Group 1 winner Exosphere (Lonhro) sired his first winner
New winners
Exosphere – Group 1 winner Exosphere (Lonhro) sired his first winner on Friday when the Godolphin homebred Thermosphere (2 f ex Glows by Canny Lad) posted a breakthrough win after two promising efforts. Trained by James Cummings, Thermosphere took out a two-year-old maiden at Newcastle over 1300 metres by a short-head from the favourite Cultural Amnesia (Snitzel). Rock My Wand (Wandjina) was another length and a quarter away in third. Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Exosphere, who has had six runners to date, has four entries at the upcoming Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Pride Of Dubai – Maha (2 f ex Makrooma by Fastnet Rock) scored on debut at Bendigo on Wednesday, continuing the momentum of her Coolmore first season sire Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry) so far this season, who sired two new winners in the week. The fourth winner for Pride Of Dubai, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Maha is a homebred for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and she started her career in the perfect manner by defeating Awkward (Teofilo) by a neck in a 2YO Fillies Maiden Plate (1000m). D’Arbanville (All Too Hard) was another two and a quarter lengths away in third. Pride Of Dubai’s fifth winner came courtesy of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Dubai Star (2 f ex Jezzabba by Fastnet Rock), who broke her maiden over 1100 metres at Canterbury. Carrying the colours of her breeder Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and partners, Dubai Star was purchased by Gai Waterhouse Racing / Adrian Bott for $320,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Vancouver – Pride Of Dubai’s Coolmore barn-mate Vancouver (Medaglia d’Oro) also enjoyed success on Friday night when the Lindsay Park-trained Montia (2 f ex Pontiana by Redoute’s Choice) ran out an impressive winner on debut over 1200 metres at Moonee Valley and in turn became his second individual winner. A homebred for Greg Ingham, Lindsay Maxsted and partners, Montia is the third winner from four to race out of the stakes-placed mare Pontiana (Redoute’s Choice) who also produced Auckland Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) and Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m) winner Dragon Leap (Pierro) and Chatswood Stud’s Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Inference (So You Think). A sister to Listed winner Grand Jardin, Pontiana has a full-brother to Inference heading to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale catalogued as Lot 139. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Easter+Yearling+Sale/catalogue/139 Vancouver stood at Coolmore for a fee of $44,000 (inc GST) in 2019 and has 16 lots catalogued at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
New Group/Grade 1 winners
All Too Hard – Vinery Stud resident All Too Hard (Casino Prince) sired his first Group 1 winner on Saturday when his headline-grabbing son Alligator Blood (3 g ex Lake Superior by Encosta de Lago) produced a scintillating performance in the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). A half-sister to unbeaten champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), All Too Hard was a four-time Group 1 winner on the track, including the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) – the only race in which Alligator Blood has tasted defeat during his 11-start career, being pipped at the post by Super Seth (Dundeel) last October. Standing for a fee of $27,500 (inc GST), All Too Hard covered 107 mares last year – his seventh breeding season. He has ten lots on offer at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, which kicks off at 10am AEDT today.
Fastnet Rock – Shuttle stallion Fastnet Rock (Danehill), who has proven an ever-present flagbearer for Coolmore Stud, sired his 38th individual Group 1 winner on Saturday when Sherwood Forest (3 g Chasing Mammon by Giant’s Causeway) executed trainer Tony Pike’s long standing plan to land the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Ellerslie. Having been headed in the straight, the three-year-old was able to dig deep and find a second wind in the final stages of the blue riband to come back and win by a length and a quarter ahead of Two Illicit (Jimmy Choux), with Scorpz (Charm Spirit) a further two lengths away in third. Fastnet Rock’s illustrious roll of honour includes Avantage, Foxwedge, Merchant Navy and Shoals.
New stakes winners
All Too Hard – On an unforgettable afternoon for All Too Hard (Casino Prince) on Saturday, who sired his first Group 1 winner courtesy of Alligator Blood’s Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) success, the Vinery Stud stallion completed a further stakes double. The Byron Cozamanis-trained Hard Rock Girl (2 f ex Rock Of Fortune by Fastnet Rock) initiated proceedings with a three-quarters of a length success in the Cinderella Stakes (Listed, 1050m) at Morphettville. The juvenile got the better of Dottie Dee (Brazen Beau), with a further long-neck back to Bribery (Spirit Of Boom) in third. Meanwhile at Randwick, Dawn Dawn (5 m ex Dawned by One Cool Cat) denied race-favourite Sweet Deal (Casino Prince) by the narrowest of margins in a thrilling renewal of the Guy Walter Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m). The Team Hawkes-trained winner prevailed in a three-way finish, with Pohutukawa (Medaglia d’Oro) another short-head back in third for Godolphin.
Americain – Saturday’s Lord Reims Stakes (Listed, 2600m) at Morphettville went the way of Eperdument (5 m ex Cislunar by Redoute’s Choice), who became the second stakes winner for Swettenham Stud sire Americain (Dynaformer) when fending off the challenge of Master Chum (Clangalang) by a neck. Heart Of Grace (Heart’s Cry) finished a further two and a quarter lengths adrift in third. Trained by Shane Oxlade, Eperdument was winning for the seventh time in 35 starts having landed a handicap at the same track last Saturday. Meanwhile, Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Americain covered just seven mares at a private fee last year.
American Pharoah – Coolmore shuttler American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) sired his sixth individual stakes winner on Sunday when Cafe Pharoah (3 c ex Mary’s Follies by More Than Ready) announced his Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 10f) credentials with a length and a quarter success in the Hyacinth Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Tokyo. Tagano Beauty (Henny Hughes) finished second, beaten a length and a quarter, with a further two and a half lengths back to Yaugau (Gold Allure) back in third. The Noriyuki Hori-trained Cafe Pharoah is now unbeaten in two starts having won by ten lengths on debut at Nakayama in December. American Pharoah is currently standing at Coolmore’s Ashford base in Kentucky for a private fee.
Atlante – On a fabulous afternoon for Te Akau Racing on Saturday, the Jamie Richards-trained Star Of Bombay (3 f ex Astardia by Starcraft) landed the Mufhasa Fasttrack Stakes (Listed, 1300m) to provide late Mapperley Stud stallion Atlante (Fastnet Rock) with his second stakes winner. The Jamie Richards-trained three-year-old got the better of Bella Mente (El Roca) by three-quarters of a length, with a further neck back to Run To Perfection (Sepoy) in third. Atalante died in 2016 and Star Of Bombay hails from his eldest crop. She joins Riva Capri as the stallion’s other stakes winner.
Dash For Cash – Progressive gelding Blazejowski (5 g ex Ellexcell by Octagonal) completed a red-letter day for Greg Eurell when he secured a maiden stakes success at Flemington on Saturday, taking out the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap (Gr 3, 1400m) to become the tenth individual black-type winner for Scenic Lodge Stud stallion Dash For Cash (Secret Savings). Making his first foray into Group company, Blazejowski got the better of a three-way finish under Craig Williams, beating Morvada (Mossman) by a long-neck with a further short-neck back to Age Of Chivalry (He’s Remarkable) in third. Now the winner of eight races from 18 starts, Blazejowski has amassed $372,050 in prize-money.
Deep Impact – The late Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) sired his 150th individual stakes winner when Best Actor (6 g ex Best Location by Kurofune) made it three wins in a row as he took out the Hankyu Hai (Gr 3, 1400m) at Hanshin on Sunday. The six-year-old, who was making his stakes race debut, won by half a length. Favourite Diatonic (Lord Kanloa), who crossed the line in second, was disqualified and placed behind the third horse home, Fiano Romano (Fastnet Rock), having been judged to have caused interference following a stewards’ inquiry. Best Actor has now won six of his 12 starts.
Dominus – US raider Parsimony (4 c ex Lil Cora Tee by Lil. E Tee) showed a good turn of foot as he pulled clear of his rivals late on to bag the Curlin Stakes (Listed, 2000m) on Meydan’s dirt track on Thursday and in the process provided his sire Dominus (Smart Strike) with a sixth individual stakes winner. Completing a clean sweep of stakes races on the Thursday card for jockey William Buick, the Doug O’Neill-trained four-year-old defeated Today (Drosselmeyer) by two and three quarter lengths, with the same margin back to Ambassadorial (Elusive Quality) in third. Parsimony has now won two races in 22 starts and has a second in the Los Alamitos Derby (Gr 3, 9f) among his haul of seven runner-up spots. Dominus stands at Spendthrift for a fee of US$5,000.
Frankel – Juddmonte Farm’s all-conquering Frankel (Galileo) sired his 50th stakes winner, and third in Australia, when Hungry Heart (2 f ex Harlech by Pivotal) won the Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. Trained by Chris Waller, Hungry Heart – who ran second on debut at Flemington in January – quickened up nicely under James McDonald to beat $2.80 favourite Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt) by three-quarters of a length. Frankel then sired his 51st stakes winner later in the day at Gulfstream Park as Irish import Elizabeth Way (4 f Frankel ex Maids Causeway by Giant’s Causeway) remained unbeaten in the US when taking out the Very One Stakes (Gr 3, 9.5f) for Roger Attfield.
Get Stormy – Getmotherarose (4 f Get Stormy ex Run Rosie by Cherokee Run) landed the Honey Fox Stakes (Gr 3, 8f) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday for Thomas Bush. The progressive four-year-old was slowly away but under a patient ride by Junior Alvarado she asserted in the closing stages to land her first stakes success by a length and a half from Silver Kitten (Kitten’s Joy), with Sister Hanan (Orb) three quarters of a length third. She became the eighth stakes winner for her sire Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic), who is also the sire of dual Grade One winner Got Stormy and stands at Crestwood Farm in Kentucky for a fee of US$7,500. Click here for the replay. https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/usa/gp/2020/2/29/5/honey-fox-s-g3t
Ilovethiscity – The Greg Eurell-trained Ilovemyself (2 c ex Sunstyle by Xaar) made a taking impression on debut at Flemington on Saturday, landing the Very Special Kids Plate (Listed, 1000m) under Damien Oliver. Sent off the $4.20 favourite, Ilovemyself negated trouble in running to pull three-quarters of a length clear of River Night (Night Of Thunder), with the same margin back to Time Is Precious (Snitzel) in third. The victory provided Noor Elaine Farm stallion Ilovethiscity (Magic Albert) with his third individual stakes success, following on from the exploits of ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner El Dorado Dreaming and Geelong Listed scorer Moonriver.
Maschino – Alwyn Park resident Maschino (Encosta De Lago) sired his fourth individual stakes winner on Saturday when Lonsdale Lady (3 f ex Rosmopolitan by Verglas) took out the Ascot 1,000 Guineas (Listed, 1800m) at Ascot. Trained by Kieran McDonagh, the three-year-old got the better of Cambist (Gingerbread Man) by a length and a quarter, with a further length and three-quarters back to Naughty By Nature (Trade Fair) in third. Machino stood for a fee of $4,950 in 2019, while the progressive Lonsdale Lady has now won two of her five starts.
Needs Further – Armidale Stud resident Needs Further (Encosta De Lago) sired his fifth individual stakes winner on Thursday when Deroche (3 f ex Buzzing Along by Tough Speed) landed the Vamos Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Launceston. Trained by Leanne Gaffney, Deroche made it five wins from her last six outings when pulling a length clear of Miss Mandito (Zacinto), with a further half-length back to Jentico (Written Tycoon) in third. Now the winner of nine of her 13 starts for prize-money of $363,639, the progressive Deroche joins last year’s Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and All-Star Mile (1600m) heroine Mystic Journey, Mystical Pursuit, Pateena Arena and Bold Star as stakes winners for Needs Further, who covered 103 mares at a fee of $13,750 in 2019.
No Nay Never – British import Vitalogy (3 c No Nay Never – Sylvestris by Arch) claimed his first stakes win at Gulfstream on Saturday night when taking out the Palm Beach Stakes (Gr 3, 8.5f) for Brendan Walsh and Qatar Racing, The three-year-old got the better of Tiesto (Tiznow) by a length while South Bend (Algorithms) was a further half length back in third. The victory made him the 22nd stakes winner for his sire No Nay Never (Scat Daddy). Vitalogy won his maiden at York and ran fourth in the Acomb Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) for Joseph O’Brien before relocating to the US and running third in the Summer Stakes (Gr 1, 8f). No Nay Never stands at Coolmore in Ireland for a fee of €175,000 this season and stood for a fee of $44,000 at Coolmore Australia last term. Click here for the replay. https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/usa/gp/2020/2/29/4/palm-beach-s-g3t
Redwood – Westbury Stud stallion Redwood (High Chaparral) sired his seventh individual stakes winner on Saturday when Communique (3 f ex Al Bayan by Zabeel) landed the Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 2100m) earlier on the Ellerslie card. Karalino (Zacinto) finished a long-neck away in second to complete a quinella for owner-breeder Kevin Hickman, while Meghan (So You Think) was a further neck away in third. The win started a milestone afternoon for jockey Michael Walker, who landed the New Zealand Derby aboard Sherwood Forest having taken out last Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) aboard Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa). Redwood stood for a fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST) last year.
Savabeel – Waikato Stud flagbearer and five-times champion New Zealand sire Savabeel (Zabeel) notched his 18th individual elite-level winner when Probabeel (3 f ex Far Fetched by Pins) took out the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick on Saturday. Providing the first leg of a Group 1 double for trainer Jamie Richards and jockey Opie Bosson, who later combined to land the Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) with Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle), Probabeel finished a neck to the good of her old rival Funstar (Adelaide), whom she had twice run behind in the spring. Xilong (Deep Field) was a further half a length away in third.
Summer Front – Ete Indien (3c Summer Front ex India by Mizzen Mast) made all to take the Fountain Of Youth Stakes (Gr 2m 8.5f) at Gulfstream Park and become the third stakes winner for Summer Front (War Front) on Saturday. The Patrick Biancone-trained three-year-old ran second in the Holy Bull Stakes (Gr 3m 8.5f) earlier in the month but he was not to be denied, claiming the race by a dominating eight and a half lengths from Candy Tycoon (Twirling Candy) while As Seen On Tv (Lookin At Lucky) was a neck third. Summer Front stands at Airdrie Stud in Kentucky for a fee of US$10,000. Click here for the replay. https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/usa/gp/2020/2/29/14/fasig-tipton-fountain-of-youth-s-g2
Trade Fair – The late Trade Fair (Zafonic) sired his 14th individual stakes winner on Sunday when Free Trade (5 g ex Lady Xena by Dr Johnson) picked up the Pinjarra Classic (Listed, 1300m). The Michael Lane-trained five-year-old beat Cup Night (Maschino) by three and a half lengths, with Dance Music (War Chant) a further half a length away in third. Free Trade has now won seven races and has never finished out of the first three in his 14 starts, accruing prize-money totalling $343,885. Trade Fair, a dual Group 3 winner in Europe and the sire of Grade 1 winner Trade Storm, was put down in 2018 at the age of 18 after it was discovered he had multiple cancerous tumours.
Wandjina –Newgate Farm stallion Wandjina (Snitzel) scored a landmark success on Saturday when the John Thompson-trained debutant Mamaragan (2 c ex Forbidden by General Nediym) took out the Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) to become his first black-type winner. Ridden by Hong Kong-based jockey Blake Shinn, who replaced Thompson’s usual rider – the suspended Nash Rawiller – Mamaragan made a sustained bid down the outside to beat the Osamu (Exceed And Excel) by a length and a quarter. Aim (Star Witness) was a further three-quarters of a length away in third as the front two caused a boilover, returning at $19 as the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained favourite Prague (Redoute’s Choice) ($2.60) could only muster sixth. Wandjina, who won the 2015 renewal of yesterday’s Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), is also the sire of the Group 2-placed Express Pass. However, he covered just 16 mares at a fee of $22,000 (inc GST) last year.