Orange County Captures Group One

Dashing grey gelding Orange County sailed home to win the Group One MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield on Saturday, September 20th.

Producing a career best performance, Rockmount pretrainer and speller Orange County settled back in the field and charged home to down last year’s winner Bon Hoffa by two and a half lengths with Turffontein in third place.

Winning trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith said after the race that Orange County had broken a two-year Group One drought for the stable.

“It was fantastic for the horse to win this race, he’s just been so honest and a bit unlucky in his career,” he said.

“Lyrical Bid was the last one in the Myer Classic (in 2006); this horse deserves to win a race like this because of his honesty.

“It’s good to see that his ability has been vindicated by a victory like this.

“We planned to ride him back and get a run in the straight and let him sprint and Damien did that to the letter today.”

A $70,000 purchase for Brian Mayfield-Smith from the Mapperley Stud draft at the 2004 NZB Select Yearling Sale, Orange County has proven a gem for connections in winning nine races and placing eight times from 31 starts earning $766,375 in prizemoney.

Orange County is from the unplaced Kaapstad mare Saffie, whose dam Ingres is a full sister to Group Three winner Super Dude.