“She makes it look so easy,” were the words of trainer Grahame Begg after Saturday’s A.R. Creswick Stakes at Flemington. He was of course referring to the strapping bay filly Passive Aggressive who’d just made it four wins from as many starts in winning the black type race. The daughter of noted “filly sire” Fastnet Rock had made a big impression with a 6 lengths maiden victory at Werribee in early May followed by a comfortable Class 1 win at Pakenham.
She brought her burgeoning reputation to Flemington on June 4th, and not surprisingly started $3.00 favourite in an 1100m dash down the straight course. She dashed clear at the 200m and easily held Dragonstone at bay to win by more than a length. If connections were even remotely disappointed that the Sydney horse had taken a little ground off her, they needn’t have been. Just one week later Dragonstone started favourite in the listed Bob Charley AO Stakes at Randwick, and came from well back to swamp a pretty slick field.
Despite that emphatic form endorsement, Passive Aggressive was shaded for favouritism in Saturday’s Creswick Stakes by the Clinton McDonald trained Star Patrol, winner of his previous three starts by impressive margins. The market proved accurate when the pair forged clear inside the 200m with Star Patrol wanting to lay in momentarily. Passive Aggressive let down as she has in all four starts and had the race in her keeping in a few strides.
“She races like a much more experienced horse,” said Grahame. “She bounds straight onto the bridle when the gates open but doesn’t want to overdo it. Jordan Childs is able to rate her as he wishes, which leaves her with a great kick.”
Passive Aggressive (Jordan Childs) was too strong for favourite Star Patrol in the Creswick Stakes - courtesy Racing Photos.
With $201,000 in the bank after four wins, Passive Aggressive is on the way to recouping the $500,000 she commanded at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Sale. Her purchaser was the astute owner/breeder Jonathan Munz who’s constantly on the lookout for race fillies with pedigrees that appease his strict criteria. Who could argue with his admiration of Fastnet Rock as a reliable producer of classy fillies. Jonathan was also aware that Passive Aggressive’s full sister Missrock, winner of $1.3 million in prize money had been purchased by UK interests for $2.3 million at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
“This filly was very immature when she came into the stable and it was obvious from the outset that patience would be the key with her,” said Grahame. “Jonathan is extremely patient with his horses. This filly was three and a half years old before she made her debut at Werribee. As a result she’s furnished into a really lovely filly around 15’2 or 15’3 hands with a powerful frame highlighted by a great shoulder. It’s hard to believe she has a summer coat in the middle of a Victorian winter. She’s just a picture of health.
“Unfortunately, her temperament doesn’t match her appearance. She’ll kick and bite at the drop of a hat. We’ve had to resort to using a muzzle when feeding, watering or rugging her. We’ve also placed a warning sign at her box to alert any unsuspecting passer-by of possible danger. I got some early training with mares of this type years ago when I looked after Emancipation for my father Neville. She was a temperamental girl in the stable, but all business on the race track. Passive Aggressive has got a long way to go to get close to Emancipation’s record but she’s away to a great start. Let’s not forget Sunline, winner of $11 million. She was a champion on the track but a monster in the stable.”
She can be cantankerous but what a thoroughbred specimen she is! With strapper Micaylah Toms after Saturday's win - courtesy Racing Photos.
Rather than turn the filly out completely during the bitterly cold months ahead, Grahame intends to keep her rugged and in light work at home with an occasional trip to the beach on the agenda. His plan is to give her a very light spring campaign - two or three runs at best before putting her away through the hottest months. “She’s going to be an imposing filly by next autumn,” said the experienced trainer. “There are some attractive races in Sydney in March and April of next year offering huge prize money. The possibility of some moisture in the ground at that time of year also appeals. This filly is very effective on a rain affected track.”
Grahame is one of several trainers to make the move to Cranbourne following the recent closure of the Caulfield training precinct. He has thirty boxes at his disposal, one of which has been occupied for the past couple of weeks by last year’s Caulfield Cup runner up Nonconformist. Following six weeks of pre-training the gelding is beginning the long trek towards another crack at the famous race. Grahame’s plan to start Nonconformist in races at this year’s Sydney autumn carnival had to be aborted when the horse came up with a niggling issue.
“As it turned out Sydney’s run of heavy tracks would have kept us away no matter what,” said Grahame. “We decided to put him away again which may have been a blessing in disguise. His problem corrected itself and there’s no doubt he’s a stronger horse now. We’ll look for a suitable weight for age race to kick him off in five or six weeks time.”
Grahame can't wait to have another crack at the Caulfield Cup. Here's last years runner up Nonconformist winning the Caulfield Foundation Cup last year - courtesy Racing Photos.
The multiple Group 1 winning trainer has a very healthy opinion of a three year old gelding called Cardinal Gem, a son of Choisir who rated many mentions this week as a dual Royal Ascot Gr 1 winner in 2003. Cardinal Gem is no Choisir but Grahame has warmed to him significantly in his current preparation. “He’s been a very slow maturer who’s won only one race to date and that was a maiden on the Ballarat Synthetic this time last year,” said Grahame. “He was unplaced in four city races following that win, but was within two lengths of the winner three times. This prep he’s run three cracking races at Flemington with no luck in two of them. Two runs back he was held up at a crucial time when second to Jimmy The Bear while last outing he was poleaxed in the straight before finishing fourth to the same horse. I think he’s a nice horse in the making.”
Sixty year old Grahame Begg was going to be a horse trainer from his teen years. He learned his craft under the tutelage of a dad who occupied a prominent spot in the Sydney training ranks for many years. Neville Begg finished second to the all conquering Tommy Smith in no less than nine trainer’s premierships. When Neville opted to accept a contract to train in Hong Kong in 1990, twenty nine year old Grahame was ready for the challenge. He made an early statement when he won the 1990 Doomben Cup (Fourex Cup) with Eye Of The Sky. Another thirteen Gr 1 wins have followed, complimented by sixteen Gr 2’s and thirteen at Gr 3 level. His tally of stakes winners is well over seventy.
Grahame learned his trade from a master. Here he is with father Neville Begg at Rosehill a few years ago - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Grahame surprised many friends and fellow trainers in 2014 when he made the decision to vacate his Randwick stables and take an immediate break from the only job he’d ever known. When the time came to regenerate his training career he opted for a Melbourne base. He was concerned when unable to secure stables at Flemington or Caulfield, but greatly relieved when Jonathan Munz came to the rescue. Jonathan offered Grahame the use of his state of the art training facilities at Mt Eliza where the trainer would spend five happy years. During his time at “Pinecliff” the trainer would forge a successful association with Jonathan which continues currently with Passive Aggressive.
Unless a young horse exhibits exceptional precocity Begg isn’t a trainer to chase huge two year old prize money. He made such an exception in 2018 with the natural runner Written By, who won six races from only eleven starts for more than $1.8 million. Written By’s Blue Diamond Stakes win was complemented by cracking fourths in the Golden Slipper and the Coolmore Stud Stakes. Grahame prefers to develop the talents of slow maturing horses. His talents in this area have yielded the following impressive list of Group 1 winners - Whisked (Thousand Guineas), Telesto (George Ryder and Chipping Norton Stakes), Fraternity (Spring Champion Stakes), Bonanova (Emirates Stakes), Mahaya (AJC Oaks), Monopolise (two Hong Kong International Bowls), Ilovethiscity (Randwick Guineas), Secret Admirer (Epsom and Flight Stakes), and All Silent (Emirates Stakes and Patinack Farm Stakes).
It was his dual Flemington Gr 1 success with All Silent that sold Grahame on Melbourne racing. He loved the atmosphere, the history, the tracks and the availability of the right races for all types of horses. It’s been a while since Group 1 success has come his way, but he’s hoping to sample that unique feeling again before the year is out. Suffice to say Nonconformist and Passive Aggressive have put a spring in his step. He’s given both horses all the time they’ve needed. Time will tell if the trademark Begg patience will reap its rewards.
Grahame knew Written By was a ready made 2yo. He won four early races with the colt including the 2018 Blue Diamond Stakes - courtesy Racing Photos.
(Banner image - Passive Aggressive made it four on the trot in Saturday's A.R. Creswick Stakes at Caulfield - courtesy Racing Photos.)