Photo: Western Racepix
New Zealand-breds filled three of the first four placings in Saturday’s A$1.5 million Tabtouch Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot, headed by tenacious and impressive winner Cosmic Crusader (Maurice).
Carrying on from highly successful spring carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne, where Group One victories were recorded by Kiwi-breds Mr Brightside, Globe, Ka Ying Rising, Ceolwulf (two) and Jimmysstar, Cosmic Crusader brought up the seventh Group One win for the (NZ) suffix in Australia this season and was backed up by third and fourth placegetters Western Empire and Osipenko.
The Northerly was the first appearance at Group One level for Cosmic Crusader, who had risen through Perth’s ranks with wins in five of his seven previous starts dating back to October of 2024. His only defeats during that period were third placings in the Gr.3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) on November 1 and the Gr.3 R J Peters Stakes (1500m) on November 15.
Those defeats meant the five-year-old was among the emergencies for the Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m) on November 22 and missed a start, but the emerging star confirmed his Northerly tilt with a dominant undercard victory in the Listed Carbine Club of WA Stakes (1400m).
Ridden again on Saturday by his usual partner Clint Johnston-Porter, Cosmic Crusader settled in eighth among a strung-out field before swooping around the outside and pouncing at the top of the straight.
Railway Stakes winner Watch Me Rock went with him, and the pair drew more than four lengths clear of the rest of the field to fight out a desperate battle to the finish. Watch Me Rock briefly looked like he had the upper hand, but Cosmic Crusader lifted again and held him out.
Racing in the cerise colours of his owner-breeder Bob Peters, Cosmic Crusader became the first Group One winner for trainer Michael Grantham and the second for Johnston-Porter.
“I thought I was the one getting in his way,” Johnston-Porter said, referring to the two defeats last month. “I always thought he was a good horse and I was so gutted when he when he won the Carbine Club and I thought he should have won the Railway that day. So for me to get it right today is pretty special.
“I just want to say my granddad passed away last night and it means a lot winning this. It really does.
“Bob and Michael support me so much, and to get the job done is quite special.
“I felt Watch Me Rock coming in the straight, but he just gritted his teeth. He just found something I didn’t know he had.”
Cosmic Crusader has now had 16 starts for eight wins, four placings and A$1.23 million in stakes.
“It's really good to see,” Peters said. “It makes you wonder what might have happened in the Railway, but that's the past and it's very good to win this race.
“He had an injury early on and I gave him 12 months off to get over it. I think that was the making of him, because, you know, he was a bit fine before, but he developed well and he's a big strong horse now.”
Cosmic Crusader is by Maurice out of the Street Sense mare Cosmic Storm, whose seven wins included the Group Three La Trice Classic (1800m) and three Listed races. Cosmic Storm is a half-sister to three stakes winners including the Gr.1 Cantala Stakes (1600m) winner Superstorm.
While in New Zealand, Cosmic Storm was served by Windsor Park Stud stallion Charm Spirit. The resulting filly foal was named Cosmic Spirit and is also trained by Grantham. She has had three starts for two wins and a third.
