Ancestry is unbeaten at The Valley
By Ben Caluzzi
There are few sights in racing that are more stunning than a front-running sprinter who can break the hearts of their opposition without being let off the bridle, and that is exactly what the Phillip Stokes trained Ancestry has done each time he has visited The Valley.
Lightning reactions out of the gates, a high cruising speed that looks effortless in motion, and the ability to rail tight turns like a greyhound, Ancestry was born to run at The Valley, and it is of no surprise that he is unbeaten here from three starts.
With an astounding career record that has seen him victorious in 9 of his 18 starts (50%-win strike-rate) and prizemoney now exceeding $500,000, Ancestry is certain to be one of the highlight horses this Spring. Trainer Phillip Stokes has earmarked a campaign that could well centre around The Valley, starting this Saturday in the Listed Long Fine Hospitality Supplies Carlyon Stakes over 1000m.
“The Moir (is the target.) His preparation will be based around all his races at The Valley,” Stokes said during the week.
While Stokes has had Ancestry for most of his career, it may come as some surprise that the horse started his career off with David Hayes in 2018. In his first start as a two-year-old he showed that blistering gate speed we’ve come well accustomed to, but weakened to finish fifth, while at start two he raced greenly and wobbled off the turn to finish last in the Clockwise Classic at Ballarat.
Ancestry was then gelded and spelled for over a year, before prominent owner Wylie Dalziel decided to send him to Phillip Stokes, who had recently opened his second training complex at Pakenham.
In his first preparation under new care, Ancestry won three out of his first five races, all in dominant fashion, but it wasn’t until his third win on Alister Clark Stakes Night in 2020 that Stokes realised he had a potential Group class sprinter on his hands.
“It wasn’t straightaway. We thought he was very quick, but it probably wasn’t until that Valley win that we realised we had a serious horse.”
Taking up his prominent role in the lead, he sped away from the field to record an easy three-length win. He then went on to win five of his next six starts all in similar fashion, with his only blemish coming on the one occasion he didn’t lead.
It is that terrific, free-rolling racing style that makes Ancestry such a likeable horse. From start to finish he does everything right in the race. He jumps, he leads, he sustains a good gallop, and rather than being dictated to, he is the one calling the shots up in front.
“Probably his best attribute is his speed and his ability to get horses off the bit,” Stokes said, which has been evident in all nine of his career wins to date.
It would appear to the eye that Ancestry has terrific late acceleration and wins his races in the final 200 metres, when in fact it is quite the opposite. He’s not gaining speed at the end of a race; his opposition are simply depleted and are slowing down at a much faster rate of knots than he is.
Much like Nature Strip when he was going through the grades, Ancestry can take horses out of their comfort zone throughout a race and leave them for dust when the exertion becomes too much. Although reaching the heights of the world’s best rated sprinter remains doubtful, it is a likeable comparison given he will follow a similar path to the 2019 Moir Stakes champion.
Ancestry is yet to win a Group class race, but his last two victories at The Valley, one on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day and the other on All-Star Mile Day, have undoubtedly put his name up in lights to contest more of the features this Spring should he return in good order on Saturday.
“There’s still some left in the tank, but he had a nice trial at Cranbourne. He’ll go there (to The Valley on Saturday) fit enough if he’s good enough.”
And after drawing barrier nine, Ancestry is all but certain to take up his favoured position in front, but he won’t have it all his own way, with plenty of speed in the race.
“I’d imagine so (he will lead.) He’s very fast out of the machine. Not many horses have crossed him, Jungle Edge couldn’t cross him so that’s how quick he is.”
Ancestry will carry the topweight of 58kg on Saturday, with jockey Michael Poy hoping to win his sixth race on the horse from just nine starts.
Ancestry could also be targeting two more 1000m races at The Valley this prep, with the Group 2 Mitty’s McEwen Stakes on September 4 and the Group 1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes on September 24 both favourable options.