Most horse trainers agree there’s nothing more satisfying than having a long range plan come off without a hitch. There’s little doubt Chris Waller would have been quietly chuffed when Aeliana destroyed the opposition in the Australian Derby rather than tackle her own sex in Saturday’s Oaks. This time last year Les Bridge raised a few eyebrows when he elected to run Celestial Legend in the Doncaster Mile rather than follow the traditional path to the Rosehill Guineas. The veteran trainer’s judgement was vindicated when the Dundeel colt produced a whirlwind finish to beat older horses. Five years ago, the now retired trainer Wendy Roche gained the last laugh when her quirky mare Nettoyer came from last to win the Doncaster. Despite an undercurrent of scepticism in the industry Wendy hadn’t shifted from her viewpoint that the daughter of Sebring was up to the task. How right she was.
Spicy Lu’s bold front running win in Saturday’s Fernhill Mile didn’t generate quite the same hype as a Derby or Doncaster triumph, but it was a stakes race nevertheless on day 2 of The Championships. More importantly it was the culmination of an ambitious plan hatched several weeks ago by astute trainer Nick Olive. The Queanbeyan horseman displayed sound judgement in taking the filly from wins at Cowra and Albury straight to a black type race with a history dating back almost a century. Not only did Nick believe Spicy Lu would be competitive, but gave jockey Rachel King carte blanche to lead if nobody else was keen to do so.
The filly began only fairly but it was immediately obvious the lead was up for grabs. The globetrotting jockey allowed Spicy Lu to stride clear soon after the start, confident there would be no challengers at least for a while. To watch the youngster in the middle stages of the Fernhill Mile was a revelation. Here was a two year old filly thrown into a foreign environment on one of the biggest race days of the year, literally “hacking” in front with ears pricked. Seemingly enjoying her job, the long striding filly led them up the rise with plenty yet to offer. She lost her bearings for a few strides at the 200m and ducked out rather sharply as she’d done in both country wins, but Rachel King quickly corrected her course. Spicy Lu had almost two lengths to spare on the line from Tupakara with Lady Pankhurst third. Nick Olive’s very brave call had paid off in spades.
A great Bradley image taken from the infield - Spicy Lu (Rachel King) gapped the opposition in the Fernhill Mile - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
With two year old races as scarce as hen’s teeth in regional areas, Nick had no option but to run Spicy Lu against older horses when her racing career began on March 10th. The filly was unfazed by a two and a half float trip to Cowra where she contested a 1400m maiden against horses up to five years of age. Apprentice Coriah Keatings didn’t panic when caught three wide from a wide gate and simply concentrated on getting Spicy Lu into a nice rhythm. Despite making the hometurn awkwardly, the daughter of Tagaloa dropped her rivals effortlessly to win by two lengths from favourite Fireup.
Ten days later it was another lengthy road trip to Albury for a Cl 1 event against older rivals. Once again Spicy Lu began only fairly from the inside gate which afforded Keatings the opportunity to ride her conservatively in third place. She got across the heels of the two leaders on straightening where favourite Rose Aye quickly drew clear. Spicy Lu looked focused as she chased down Rose Aye to snatch victory on the line with third placegetter Sir Lunchalots six lengths away.
Nick Olive was already thinking this filly was looking more and more like a city prospect. He was the first to admit it was Racing And Sports form guru Simon Dinopolous who drew his attention to the Fernhill Mile twenty three days after the Albury race. “Simon agreed that a mile looked very much an ideal distance and predicted the race might fall away a little,” said the trainer. “She did really well after Albury and her work continued to suggest she was on an upward spiral. A special shout out to my apprentice Coriah Keatings who has done a power of work with this filly, but was very gracious in standing aside for Rachel King in this non claiming stakes race. Coriah couldn’t have been more delighted had she ridden the filly herself.”
Nick Olive with a diminutive Rachel King after a thrilling all the way win with Spicy Lu in the historic 2yo event - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The Spicy Lu story began when Nick attended the gargantuan 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. One yearling he’d earmarked for inspection was Lot 1033, a bay filly from the first crop of Tagaloa offered by the Vinery Stud on behalf of breeders the Esplin family. “I thought Tagaloa deserved a chance with his first crop,” said Olive. “He’s a son of the world renowned Lord Kanaloa and had been a really good racehorse with a win in the Blue Diamond, and a good fourth in Farnan’s Golden Slipper. Our filly’s dam All Salsa was by a Gr 1 winner in Charge Forward and had been a metropolitan winner herself for Ron Quinton. Most importantly she’d already left a couple of winners. Maybe buyers were starting to feel the pinch after more than a thousand lots had been sold, but we were delighted to pick up a lovely filly for $30,000. You could tell during inspections that she had a lovely temperament which remains intact to this day. She got slightly jumpy when we were saddling up but was completely unfazed in the pre-race parade.”
Spicy Lu - A $30,000 purchase at the 2024 Gold Coast Sale - she's a great granddaughter of Salsabil, winner of the 1,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and Irish Derby of 1990 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Following the sale Nick was delighted to put together a syndicate made up of good friends and old clients, making sure to retain a share himself. At a quick count an ownership group of around fourteen are enjoying a thrilling ride with a filly who seems to have it all ahead of her. Breeding buffs are already wondering if Spicy Lu might just be a “throwback” to her fourth dam Salsabil, one of Europe’s best performed fillies in the 1990’s.
The Irish bred daughter of iconic stallion Sadler’s Wells was raced by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid to win five times at Gr 1 level. At two she won the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp but returned a much stronger filly as a three year old. On resuming she won the Gr 3 Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury by a widening six lengths, a sound pointer to her prospects in upcoming classic races.
Salsabil won the historic 1000 Guineas followed by a five length romp in the Epsom Oaks. She then franked her outstanding form by becoming the first filly in ninety years to beat the colts in the Irish Derby. She returned as a four year old to win the Gr 1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp, a performance which propelled her to favouritism for the Arc De Triomphe. A wide barrier and a tough run saw her finish out of a place in one of the world’s greatest thoroughbred contests. Salsabil produced five foals before succumbing to cancer in 1996. Four of those foals were subsequent winners.
The outstanding mare was trained throughout her career by John Dunlop and ridden in all nine starts by Willie Carson. It’s drawing a very long bow to suggest that Spicy Lu bears a significant resemblance to Salsabil. Their coat colours are similar as are their prominent white blazes, with Salsabil’s slightly more dominant. It probably means nothing but will serve as great dinner party material. Provided the unbeaten filly is bouncing around over the next few days, Nick will give strong consideration to giving Spicy Lu her chance in Saturday’s Moet And Chandon Champagne Stakes. A win in that time honoured classic would revive memories of the deeds of her celebrated fourth dam.
Few days go by when Nick Olive doesn’t spare at least a passing thought for the mare who took him to racing’s dizziest heights. His once in a lifetime horse was the pony sized Single Gaze whose 35 starts yielded 5 wins, 12 placings and an impressive $2.3 million. To those who query her modest win tally, Nick quickly points out that she raced at the elite level for the second half of her career. Her date with destiny came in 2016 when she won the Gr 1 Vinery Stud Stakes with Kathy O’Hara in the saddle. Perhaps her finest moment came in the spring of 2017 when she beat all but Boom Time in the Caulfield Cup.
Single Gaze was also the centrepiece of Nick’s worst day at the races when involved in a horror fall at the top of the straight in the Australian Oaks at Randwick. The chestnut mare clipped heels, somersaulted and landed on top of the hapless Kathy O’Hara who sustained multiple injuries. Kathy’s family and friends were stunned when the tough-as-teak jockey was back riding in races in just over four months. It took Single Gaze a long time to regain her confidence, but she did strike a purple patch of form during the 2017 Brisbane winter carnival. She won the listed Tails Stakes, the Gr 2 P.J. O’Shea Stakes and was runner up in both the Hollindale Stakes and Brisbane Cup.
Memories of Single Gaze were rekindled on Saturday when Spicy Lu went past the post in the same colours - dark blue, red disc and armbands with a dark blue cap. Nick’s promising two year old filly is away to a good start with a black type win at just her third outing. He’s not expecting miracles, but he’ll be a very contented old trainer if Spicy Lu can one day join Single Gaze on the Gr 1 honour roll.
First leg of a major double for Rachel King on day 2 of The Championships. She later won the Sydney Cup on Arapaho - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - There's something about this filly! Here's Spicy Lu looking just as comfortable on the line as she did 800 metres from home - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)