When Passive Aggressive went off to Yarraman Park Stud last spring, trainer Grahame Begg was probably hoping he’d get to train some of her progeny down the track. He certainly wasn’t expecting to see the daughter of Fastnet Rock back in his Cranbourne stables a few months later. Her owner Jonathan Munz revised his plans when the mare failed to conceive after two coverings by legendary stallion, I Am Invincible.
Grahame was quietly chuffed to have the opportunity to give Passive Aggressive another preparation, and decided to follow a similar path to the one he adopted last year. The trainer elected to tackle last year’s Challenge Stakes without a barrier trial, and his judgement was vindicated when the strapping mare nosed out veteran Eduardo with Giga Kick third. This time around Grahame opted for a quiet barrier trial at Cranbourne in view of Passive Aggressive’s long absence from the racetrack. Jordan Childs, who’d ridden the mare in all eight previous starts, was given the job of shooting for a second Challenge Stakes.
With only seven runners in Saturday’s Gr 2 sprint, Childs wasn’t perturbed when his mount began a shade tardily. He immediately opted to ride the five year old conservatively with a view to using her trademark turn of foot from the top of the rise. It couldn’t have worked out better. He was happy to race three wide with cover behind How’s the Serenity with Aft Cabin locked away on his inside. Passive Aggressive was three lengths off leader Zapateo on topping the rise, with Aft Cabin still in traffic. When Childs released the brakes, the Victorian mare fairly exploded and put the race beyond doubt in a few strides. Godolphin pair Zapateo and Aft Cabin filled the placings, but all honours were with the winner.
Passive Aggressive exploded in the closing stages to beat Godolphin pair Zapateo and Aft Cabin in the Gr. 2 - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Passive Aggressive’s Challenge Stakes win last year immediately inspired connections to aim her for the Gr 1 T.J. Smith which was still four weeks away. “The timing was perfect,” said Grahame Begg. “She’s better on the fresh side and spacing her runs keeps that acceleration in reserve. There’s no doubt she likes a little bit of give in the track, but we struck a shocker in the T.J. Smith. It was a Heavy 9 and she raced well below her best finishing with the tailenders about eight lengths from the winner I Wish I Win. We made the decision to have a crack at another Gr 1 if she showed no ill effects.
“To all intents and purposes she came out of the Randwick race in pretty good shape, and gave us all the right signs over the next few weeks. We made the decision to head to Adelaide for the Gr 1 Robert Sangster Stakes which attracted a pretty smart field on a Soft 7 track. The mare enjoyed a nice run in fifth or sixth spot on the fence to the turn, where she was presented with a dream inside run. She looked a fleeting hope at the 200m but the spark was missing and she was a well beaten eighth on the line about five lengths behind Ruthless Dame. In hindsight she was telling us the T.J. Smith run on the H9 had taken a lot more out of her than we thought.”
Passive Aggressive wins the 2023 edition of The Challenge Stakes from veteran Eduardo - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Jonathan Munz abandoned hopes of winning a Gr 1 with the impeccably bred mare and made the decision to book her immediately to I Am Invincible. The figures were clearcut. She’d been a $500,000 purchase at the 2019 Inglis Easter Sale and had already won well in excess of that figure. With a listed and a Gr 2 win on her CV, Passive Aggressive was a valuable mare for her owner breeder. Saturday’s comeback win gave her a second Gr 2 and she’ll now get another crack at the elite level in the weeks ahead. It seems likely her next assignment will be The Galaxy at Rosehill on March 23rd. “I’d prefer a three week gap between runs but sometimes you have to play the cards you’re dealt,” said Begg “It’s a $1 million dollar race over 1100m with a guarantee of plenty of pace. She’ll do very little between now and then and will turn up a fresh mare on the day.”
Had C’Est Magique not been held up at a crucial stage in the Gr 3 Wenona Girl Quality she may have gone close to giving the trainer a winning double on his former home track. This half sister to Grahame’s Blue Diamond winner Written By travelled to Sydney with Passive Aggressive in the middle of February and has already more than covered expenses. A third to Semana in the Triscay Stakes and Saturday’s second to Tintookie have netted over $60,000 in prize money for the Neville Begg and Partners Syndicate. C’Est Magique carried the well known Begg family colours of black, white armbands and red cap - colours made prominent by such high profile horses as All Silent, Monopolise and more recently Written By.
Grahame with his Blue Diamond Stakes winner Written By - courtesy Racing Photos.
Grahame also made a late decision to send restricted class horse Ebony King to Sydney with his two talented mares. Another to carry the Begg family colours, this three time Victorian winner has had two runs since arriving for seconds at Canterbury and Warwick Farm. The Cranbourne trio are based for the duration of their stay with Grahame’s old friend John Thompson at Randwick, and are being looked after by Racing Manager Rohan Hughes and long time staff member Jack Lake.
With his Sydney representatives in good hands, Grahame elected to stay at Flemington where he saddled up four runners in sweltering conditions. The first of them De Bergerac finished a creditable third in the Cirka Plate, Rivaport was fourth in the Matron Stakes, So Glamorous finished well back after a tough run in the A.V. Kewney while stable headliner Magic Time ran a cracking race to finish sixth in the Gr 1 Newmarket. “She had no cover into a stiff headwind all the way but still looked a big hope at the 200m,” said Grahame. “She felt the pinch in the last little bit, but I was far from disappointed. It was her first run in almost four months. To finish just over two lengths from the winner in a hot sprint, was very pleasing. I’m not sure about her immediate mission but her autumn programme will be aimed at the All Aged Stakes on April 20th.”
Magic Time (Michael Dee) wins the Gr.1 Rupert Clarke Stakes last November. She'll be in Sydney for The Championships - courtesy Racing Photos.
Grahame Begg’s success rate with fillies and mares continues a legacy established by his father Neville many years ago. Whatever the secret, young Grahame obviously picked up on it during his long apprenticeship to a man who never won a Sydney trainer’s premiership but finished second to the all conquering Tommy Smith nine times. Grahame has already won a host of elite level races with mares like Whisked, Bonanova, Mahaya, and Secret Admirer. Magic Time won the Gr 1 Rupert Clarke Stakes last November and is threatening to win another one this season.
Grahame with Brenton Avdulla after Secret Admirer's brilliant win in the 2011 Epsom - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The replay of Saturday’s Challenge Stakes is worth checking. Passive Aggressive looked every bit a potential Gr 1 winner when she unleashed from the top of the rise. As an autumn five year old the mare is now a fully furnished and very powerful racing unit. Unfortunately, her cantankerous stable behaviour hasn’t stayed in step with her physical improvement. From her very first campaign Passive Aggressive has tested the patience of those around her. “She’s probably a little better, but you’ve got to watch her every second,” says Grahame. “She’ll kick or bite at the drop of a hat, and lunge at anybody who walks too close to her box. Fortunately she’s all business when the serious stuff begins.”
Passive Aggressive's commanding physique was in evidence this time last year. She's a mountain of power this time around - courtesy Racing Photos.
Grahame perfected the art of dealing with a difficult mare in his years as stable foreman for father Neville. He was the full time handler of brilliant grey mare Emancipation whose nineteen wins included six at Gr 1 level. He and Neville tended to turn a blind eye to Emancipation’s shortcomings as she reeled off win after win. It’s a safe bet he’ll let Passive Aggressive get away with a few bad habits if she keeps performing as she did on Saturday.
(Banner image - This mare can let down with the best of them. Passive Aggressive stormed down the outside to win her 2nd Challenge Stakes - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)