Commands mare resumes in style

Triple G1-winning Commands mare Appearance resumed from a spell with a barnstorming win in the G2 Expressway Stakes over 1200m at Randwick, February 8.

After having her Spring campaign last year cut short by injury, the five-year-old left no one in doubt she is back to her best with a devastating win and is arguably now the best race mare in the country.

Appearance settled worse than midfield off a hot tempo set by Commands gelding Rain Affair. Peeled to the centre of the track by jockey Blake Shinn at the top of the straight, Appearance came with a withering run to win by a widening two lengths.

A homebred for Darley, Appearance is a daughter of city-winning Grand Lodge mare Disguise, also the dam of a Stakes-winning full sister to Appearance in Mascareri. Disguise has another daughter by Commands, the unraced two-year-old Commanding Secret, as well as a yearling filly by Domesday.

Appearance is one of nine G1 winners and 61 Stakes winners for Commands. With eight Stakes winners already this season, Commands appears on track to become the only stallion in Australia to record 10 or more Stakes winners in the past four racing seasons.

Commands will be represented by six yearlings at the Melbourne Premier yearling sale later this month and their pedigrees can be viewed by clicking here.