Two for Alpine Eagle
New First Season Sire winners
Alpine Eagle
Armidale Stud stallion Alpine Eagle (High Chaparral) brought up a second individual first-crop winner when Verbano (2 f ex Euston Road by Time Thief) won the 2YO Handicap (1100m) at Hobart on Sunday. Sent off the least fancied of the three Scott Brunton-trained runners, $21 chance Verbano defeated stablemate Neutralize (Rubick) by half a length to win on debut. The filly was a $20,000 purchase by David Brunton from the Brooklyn Park draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale. She is the first foal out of Flemington winner Euston Road (Time Thief), who has a yearling colt by Palentino (Teofilo) and a weanling colt by Rich Enuff (Written Tycoon). Alpine Eagle will stand the 2021 season at a fee of $6,050.
Astern
Darley shuttler Astern (Medaglia D’Oro) sired his second winner in as many days when Brigantine (2 c ex Lobola by Anabaa) saluted as favourite in the 1100-metre two-year-old maiden at Kensington on Wednesday, adding to the victory of Sealion (2 g ex Element Of Danger by Red Ransom) on Tuesday. Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, the James Cummings-trained Brigantine defeated Publicist (Written Tycoon) by a long neck, with Baranof (Hinchinbrook) two lengths behind the winner in third. One of eight winners out of Lobola (Anabaa), Brigantine is a half-brother to Listed scorers Handfast (Street Cry) and Rusambo (Elusive Quality). The win meant Astern became the fifth first season sire to enter double figures of individual Australian winners this season, joining Capitalist (Written Tycoon) (19), Star Turn (Star Witness) (17), Winning Rupert (Written Tycoon) (11) and Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) (10). Sealion, sent off a $41 chance in the 1000-metre two-year-old maiden handicap at Wyong, scored by half a length over Mabel (Dream Ahead), with The Globe (Frosted) a head further back in third. Bought for $100,000 from the Evergreen Stud draft at last year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Sealion is the sixth winner from as many to race out of Element Of Danger (Red Ransom), who is a sister to six-time Group 1 winner Typhoon Tracy, dual Group 1 runner-up Kylikwong and Listed winner Red Element. Astern, the sire of two stakes winners in the southern hemisphere, will stand at Darley in NSW for $16,500 (inc. GST) this year.
Belardo
Haunui Farm shuttler Belardo (Lope De Vega) recorded a sixth southern hemisphere-bred winner on Sunday as Chitabe (2 f ex The Fire Inside by Sir Percy) won the opening 2YO Maiden Plate (1600m) at Gosford. Sent off the $3.50 second favourite, the David Payne-trained Chitabe defeated stablemate Caboteur (So You Think) by a long neck to win at her fourth start. Racing in the colours of dual Group 1 winner Montefilia (Hallowed Crown), she was bought by Payne for $60,000 from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale out of the Riversdale draft. Chitabe is the second and final foal out of Sir Percy (Mark Of Esteem) mare The Fire Inside, a Group 2 placegetter in New Zealand. Belardo returns to Haunui Farm this year, where he will stand for a fee of NZ$10,000 (Plus GST).
Capitalist
The race for the leading first season sire by winners title has continued its engaging battle right to the season’s end, as Newgate Farm’s Capitalist (Written Tycoon) maintained a margin of two over rival Star Turn (Star Witness) heading into the final week of the campaign. The Gary Portelli-trained Silver Thorn (2 g ex The Grey Flash by Not A Single Doubt) brought up individual winner number 21, and 20th in Australia, for Capitalist when winning the Maiden Handicap (1200m) at Gosford on Sunday, only hours after Star Turn had cut the gap to one with an 18th Australian first-crop winner at the Sapphire Coast. Under three-kilogram claimer Ellen Hennessy the gelding defeated Pioneer Lass (Stratum Star) by a long neck. Silver Thorn was purchased by Louis Mihalyka’s Laurel Oak Bloodstock at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $260,000. He was consigned by Fernrigg Farm. Silver Thorn is the first foal out of Group 3 winner The Grey Flash (Not A Single Doubt), who has a Deep Field (Northern Meteor) weanling colt and was put in foal to Brutal (O’Reilly) last year. Capitalist has seen his fee rise to $99,000 for the 2021 breeding season.
Caravaggio
A day after landing his second stakes winner as a sire, former Coolmore shuttler Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) saw further success in the northern hemisphere when Renaissance (2 f ex Blessing by Pulpit) landed the Fillies’ Novice Stakes (7f) at Thirsk to become his 11th individual winner. The David O’Meara-trained Renaissance was making her third start on Friday after consecutive sixth-placed efforts and scored by a comfortable two and a quarter lengths over short-priced favourite Ribaldry (Ribchester). Almighty Rave (Zoffany) finished four lengths behind the winner in third. Renaissance is one of three winners from four to race out of Blessing (Pulpit), who is a half-sister to two stakes winners in The Texas Tunnel (Ogygian) and Kris’s Prayer (Kris S). Caravaggio, who shuttled for one season in 2018 and will have his first Australian runners next season, stands at Ashford Stud in Kentucky for US$25,000 (approx. AU$33,900).
Churchill
Coolmore’s Churchill (Galileo) has streaked his way to a double-figure number of winners from his first crop, adding a tenth courtesy of the Aga Khan-bred and raced filly Vadeni (2 c ex Vaderana by Monsun) who won the 1400-metre maiden race at La Teste De Buche on Monday. A half-brother to the stakes-placed Vadiyann (Footstepsinthesand) and Vadsena (Makfi), the colt is the fifth winner out of Vaderana (Monsun), a half-sister to stakes winners Vadamar (Dalakhani), The Pentagon (Galileo) and Vedouma (Dalakhani). Churchill returns to Jerrys Plains this season where he will stand for a fee of $22,000.
National Defense
Red Smile (2 f ex Gaita by Teofilo) became the third individual winner for her sire National Defense (Invincible Spirit) with an authoritative performance in the Pouilly Maiden Stakes (1400m) at Vichy on Wednesday. The Frederic Rossi-trained juvenile was making her third start having raced twice at Saint-Cloud in June, finishing fourth on debut before placing second. Red Smile made no mistake this time as she travelled strongly on the stands side of the pack and powered through the closing stages to win easing down by three lengths to runner-up Alromy (Al Wukair), with third placed Alien (Helmet) a further three-quarters of a length behind. The filly races in the colours of Le Haras de la Gousserie, having passed through the ring unsold as a foal for €30,000 at Arqana in December 2019. Red Smile is the first foal out of the winning mare Gaita (Teofilo), whose own dam Guerande (Diesis) is a half-sister to Falmouth Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Giofra (Dansili). National Defense will shuttle to Widden Stud this spring at a fee of $9,990 (inc. GST), having stood the northern hemisphere season at the Irish National Stud for a €5,000 fee.
Shalaa
The Kris Lees-trained Phule (2 f Esprit Hi by Bel Esprit) made a winning debut at Tamworth on Friday to provide Arrowfield shuttler Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) with his seventh individual Australian winner. The filly landed a trial at Muswellbrook earlier this month and followed that up with a three-quarter-length defeat of Our Little Louie (Unencumbered) in the 1000-metre maiden. Ezekeil (Divine Prophet) was a short head further behind in third. A daughter of winner Esprit Hi (Bel Esprit), herself a half-sister to stakes winner Walk With Attitude (Hussonet) and a daughter of Listed winner Hillfa (Danehill), Phule was bought by Australian Bloodstock for $75,000 from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Esprit Hi has a weanling colt by Real Steel (Deep Impact) and she returned to Shalaa last year. Shalaa, the sire of three worldwide stakes winners including Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) scorer Shaquero, will stand for $44,000 (inc. GST) this year.
Star Turn
Star Turn went to within one of Capitalist in the leading first season sire by winners charts when Wilkshire (2 g ex Private Kiss by General Nediym) won the Maiden Plate (1021m), the opening race on the Sapphire Coast on Sunday, only for the son of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) to hit back later in the day at Gosford. Star Turn recorded a 19th first-crop winner, and 18th in Australia, after the Anthony Mountney-trained gelding scored by three-quarters of a length over Brainzes (Bullet Train) to win at his sixth start, building on a second at Moruya last time out. He was initially bought by Mountney at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $70,000 from Carramar Park before being on-sold through Valiant Stud at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale to Tory Lavalle for $92,500. Star Turn will stand the 2021 season at Vinery Stud for a fee of $16,500.
New Group/Grade 1 winners
Honor Code
Maracuja (3 f ex Patti’s Regal Song by Unbridled’s Song) claimed the American Oaks (Gr 1, 9f) at Saratoga on Saturday in a shock win for the three-year-old as she defeated headline act Malathaat (Curlin) by a head. The Rob Atras-trained filly took her record to two wins from six starts and scored a first stakes win with the victory. The Stonestreet Stables-owned Clairiere (Curlin) finished third in the four-runner field, six lengths behind the winner. Maracuja became the second individual Grade 1 winner and sixth stakes winner for her sire Honor Code (A.P. Indy). “All week I heard about the Graveyard of Favorites and I tried not to pay any attention to it. I just wanted my filly to run her race and finish second or third and get a nice race into her,” trainer Rob Atras said after his initial Grade 1 win. “I was thrilled turning for home when it looked like she might be second but as the wire got closer she bore down and got up. It’s really thrilling. It still hasn’t set in that I won a Grade 1 stakes. To beat a filly as accomplished as Malathaat is special.”
New stakes winners
Acclamation
Accakaba (2 f ex Yakaba by Medicean) remained unbeaten in three starts with victory in the Criterium du Bequet (Listed, 1200m) at La Teste de Buch in France on Sunday, but she was made to work hard to pass the post just a neck in front of outsider Maroon Six (Johnny Barnes). The filly, trained by Christophe Ferland for owner-breeders the Wertheimer brothers, becomes the 59th stakes winner for Rathbarry Stud stalwart sire Acclamation (Royal Applause), source of highflying European sires Dark Angel and Mehmas as well as former Flemington Group 2 winner Lidari. Acclamation stood at Rathbarry Stud at a fee of €27,500 (approx. AU$44,000) in 2021. Accakaba’s dam Yakaba (Medicean) won the Prix d’Arenberg (Gr 3, 1000m) at two in her own racing career, and she is a half-sister to this season’s Listed-placed juvenile filly Hergame (Motivator). Further back this is the family of four-time Group 1-winning miler Sendawar (Priolo).
Caravaggio
Agartha (2 f ex Arya Tara by Dylan Thomas) provided former Australian shuttler Caravaggio with his second individual stakes winner when landing the Frank Conroy Silver Flash Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at Leopardstown on Thursday. The Joseph O’Brien-trained filly, who also became her sire’s tenth individual winner with the success, had placed in all four of her previous starts without winning but got off the mark with an impressive two and three-quarter-length defeat of Juncture (Dark Angel). Seisai (Gleneagles) was another half-length away in third. Agartha is the first foal out of Listed winner Arya Tara (Dylan Thomas). Caravaggio, who shuttled for one season in 2018 and will have his first Australian runners next season, stands at Ashford Stud in Kentucky for US$25,000 (approx. AU$33,965).
Churchill
Coolmore shuttler Churchill (Galileo) secured his first stakes winner as a sire when Ladies Church (2 f ex Rioticism by Rio De La Plata) took the Arqana Irish EBF Marwell Stakes (Listed, 5f) at Naas on Wednesday. The Johnny Murtagh-trained filly followed a debut fourth with a maiden win at Tipperary last month and showed improvement this time as she raced prominently, led when shaken up a furlong and a half out and kept on to score by two and a quarter lengths from Pennine Hills (Kodiac), with Sophie’s Star (Cotai Glory) a further length and three quarters back in third. The filly was bred by Dukes Stud and Overbury Stud and was subsequently snapped up by Mags O’Toole for 62,000gns as a foal from Tattersalls before selling to Murtagh and Peter Nolan for £160,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale last year to run in the colours of Mark Dobbin. She is the first foal out of the stakes-winning mare Rioticism (Rio De La Plata), who was picked up for 90,000gns by Blandford Bloodstock at the 2018 Tattersalls December Mare Sale. Her fourth dam Rosefinch (Blushing Groom) is a Group 1-winning daughter of the champion filly Oh So Sharp (Kris). Churchill, a champion juvenile and Classic winner, has so far sired eight individual winners in the northern hemisphere and will have his first Australian runners next season. He will return to Coolmore Australia this year, where he will stand for $22,000 (inc. GST).
Elzaam
Wren’s Breath (3 f ex Babylonian by Shamardal) became the fifth individual stakes winner for her Australian-bred sire Elzaam (Redoute’s Choice) when winning the Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes (Listed, 6f) at Naas on Wednesday. The Henry de Bromhead-trained filly was ridden along and racing greenly with two furlongs to go but rattled home along the stands’ side rail to score by three-quarters of a length from runner-up More Beautiful (War Front), with third-placed Teresa Mendoza (Territories) another two lengths behind. Wren’s Breath runs in the silks of her breeder Peter Moloney and is out of the Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) mare Babylonian, a half-sister to Group 1-placed Empire Day (Lomitas), who has already produced the Norfolk Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) runner-up Santry (Harbour Watch). Babylonian was purchased by Oliver St Lawrence for £13,000 at Doncaster in 2010 from the Kingsley House Darley draft. Elzaam stands at Ballyhane Stud at a 2021 fee of €5,000 (approx. AU$8,000).
Frankel
Inspiral (2 f ex Starscope by Selkirk) followed a smart maiden win at Newmarket with an impressive victory in the EBF Star Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Sandown on Thursday to give her sire Frankel (Galileo) his 75th individual stakes winner. The John and Thady Gosden-trained juvenile raced at the tail under Frakie Dettori, who switched out his mount approaching the three-furlong pole. Inspiral ranged up to the lead with over a furlong and a half to race and extended clear before gearing down past the post for a three and a half-length verdict over runner-up Wild Beauty (Frankel), with Sun Strike (Dark Angel) a further neck behind in third. “She’ll have no problem going a mile. I think it was a pretty hot event,” John Gosden said. “The May Hill would be an obvious place to go with her, at (Doncaster).” The Cheveley Park Stud homebred is out of the Group 1-placed mare Starscope and is a half-sister to Listed-placed Celestran (Dansili). It is the family of dual Group 1 winner Medicean (Machiavellian). Inspiral earned quotes of 16-1 with British bookmakers for next year’s 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) following the race. Frankel stands at Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor at a 2021 fee of £175,000 (approx. AU$326,088).
French Navy
Opasan (4 c ex Ouija’s Sister by Groom Dancer) narrowly landed the Prix Hubert Baguenault de Puchesse (Listed, 2400m) at Vichy on Tuesday to provide French Navy (Shamardal) with his second individual stakes winner. The Jozef Chodur-trained Opasan, who landed the Czech Derby (local Group 3, 2400m) at Prague last year, was making his first start in France and battled well late on to hold off Folamour (Intello) by a short neck, with Mykiss (Makfi) another two lengths away in third. Bought for 5,500gns from the 2018 Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, Opasan is one of two winners from five to race out of Ouija’s Sister (Groom Dancer), who is a half-sister to Listed winner Viva Vettori (Vettori).
Harbour Watch
Late Tweenhills Stud stallion Harbour Watch (Acclamation) was represented by his 11th stakes winner when son Brunch (4 g ex Granola by Makfi) came with a strong late run to land the Pomfret Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Pontefract on Sunday. The four-year-old gelding, trained by Michael Dods for owner and breeder Denniff Farms, defeated Rhoscolyn (Territories) by three-quarters of a length with a long gap back to Azano (Oasis Dream) in third. He is out of the winning Makfi (Dubawi) mare Granola, a sibling to stakes winners Astrophysical Jet (Dubawi), Coral Wave (Rock Of Gibraltar) and Know It All (Lord Kanaloa). Harbour Watch was initially considered a disappointing stallion but he is having a banner year, with his other runners including Hong Kong Group 1 scorer Waikuku, Coronation Cup (Gr 1, 1m 4f) hero Pyledriver and Belmont Gold Cup (Gr 2, 16f) winner Baron Samedi.
Kingman
Technical Analysis (3 f ex Sealife by Sea The Stars) became a 36th stakes winner for Juddmonte’s in-demand young sire Kingman (Invincible Spirit) with a clear-cut victory in the Lake George Stakes (Gr 3, 8f) on the turf at Saratoga on Friday. The filly, who defeated Fluffy Socks (Slumber) by a length and a quarter, has now won three of her five starts. She is trained by Chad Brown for Klaravich Stables, who have been big investors in turf-bred yearlings in Europe and have tasted Grade 1 success with previous buys Digital Age (Invincible Spirit), Domestic Spending (Kingman) and Newspaperofrecord (Lope De Vega). Technical Analysis was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock out of a winning Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) mare closely related to Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Rekindling (High Chaparral). She cost 200,000gns from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2019. Kingman, who is available for southern hemisphere coverings, stands at Banstead Manor Stud for a fee of £150,000 (approx. AU$280,000).
Lope De Vega
Former Patinack Farm shuttler Lope De Vega put his 83rd and 84th black-type winners on the board this week as Dreamloper (4 f ex Livia’s Dream by Teofilo) made her first run in stakes company a winning one when landing the Valiant Stakes (Gr 3, 1m) at Ascot on Friday, while New Science (2 c ex Alta Lilea by Galileo) scored a determined one-length victory over Angel Bleu (Dark Angel) in the Pat Eddery Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Ascot on Saturday. Trained by Ed Walker, Dreamloper bounced back from a disappointing tenth in handicap company at Royal Ascot last time out with a comfortable four and a half-length defeat of Lights On (Siyouni). Waliyak (Le Havre) was another head back in third. Dreamloper is one of two winners from as many to race out of Listed winner Livia’s Dream (Teofilo). Trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, New Science had made a good impression when winning a seven-furlong maiden on debut but had flopped when seventh behind the exciting Point Lonsdale (Australia) in the Chesham Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Royal Ascot last time. He was bred by Federico and Jennifer Bianco out of the Group 2-placed Galileo mare Alta Lilea and was bought by Godolphin for €260,000 from the Haras d’Etreham draft at the Arqana August Yearling Sale. Lope De Vega is available for southern hemisphere covers, having stood the 2021 season at Ballylinch Stud for €125,000 (approx. AU$200,000).
Makfi
The challengers one and two in the betting for the Ibis Summer Dash (Gr 3, 1000m) at Niigata fought out the finish of the high-octane sprint, with three-year-old filly All At Once (3 f ex Supreme Gift by Deep Impact) holding off six-year-old entire Lion Boss (Battle Plan) on the near side to win by three-quarters of a length. However, the duo were given a fright by outsider Baccarat Queen (Admire Moon) who raced on her own on the far side, and was just beaten a length in third. The victory for All At Once, who now has three wins from six starts having won her first two runs as a juvenile last year, was a 37th individual stakes winner for her sire Makfi (Dubawi). Trained by Eiji Nakadate for owner-breeder Katsumi Yoshida, All At Once is out of Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) mare Supreme Gift, a Grade 3 placegetter in Japan. Makfi, the sire of five elite-level winners, stands at Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido.
Motivator
Motivator (Montjeu), famed as the sire of dual Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) heroine Treve, notched a 33rd stakes winner courtesy of that exceptional racemare’s close relation Lady Day (3 f ex Toride by Fuisse) scoring by a quarter of a length from Trixia De Vega (Lope De Vega) in the Prix La Sollerina (Listed, 1600m) at La Teste de Buch on Sunday. Lady Day, whose best previous effort this season came when third in the Prix des Lilas (Listed, 1600m) at Chantilly in May, is trained by Freddy Head for Ecurie Rose de Ganay. She was bred by the Head family’s Haras du Quesnay, where Motivator stood this year at a fee of €7,000 (approx. AU$11,200), and is out of Toride, an unraced Fuisse (Green Tune) half-sister to Treve, who won six Group 1 races in a glittering career overseen by Freddy Head’s sister Criquette.
No Excuse Needed
Justaskme (5 g ex Often by O’Reilly) became the 20th individual stakes winner for his late sire No Excuse Needed (Machiavellian) when winning the Opunake Cup (Listed, 1400m) at New Plymouth on Saturday. Bred and trained by Allan Sharrock, the rising six-year-old defeated stablemate London Express (Shamexpress) by two lengths with Rosewood (Redwood) a long neck further back in third. Dual Group 2 winner No Excuse Needed, who died in 2015, is the sire of three Group 1 winners in New Zealand, including I Do, who is out of a half-sister to Often (O’Reilly), the dam of Justaskme.
No Nay Never
Zain Claudette (2 f ex Claudette by Speightstown) scraped home by a nose in a desperately tight finish to the Princess Margaret Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Ascot on Saturday to become the 30th individual stakes winner for former Coolmore Australia shuttler No Nay Never (Scat Daddy). The Ismail Mohammed-trained filly pipped Desert Dreamer (Oasis Dream) at the post, with Delmona (Dandy Man) a neck back in third. She was bred by Andriy Milovanov out of a four-time winner who in turn is out of US Grade 3 scorer Tippity Witch (Affirmed). Zain Claudette was a bargain £20,000 purchase by Rabbah Bloodstock from the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. No Nay Never stood at Coolmore Stud in Ireland in 2021 for a fee of €125,000 (approx. AU$200,000).
Penny’s Picnic
Penny’s Picnic (Kheleyf) had his fourth individual stakes winner as a sire when Best Sixteen (2 c ex Surpressa by Take Risks) took the Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles (Listed, 1400m) at Vichy on Wednesday. Best Sixteen tracked the leader, was shaken up 400 metres out and forged on through the final 200 metres to win by a length and a half from runner-up Diadema (De Treville), with third-placed Bunglejungleparty (Bungle Inthejungle) a further length behind. The Hans Blume-trained colt, who made it four wins and three placings from seven starts, is a half-brother to two winners and traces back to the wider family of Group 1 winners Katies (Nonoalco) and Admire Moon (End Sweep). Best Sixteen was bred by J Brion, H Bunel et al and raced under the ownership of Infinity Nine Horses until two starts back when he stepped out in the silks of Lars Haase for third-place in a Chantilly Group 3 contest behind subsequent Prix Robert Papin (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Atomic Force (Cotai Glory). Penny’s Picnic stands at Haras de Hoguenet at a 2021 fee of €5,000 (approx. AU$8,000).
Saonois
La Parence (3 f ex La Vive Parence by Kaldounevees) became the first stakes winner sired by Saonois (Chichicastenango) when successful in the Prix Madame Jean Couturie (Listed, 2000m) at Vichy on Thursday. The Henri-Francois Devin-trained three-year-old travelled an easy second until driven a furlong and half out by jockey Clement Lecoeuvre. The filly responded with a strong finish to score by two lengths from runner-up Keyflower (Kheleyf) with Dima (Falco) a further three-quarters of a length behind in third. The Madame Henri Devin-owned homebred is out of the unraced La Vive Parence (Kaldounevees), a sister to dual Group 1 winner Terre A Terre and Group 3-placed Kachgai. La Parence is one of 11 winners for Prix du Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Saonois, who stands at Haras de Chataigniers for a €2,500 (approx. AU$4,000) fee.
Starspangledbanner
Aristia (3 f ex Aloisi by Kalanisi) became the 19th black-type winner for Rosemont Stud shuttler Starspangledbanner (Choisir) with a surprise victory in the Lyric Fillies’ Stakes (Listed 1m 2½f) at York on Friday. Last year’s wide-margin Coronation Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) winner Alpine Star (Sea The Moon) was heavily favoured to make a winning seasonal reappearance at four, but the match-fit 22-1 chance Aristia battled to score by a short-head, with Fooraat (Dubawi) another short-head back in third. The winner, who was making only her fourth start for trainer Richard Hannon and owner Elizabeth Roberts, was bred by Rathasker Stud out of the placed Kalanisi (Doyoun) mare Aloisi, and was purchased by Will Edmeades for 85,000gns from Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Starspangledbanner will stand for a fee of $16,500 in 2021.
Time For War
The Simon Miller-trained Amasenus (4m ex Kelendria by Filante) held off the close challenge of Sydney-trained roughie Reflectivity (All Too Hard) to win the Bolton Sprint (Listed, 1200m) at Belmont on Saturday, becoming the third individual stakes winner for the late Kitchwin Hills sire Time For War (Snitzel), who died after just two crops. Amasenus was bought by Miller for $14,000 from the 2017 Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale and has now posted eight wins from 16 starts, for just shy of $300,000 in prize-money. A short head separated the leading duo, with a further length back to Western Temple (Dream Ahead) in third. The rising five-year-old mare is one of four winners from four to race out of the winning mare Kelendria (Filante).