Caulfield, G3 Ladbrokes Coongy Cup, $200,000, 2000m
Race Summary:
Wolfe (Jpn) (Novellist {Ire}) has secured his first stakes success and a spot in the G1 Caulfield Cup with a narrow victory in the G3 Ladbrokes Coongy Cup on Wednesday.
The Japanese-bred and born 5-year-old showed plenty of fighting qualities to see off Top Of The Range (NZ) (Savabeel) by 0.2l with Kiwia (Reset) another 1.5l back in third.
It takes his record to six wins from 10 starts and over $350,000 in prizemoney, while it also secured him a shot at the $5 million Caulfield Cup on Saturday as this race offered ballot-free entry to that race.
He will carry just 50kg in the $5 million handicap for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Pedigree Notes:
Purchased by Waterhouse out of the 2015 JRHA Select Sale for 33 million yen (AU$400,000), Wolfe is out of Group 1 winning mare Peace Of World (Jpn) (Sunday Silence {USA}).
She has already produced winners in Japan such as Satono Peace Peace (Jpn) (Brian's Time {USA}), Morning Call (Jpn) (Brian’s Time {USA}) and Viva World (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Toshi Gang Star (Jpn) (Kurofune {USA}).
The second dam Vivante Muele (Jpn) (Caerleon {USA}) was a two-time Japanese winner and a sister to Listed winner Welsh Muffin (Ire), who produced G1 winner Taiki Shuttle (USA) (Devil's Bag {USA}).
Wolfe becomes the first Australian stakes winner for Novellist (Ire), who stands at Shadai Stallion Station.
Caulfield, Listed Ladbrokes Village S., $175,000, 1200m
Race Summary:
Haunted (Lonhro) looks set for bigger and better things, having deservedly broken his stakes duck with a win in the Listed Ladbrokes Village S. at Caulfield.
Haunted had been placed at Listed level his past two starts but given a top ride just off the pace by Kerrin McEvoy, finished all over his rivals over the 1200 metres to defeat Parsifal (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) by 0.5l, with Inn Keeper (Host {CHI}) taking out third, another 0.4l back.
The top three ran over the top of short-priced favourite Zoustyle (Zoustar), who led up the field but couldn't find enough late and was beaten 1.4l into fourth.
Trainer James Cummings, who celebrated a milestone with the race, with his 100th stakes win since taking over as Godolphin head trainer, compared Haunted to the much-improved Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}), who emerged through similar races last year and will contest the $14 million Everest on Saturday.
Haunted has now won seven of his 19 starts and over $370,000 in prizemoney.
Pedigree Notes:
Haunted becomes the third stakes winner from the Listed winning mare Seances (Canny Lad), joining his full-sister Renaissance and full-brother Sessions. Seances has produced nine winners from 11 foals to the track, including Ouija (Viscount), herself the dam of a stakes-winner in Whiskey Neat (Denman).
Seances, who died in 2017, is also from a black-type family, being a half-sister to G1 Flight S. winner Unworldly (Quest For Fame {GB}) and Group 2 winner Gordo (Brief Truce).
Caulfield, G3 Catanach’s Jewellers Blue Sapphire S., $500,000, 1200m
Race Summary:
Top-quality filly Anaheed (Fastnet Rock) added a third stakes success to her burgeoning resume, impressively winning the G3 Catanach's Jewellers Blue Sapphire S. at Caulfield.
Given an excellent ride by Damian Lane just in behind the pace, Anaheed surged through a gap along the inside at the top of the straight and established a winning break.
Both Li'l Kontra (Krupt) who had tracked wide throughout, and Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner), who like Anaheed had got through closer to the rail, loomed as challengers at the 200 metre mark, but Anaheed found another gear on the line and had 1l to spare over Li'l Kontra with Brooklyn Hustle a short margin away in third.
Pre-race favourite Exhilarates (Snitzel) never really got into the race and had to settle for seventh, some 4.3l adrift of the winner.
Anaheed's record now stands at four wins from 10 starts and nearly $1.3 million on prizemoney.
Pedigree Notes:
A half-sister to the winner and stakes placegetter Farooq (Frankel {GB}), Anaheed is a daughter of the G1 Robert Sangster S. winner Rostova (Testa Rossa).
Rostova has a 2-year-old Medaglia d'Oro (USA) colt who has just turned 2-year-old named Epic Deal.
Rostova's dam Space Talk (Anabaa {USA}) is a three-quarter sister to the G1 Railway H. winner Imananabaa (Anabaa {USA}) and a half-sister to the Singapore stakes winner Mystic Master (Snippetson).
It is also the family of the G2 Maribyrnong Plate winner The Heavyweight (Zeditave) and the G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Born Priceless (Pricelessly {USA}).
Caulfield, G3 Ladies’ Day Vase, $5.45pm, 1600m
Race Summary:
Spanish Reef (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has bounced back to form to add another stakes win to her resume in the FDC G3 Ladies Day Vase at Caulfield.
A three-time Group winner earlier in her career, Spanish Reef hadn't placed in her three runs this campaign, but ridden on the pace by in-form jockey Mark Zahra, showed a good kick to easily beat Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) by 1l, with Fidelia (Not A Single Doubt) third.
Trainer Ken Keys had always intended Spanish Reef to peak later in her campaign and will now head to the G1 Empire Rose S. on Derby Day.
She has bow won seven of her 27 starts and over $730,000 in prizemoney.
Pedigree Notes:
Spanish Reef was bred by Patinack Farm and was purchased as a yearling by Keys for just $12,500 at the 2014 Patinack Dispersal.
She is the first foal of the unraced Lemon Drop Kid (USA) mare Lemon Reef (USA), the daughter of the Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed Storm Dream (Ire) (Catrail {USA}).
Lemon Reef only had one more live foal, the winner Reef Knot (Casino Prince), before being sold at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and exported after being covered by Olympic Glory (Ire).
