offence to talk about Supercilious being a question mark at 1600 metres, but he figures the best mile race to put her to the test in is one with a Group 1 carrot at the end of it.
Hence, she will take her place in this Saturday’s $1.5 million Thousand Guineas at Caulfield.
Larkin and co-trainers Leon and Troy Corstens can take confidence from the fact Supercilious is by the only stallion in almost 50 years to sire the winners of both of the spring Group 1 Guineas in the same year.
She is by Yulong stallion Written Tycoon, who produced this year’s Caulfield Guineas winner Private Life.
Written Tycoon provided the winners of both Guineas in 2020, Ole Kirk and Odeum, which was the first time it had been done since Sovereign Edition fillies Surround and Savoir won both races in 1976.
“He’s a phenomenal stallion, Written Tycoon, he’s getting good horses over all distances, so we’ll chance our arm,” Larkin said.
“The 1600 is definitely a query, so we’re not going in there thinking that she’s just going to run it out (strongly), she’s still got to do it, but her sectionals were good last start.
“She’s earned herself a crack and whether she’ll be racing over that distance in time, probably not, but when you’re a three-year-old filly you’ve just got to give it a go.”
In addition to his Group 1 Guineas winners at Caulfield, Written Tycoon is the sire of this year’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) winner Southport Tycoon.
A $300,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase out of the Newgate draft, Supercilious is from the Snitzel mare Golconda, whose only two others to race are Marine One and Cannonball, both sons of Capitalist.
Marine One’s career highlight was a win in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m), while Cannonball won a Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1100m) at two and Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m), having also been placed in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m).
Golconda herself was a speedy two-year-old, precocious enough to win the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m), but her only other top-three finish in 10 starts was a third placing in the 2014 Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at her final racetrack appearance.
Golconda’s dam Eureka Jewel was also an Oaks placegetter, runner-up in the 1996 ATC Oaks (2400m), after wins in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1600m) and Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m).
Supercilious broke her maiden at her third start, over 1300m at Sandown in July, before a third placing in the Group 3 SA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) after which sights were set on spring.
After a luckless second in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) she had seven weeks off due to a minor setback but she has logged third placings in both the Crockett Stakes (1200m) and Springtime Stakes (1400m) at Listed level at her past two.
Supercilious started from the outside alley in those two most recent races but has drawn the inside barrier in Saturday’s 13-horse Guineas, which has buoyed Larkin’s confidence about her prospects this weekend.
“After her first-up run she had a set back and that put us on the back foot in terms of fitness, but she’s been using every run to get there,” Larkin said.
“Due to wide gates we’ve had to go back and take our medicine our past two but I think she’s an even better filly is she can settle closer.
“If we can get a soft run I think she’ll run it out.”
Jordan Childs will have his first ride aboard Supercilious in the Guineas, in which she is a $21 chance.
