Jewel in the crown

Seven days earlier at Caulfield her three-quarter sister stole the show but at Flemington on September 7 Commanding Jewel proved she is also one of the best mares in the country, defeating a high-class field in the G2 Let’s Elope Stakes over 1400m.

A winner of the G1 Thousand Guineas in the Spring, Commanding Jewel was having her second run back from a spell. After settling midfield in the early stages, the four-year-old mare came with a withering run down the centre of the track to claim a half-length victory.

Bred by Greg Perry, Commanding Jewel is the second and tragically the last foal out of Zabeel mare Regard, whose only other foal is two-time G1 winner Atlantic Jewel. Commands has had an amazing affinity with Zabeel mares producing six Stakes horses from 32 runners including another G1-winning mare in Purple who won the G1 Queensland Oaks and the G1 Storm Queen Stakes.

Among Commands’ 57 Stakes winners are nine G1 winners including last season’s multiple G1 winners Appearance and Epaulette.

Commands is standing the current breeding season at Kelvinside at a fee of $55,000 inc. GST.