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26 for Snitzel
Arrowfield’s star-crossed multiple champion sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) was supplied with his 26th individual elite-level winner when the Chris Waller-trained Lazzura (4 m ex Laguna Azzurra by Heart’s Cry) landed Saturday’s Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m) at Rosehill. Bred by Arrowfield and Jungle Pocket, the mare was bought from the latter’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by B2B Thoroughbreds for $500,000 in 2023. Lazzura is out of the winning Japanese-bred mare Laguna Azzurra (Heart’s Cry), making her a half-sister to the Listed-placed winner Portorosa (Not A Single Doubt). Laguna Azzurra herself is a daughter of the three-time Listed winner Silky Lagoon (Brian’s Time), who also produced dual Grade 3 scorer Seewind (Deep Impact). Arrowfield will offer Lazzura’s sister at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The filly is catalogued as Lot 383. Snitzel died last year.
Second for Sword Of State
Snitzel’s legacy was felt in another race at Rosehill as the Bjorn Baker-trained Warwoven (2 c ex Needle And Thread by Makfi), a colt by his son Sword Of State, booked his ticket into next weekend’s Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) with a win in Saturday’s Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). The victory provided his Cambridge Stud-based first-season sire with his second individual stakes winner. Warwoven was bought by his trainer and owners Ridgmont, S and J Gosling and Jim Clarke for $380,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of his breeders Kia Ora Stud. The colt is out of the Group 2 winner Needle And Thread (Makfi) and she is out of the dual winner Fleece (Daylami), who is also the dam of the Listed winner and three-time Group 1 placegetter Savile Row (Makfi), who stands at Mapperley Stud in New Zealand. Twin Hills will offer the only progeny of Sword Of State at the upcoming Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale later this month. The colt is catalogued as Lot 322.
First for Prague
Breeders Kia Ora enjoyed a juvenile race double at Rosehill on Saturday as Pembrey (2 f Prague – Se Sauver by Bel Esprit) took out the Magic Night Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), providing the New South Wales-based operation’s resident stallion Prague (Redoute’s Choice) with his first individual stakes winner. Trained by Tony Gollan, the filly left the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale ring unsold after failing to make her $20,000 reserve during Book 2 of last year’s sale when offered by Vinery Stud. The filly is out of Group 2 scorer Se Sauver (Bel Esprit), making her a half-sister to the Listed-placed winner Amplify (Microphone). Se Sauver herself is a half-sister to South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Escado (Casino Prince).
Six for Exceedance
Vinery Stud’s resident stallion Exceedance (Exceed And Excel) sired his sixth individual stakes winner when the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Cristal Clear (4 g ex Cristal Eyes by All Too Hard) produced a stylish display in Saturday’s Ajax Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) at Rosehill. Having his first start back since his sixth-placed finish in November’s Big Dance (1600m), the four-year-old gelding defeated Group 1 winner Robusto (Churchill) by 0.2 lengths with another 0.5 lengths back to Enxuto (Lean Mean Machine) in third. Out of the Group 3-placed winning mare Cristal Eyes (All Too Hard), Cristal Clear is therefore a half-brother to Group 2 winner Sass Appeal (So You Think). Cristal Eyes herself is a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Flying Evelyn (Not A Single Doubt). Cristal Clear was bought by his owners Group One Thoroughbreds and his trainers for $50,000 at the Inglis Ready To Race Sale in 2023.
Doncaster aim for Cristal Clear
Following his Group 2 victory on Saturday, co-trainer Rob Archibald said Cristal Clear would now be prepared for the Doncaster Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick on April 4. “The Doncaster was our aim for this preparation, we thought we might have to go through the Doncaster Prelude,” said Archibald. “Full credit to Braith [Nock, winning rider] and our team at home, they’ve presented him in really good order today. I thought Braith rode him perfectly first-up. We said ‘just have him where he’s happy and see where he’s at’ and he was excellent.”
Group 2 score for Sixties
The Chris Waller-trained Sixties (3 c Flying Artie – Gracie’s Lass by Redoute’s Choice) is another set for a crack at the Doncaster after he got his career back on track when bouncing back from his last-start third in the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) with a win in Saturday’s Phar Lap Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) at Rosehill. The three-year-old colt finished strongly to defeat Federalist (I Am Invincible) by 0.7 lengths with a further 0.5 lengths back to Cellarmaster (Bivouac) in third. “Things didn’t really work out in the Australian Guineas, like today, he’s had bad draws and it just makes it harder. I think his best win was when we rode him quiet, but today, short price favourite, we’ve got three weeks into the Doncaster I thought ‘oh well we’ll try you up again on the speed,’” said Chris Waller, who has sent out nine of the last 12 winners of the Phar Lap Stakes. “Ideally in the Doncaster we’ll ride him more conservatively. He’s got to go to a new level in the Doncaster, but he’s very well weighted.”
Vauban defends his Sky High Stakes crown
Vauban (8 g Galiway – Waldfest by Hurricane Run) served a timely reminder of his talents on Saturday when claiming back-to-back victories in the Sky High Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) at Rosehill.
Less than 24 hours after his former trainer Willie Mullins and Rich and Susannah Ricci, who are still listed in the ownership of Vauban, capped a remarkable Cheltenham Festival with Gold Cup success courtesy of Gaelic Warrior (Maxios), the combination’s 2022 Triumph Hurdle winner showed he has plenty more to offer as he treads a path to a fourth Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) attempt.
Now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and racing in the Australian Bloodstock colours, the eight-year-old was making his first appearance since his sixth-placed finish in last November’s Flemington showpiece, where he was beaten 9.3 lengths.
Having taken a moment to gather himself at the top of the straight, Vauban soon challenged under Tim Clark, and asserted in the final half-furlong to score by a length from Soul Of Spain (Phoenix Of Spain). Just Fine (Sea The Stars) was another 0.9 lengths away in third, while favourite Wootton Verni (Wootton Bassett) had every chance but faded to finish fifth, beaten 4.6 lengths.
Bott praised the gelding’s durability after he secured the fourth Group win of his 30-start career. In winning for the second time in Australia, he became the first multiple winner of the Sky High Stakes.
“He is such a remarkable horse,” said Bott. “Australia has really got behind him and so has the ownership group. He’s been a great ride for them. He’s here on the back of a Melbourne Cup campaign and he looks as good as ever.
“I’m really proud of the horse and hopefully he is set for a nice preparation. He gives you such tremendous satisfaction.”
Connections are working backwards from the Melbourne Cup and look set to give the Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) a miss, while the immediate target for Vauban is the Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) back at Rosehill on March 28. Vauban was third in the contest last year behind the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai), who is set to line up again this year.
“I’m not sure about the Sydney Cup this autumn but we will definitely go for the Melbourne Cup again,” Bott said.
“I would like to go through the Tancred like we did last year. Arguably he’s come back better this year and it looks to be a lovely race for him.
“He’s going to be better suited as he gets deeper into the preparation and over a little bit further as well. We might also look at Brisbane [for the Queensland Winter Carnival] too.”
Winner rider Clark said last year’s Tancred might have been the Group 1 that got away for Vauban.
“It just went a bit wrong last year, it might have been one that got away,” he said.
“Hopefully in two weeks’ time we can redeem ourselves. He feels like a spring three-year-old. I think that was a better win than this time last year.”
First Group win for Flying For Fun
Having not been sighted in public since her Starlight Stakes (Listed, 1100m) triumph in November, the Bryce Heys-trained Flying For Fun (4 m Spieth – Vol Prive by Sebring) grabbed her first Group-race win in Saturday’s Maurice McCarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Rosehill. The mare finished strongly to beat Mal Coupe (Xtravagant) by 0.5 lengths with King’s Secret (Shalaa) coming home a further 1.2 lengths away in third. “She’s really good, she’s come back super. Much more mature and stronger,” said winning rider Zac Lloyd. “For her to do that first-up, that was a pretty strong Maurice McCarten and she’s done it really nice. She left as a good horse on the rise and she’s come back a much more mature mare and physically stronger which needed to happen for her to keep rising. That’s a good kick off for her preparation. I had a lapful of horse the whole way. She really handles high pressure and I think that’s a great asset of hers.”
Birdman flies to victory in the Peter Young Stakes
The Chris Waller-trained Birdman (5 g Free Eagle – Carol by Acclamation) followed up his recent Blamey Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) victory with a dominant score in Saturday’s Peter Young Stakes (Gr 2, 1800m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Ben Melham, the five-year-old crossed the line 1.8 lengths ahead of Apulia (Fiorente), with Bankers Choice (Mongolian Khan) finishing a further 0.1 lengths away in third.
Stable representative Lizzie Collett, highlighted what a different horse the winner is this time in.
“He’s a different horse this prep,” said Collett. “His three runs have shown that he’s absolutely on song.
“These imports do take a while to adjust and this prep he has turned into a magnificent horse and each run has been outstanding. In the straight today, he [Melham] didn’t ask him until he had to and he [Birdman] put them away very easily.
“He’s such a kind horse, a cool customer. He puts that into his races and he doesn’t waste any energy pre-race and leaves it for out on the course.”
Having now recorded consecutive stakes victories on the five-year-old, Melham feels the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) at Flemington at March 28 will suit the gelding.
“I’ve had a bit to do with him this preparation and I thought early doors the way he was going he was heading in the right direction to be really competitive in an Australian Cup and the more I have to do with him, the more I think he can win it,” the winning rider said.
“He’s been a bit of a revelation, the horse, but he’s in the right stable. He may have just taken a little bit of time to acclimatise.
“He’s a very relaxed customer, seeing him there now he’s about to fall asleep, so he takes a bit of waking up but the ability’s there with him is certainly going really well.
“I don’t think the run will have hurt him at all. He just got into a lovely position, didn’t sort of spend any pennies until the last 250 metres and I felt he had the race at his mercy a long way out.
“He seems to be going really well at these shorter trips. He’ll be no worries at 2000 [metres], but maybe that’s the way to go with him, a bit of freshness in his legs, but I’ll leave that to the expert.”
Nostra Bella delivers dream city win for Tindale
Just over a year after saddling her first runner, Karlene Tindale celebrated a breakthrough moment on Saturday when Nostra Bella (Nostradamus) delivered a stunning upset to secure her maiden metropolitan victory at Caulfield. The filly defied her recent form to win the $200,000 VOBIS Gold Dash (1200m) at 150–1, earning Tindale her first city success and banking $110,000 in prize-money, along with a valuable suite of VOBIS bonuses. Nostra Bella defeated Toronado Queen (Toronado) by 0.3 lengths with High On The Hill (Wootton Bassett) finishing third, another 1.2 lengths away. “I can’t believe it — not after her last few starts,” Tindale told Racing.com. “She’s looked diabolical and to win at those odds, it’s a dream come true. She seems to perform better against her own age and we just decided to take a chance. We’ve always loved her.”
Big Wigs carries iconic silks to victory at Caulfield
Two weeks after the death of champion mare Makybe Diva (Desert King), the well-known Tony Santic silks were carried to success by the Phillip Stokes–trained Big Wigs (Gold Standard) in the $1 million VOBIS Platinum Showdown (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Having finished second in both his starts previously, the colt defeated Miss Chanel (Tagaloa) by 0.1 lengths and the pair pulled 5.3 lengths clear of the third-placed Knurl (Brazen Beau). “It’s super,” winning rider Lachlan Neindorf said. “It almost makes me a little bit emotional, really. It’s been such a big couple weeks for these colours with the passing of the great mare. It’s just a privilege whenever you put colours like these on and to go out there and get the job done on a nice two-year-old makes it that extra special. He was a little bit keen at Ballarat [last start] in behind them and when I brought him to the outside he really went down through his gears. I was aware of that today. I think we were all a bit worried when the barrier draw came out, but it was a blessing in disguise in the end because we had all the three main dangers drawn inside of us. I wasn’t sure where they were going to be but I was confident that I would end up on the back of one of them and I was confident that my horse had a good turn of foot and the extra rise in distance was going to suit him that little bit more.”
Stylish Secret produces impressive performance
Stylish Secret’s (Sweet Orange) victory in Saturday’s Benchmark 84 (2000m) at Caulfield lifted his career earnings to $398,525 – an outstanding return on the New Zealand-bred gelding’s purchase price of $2,300 on Gavelhouse.com. The Mick Nolan-trained gelding added a fifth win to his record with a narrow 0.1-length success over Xtra Rush (Xtravagant). Foujita San (Maurice) finished another 0.2 lengths away in third. Nolan is keen to give Stylish Secret a crack at the Mornington Cup (Listed, 2400m) on his home track on April 18. “I don’t deserve much credit for this horse, he’s pretty easy to train,” he said. “He loves this place, though, doesn’t he? We happen to live in Mornington, and there’s a race down there called the Mornington Cup in April. We thought we might target that and give him a couple of 2000-metre runs to try to get there.” Stylish Secret was purchased by part-owner Helen Thomas off Gavelhouse.com as a weanling. She said: “Deane [Lester] did suggest that I have a look on Gavelhouse because it is a really great website to find horses, particularly broodmares and young horses. I jumped on and lot number one was this happy, little horse – he looked like a bit of a ragamuffin as a weanling. He was by Sweet Orange out of a Savabeel mare called Scarlett Secret and bred and raised at Windsor Park Stud. Daqiansweet Junior by Sweet Orange was doing really well at the time, and I thought, here’s a horse that is certainly bred to be a middle-distance horse, if not a fully-fledged stayer and wouldn’t it be good to grow him up and have a bit of a fun with him.”
11 for Maschino
Alwyn Park Stud’s Maschino (Encosta De Lago) registered his 11th individual stakes winner when promising filly Masmelo (3 f ex Melteme by Blackfriars) landed Saturday’s Natasha Stakes (Listed, 2200m) at Ascot. Trained by Neville Parnham, Masmelo went into the race fresh off a Listed second in the Ascot 1,000 Guineas (Listed, 1800m) two weeks earlier, and successfully stepped up in distance under Chris Parnham in the 2200-metre contest, scoring by a length over Admire Astra (Admire Mars). Ascot 1,000 Guineas winner Wonderfully Made (Playing God) was another 0.6 lengths behind in third. Bred by David Keens, Masmelo was purchased by Parnham Racing at the 2024 Magic Millions Perth Winter Yearling Sale for $3,000 out of the Gervase Park Stud draft. She is the second foal and first winner out of the winning Blackfriars (Danehill) mare Melteme. Maschino covered 94 mares last spring at an unchanged fee of $8,800 (inc GST).
Birchley wins $500,000 Aquis Jewel
Liam Birchley continued his knack for sourcing bargain yearlings when Swift Dragon (Dracarys) captured the $500,000 QTIS Jewel (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday. Fresh from his Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m) success with Dream Roca (El Roca), Birchley struck again with the Dracarys (Snitzel) gelding, purchased by Bloodstock Solutions for $60,000 from the Ellay Bloodstock draft at the Magic Millions Capricornia Sale. Swift Dragon started a 20-1 outsider but produced a strong performance under Ryan Wiggins to score by 1.1 lengths over Esperanza (Spirit Of Boom). The gelding had won on debut at Rockhampton before two below-par runs at Eagle Farm, which Birchley attributed to unsuitable track conditions. “That was so good. We struck a couple of offish tracks at Eagle Farm, so we were happy to get the horse onto a better surface today,” he said. “These bigger horses don’t let down on those tracks sometimes. Last start it was much the same, but today was a different story. I had full confidence in the horse as long as the track was playing fair and we could get a crack at them.” Swift Dragon is the first winner out of Tay Swift (Rothesay) and the 39th for his sire Dracarys, who has also produced two stakes winners from limited opportunities. He covered 65 mares last spring at a fee of $9,900 (inc GST), up from 37 the previous year.
Options open for Treasurethe Moment
Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) will resume her autumn campaign next Saturday, although Matt Laurie is yet to decide whether the mare will run in Melbourne or Sydney. The multiple Group 1 winner pleased connections with a gallop between races at Caulfield on Saturday under regular rider Daniel Stackhouse. Laurie said the team would weigh up options between the Sunline Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Caulfield and the George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) at Rosehill. “She was lovely and relaxed out there and if she happens to stay here in Melbourne, Daniel will be offered the ride,” the trainer said. “If she goes to Sydney for the George Ryder, we’ll work that out. I think it would be a good move to stay here and then just have a one-run trip to Sydney, but ultimately, it’s a discussion with Mr Zhang and the [Yulong] team. I think having a run back here in a fillies’ and mares’ race, albeit a Group 2, would be a good lead into the big one third-up.” Treasurethe Moment was expected to line up in last week’s All-Star Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington but Laurie opted to give her more time after her first-up run in the Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield, where she led and was run down as the odds-on favourite. “I thought it was a solid run on speed [first-up],” Laurie said. “It’s not her style. Then we drew awkwardly in the All Star-Mile and we weren’t in any rush to back her up.” Laurie said the mare’s autumn targets could include the Doncaster Handicap on April 4 or the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) a week later. The Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) placegetter will not be stretched to 2000 metres this campaign.
Buckaroo fails throat test
Buckaroo’s (Fastnet Rock) Australian Cup prospects took a major hit after the gelding pulled up from Saturday’s Peter Young Stakes with a throat issue. The Chris Waller-trained Cox Plate runner-up finished unplaced in the Caulfield Group 2 and will require veterinary clearance before racing again after Racing Victoria stewards detected the issue post-race. Rider Jye McNeil said the seven-year-old travelled well in the early and middle stages but failed to respond as expected in the straight. A subsequent examination revealed the issue. Buckaroo had been considered one of the leading chances for the $2.5 million Australian Cup at Flemington on March 28 following his strong return when second in the Futurity Stakes to Pericles (Street Boss) last month.