PERRY CHASING CHAMPAGNE NO 2 NEARLY A DECADE APART

PAUL Perry isn’t looking back!

Nonetheless the legendary Newcastle trainer has the “Choisir connection” on side to hopefully hoist him back into the Group 1 winning list at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Perry has booked Hong Kong-bound Melbourne jockey Ethan Brown for bargain buy Don’t Look Back in the $1m Champagne Stakes (1600m).

The final Sydney two-year-old Group 1 race of the season in fact provided him with his last major success; The Mission ($9) in 2017 after the colt established a clear lead in the middle stages and easily defeated odds-on favorite Invader.

Coincidentally, The Mission was sired by Choisir, the hulking colt Perry took to international stardom by carrying off the Royal Ascot sprint double in 2003.

As with Don’t Look Back, The Mission was ridden by another gun Melbourne jockey Damian Lane.

The lightly-raced Don’t Look Back, a “veteran” of only four starts, wasn’t sired by the now deceased chestnut – but the connection is still there.

Don’t Look Back’s dam Sodalicious is a daughter of Choisir’s son Starspangledbanner, who also starred at Royal Ascot, winning the 2010 Group 1 Golden Jubilee (1200m) when ridden by Choisir’s jockey Johnny Murtagh.

Whilst Perry didn’t have to pay a huge amount ($32,500) to buy The Mission as a Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling, Don’t Look Back was even cheaper.

He fetched only $6500 online through Inglis Digital in May last year.

“I liked the look of him, and of course I knew his dam was by Choisir,” Perry said.

“Don’t Look Back ran really well at his first start in town last week, and deserves a crack at the Champagne.”

Perry was referring to the colt’s sterling third to Champagne rivals Diameter and Salann in the Listed Fernhill Mile at Royal Randwick last Saturday.

Don’t Look Back’s four starts, which include a debut Gosford Maiden Plate (1100m) victory on March 14, have already yielded just over $45,000; well in advance of his purchase price.

Whereas Perry has Ethan Brown on board for his colt, Hawkesbury trainer Jack Pilkington also has looked south of the border to book last year’s Caulfield-Melbourne Cups double heroine Jamie Melham for his youngster Am I Dreaming in the Champagne.

The Trapeze Artist colt, like Don’t Look Back, made a winning debut at the provincials, scoring at his home track on March 26, defeating older horses in a 1300m Provincial Maiden Handicap.

Am I Dreaming is backing up for a third consecutive Saturday at Royal Randwick after a luckless fourth (not far behind Don’t Look Back) in last week’s Fernhill Mile.

“It might seem an unorthodox preparation to some, but that’s not the case with four runs in 30 days,” Pilkington said today.

“Am I Dreaming beat inferior class first-up, then didn’t handle the heavy ground in the Group 1 Sires at Randwick a fortnight ago and Tommy Berry didn’t knock him around that day.

“He got clear running only 50m out from the finish of the Fernhill, and I feel would have won had he got out in time.

“Whereas a number of Champagne rivals have probably had their grand final, this is Am I Dreaming’s grand final.

“He is in great order, but unfortunately from where he is drawn (barrier 10 in a field of 13 with the rail out seven metres from the 1000m to winning post), the map looks horrendous.

“We’re going to need the leaders to go too hard.”

Pilkington hasn’t ruled out a later trip to Brisbane to tackle the $1m Group 1 JJ Atkins over the Champagne distance at Eagle Farm on June 13.  

“Depending on how Am I Dreaming performs on Saturday, he could have a little break and go up for that race,” he said.

“Otherwise he can have a longer break and come back for his three-year-old season.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, APRIL 16, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS