Australia debut: Going Global finishes 16th in Doncaster Mile

Making her first start in Australia, eight-time U.S. graded-stakes winner Going Global finished 16th in a field of 20 on Saturday in the Group 1, US$2,675,200 Doncaster Mile on heavy turf at Royal Randwick in Sydney.

Trained now by Chris Waller and ridden by Brenton Avdulla, the 6-year-old daughter of Ireland stallion Mehmas finished 13 1/4 lengths behind 5-year-old gelding Mr Brightside (5-1), the winning favorite.

Starting from post 4 in the race that went around one right turn, Going Global (30-1) ran in mid-pack throughout the race. She was as close as ninth with a quarter-mile to go before she faded.

Mr Brightside’s winning time was 1:38.76 for the race that actually covered 1,600 meters, 10 1/4 yards shorter than a mile.

Going Global carried 118 pounds under the Doncaster Mile’s handicap conditions. Mr Brightside was assigned 122. Six-year-old gelding Alligator Blood (15-1), who finished 15th, had the high weight of 127.

This was Going Global’s first race since she won the Goldikova Stakes (G2) on Oct. 29 at Santa Anita. At the time she was trained by Phil D’Amato for her then owners CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano.

In November, Going Global was sold for $2.5 million at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale. New owner Yu Long Investments moved her from California to Australia. Since she raced as a 2-year-old in her native Ireland, Going Global has raced in three countries on as many continents.

The Doncaster Mile was part of the first weekend of The Championships, two Saturdays of racing worth a total of US$14 million.