It’s Somewhat triumphant in G1 Doncaster

A perfect plan, perfectly executed gave It’s Somewhat an all-the-way victory and Godolphin its fourth Australian G1 win of the season in the Doncaster Mile at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer John O’Shea and jockey Zac Purton decided that to be in front and against the fence was the prime position on the heavy track and It’s Somewhat did the rest, cruising over the 1600m at a pace that had the race won 300m from home.

“We decided we had to ride the race according to how the track was playing and Zac pulled out a perfect ride,” O’Shea said.

“It was a tremendous team effort by everyone at home and everyone here on the day.”

It’s Somewhat scored by a half-length from Happy Clapper with Sense Of Occasion a distant third.

A moderately performed middle-distance runner in England where he won two races for trainer Mark Johnston and finished third in the G1 Eclipse Stakes, It’s Somewhat has developed into one of O’Shea’s more reliable performers in the two years he has been in Australia.

The son of Dynaformer won his first start for his new stable, the G3 Liverpool City Cup in February 2015, and has since won a further two G3 races and two G2 events before Saturday’s G1 breakthrough.

“He came to us in great order and has really performed well under Australian conditions,” O’Shea said.

It’s Somewhat gave O’Shea his third win in the race regarded as Australia’s premier mile handicap, the first two having come before he joined Godolphin with Private Steer and Racing To Win.

For the Hong Kong-based Purton, it was his second win in the race and one that gave him special satisfaction.

“Luckily enough, the boys prepared the horse really well for me and he’s done the rest. It was a good tough effort,” he said.

“To win a Group One in these colours for Godolphin is a huge thrill.”

Purton said the pattern of racing had become clear in the eight races preceding the Doncaster on the Randwick card, making his decision to set the pace an easy one.

“It’s been hard to make up ground today, most of the winners have been up there on the speed,” Purton said.

“I thought I had them covered at the 300, he really didn’t give them a chance to run him down.”

The jockey also did his homework on It’s Somewhat, studying his style of racing and concluding that he would be best suited in front. 

“I went back and looked at his race when he won here over 2000m and I really liked the way he used his action,” he said.

“John said to me earlier in the day ‘do you want to be positive’ and I said ‘yes’.

“The plan wasn’t necessarily to lead but I got there comfortably and I just let him bowl along so it worked out well.”

Of Godolphin’s other two Doncaster runners, Hauraki performed best, finishing fifth under his topweight.

The victory took O’Shea’s G1 tally for Godolphin to 10, with his other top-level winners this season Hartnell in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, Hauraki in the Epsom at Randwick and Astern in the Golden Rose at Rosehill.

O’Shea said Its Somewhat would continue his preparation in Queensland during the Winter with the G2 Hollindale Cup at the Gold Coast and the G1 Doomben Cup his targets.