Randwick, G3 Camera House Sydney S., $500,000, 1200m
Race Summary:
Godolphin speedster Deprive (Denman) extended his perfect Randwick record to six out of six with a powerful come-from-behind performance in the race dubbed the Everest Consolation.
Given a perfectly timed ride by Hugh Bowman, the 5-year-old dropped back to second-last through the early part of the race as his stablemate Home of the Brave (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) vied for the lead with Sir Plush (NZ) (Pins).
The favourite Brutal (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) loomed ominously at the top of the straight and quickened to take control of the race, but Bowman unleashed Deprive out wide on the track and he flew home over the top of him in the last 150 metres.
Champagne Cuddles (Not a Single Doubt) also produced a scintillating late burst to be right in the thick of the finish, beaten a mere head by Deprive, with connections lodging an unsuccessful protest against the winner over alleged contact in the last 100 metres. Brutal finished another nose behind the first pair in a close third.
Trained by James Cummings, Deprive has now had 13 starts for eight wins, three placings and $767,230 in prize-money.
Pedigree Notes:
A Darley home-bred, Deprive is one of 16 stakes winners for sire Denman, who stands for a fee of $8,800 at Twin Hills Stud. He sired a black-type sprinting double on Saturday, with Humma Humma successful in the Listed Alinghi S. at Caulfield earlier in the afternoon.
Deprive is out of the Canny Lad mare Defrock, a full-sister to the G3 Up & Coming S. winner Blackball (Canny Lad).
Second dam Excommunicate (Grand Lodge {USA}) is a half-sister to Hosannah (Octagonal {NZ}), who won six races including the G2 Surround S., Queen of the Turf S. and Magic Night S. She also placed in the G1 Arrowfield Stud S. and Flight S.
Hosannah is the dam of seven winners including Altar (Commands), who won the G2 Magic Night S. and placed in the G1 Goodwood H.
Defrock is the dam of two foals to race, both winners. Alongside Deprive’s eight wins, his older half-brother Drummed Out (Commands) has been a six-race winner.
Defrock has subsequently produced the unraced Leave Your Hat On (Helmet), Don’t Question Me (Foxwedge) and Yulong Defence (Star Witness), and she produced a colt by Foxwedge last spring.
Randwick, G3 Yulong Australia Craven Plate, $500,000, 2000m
Race Summary:
Saturday’s Randwick meeting may have been all about The Everest, but fan favourite Happy Clapper (Teofilo {Ire}) did his best to steal the show.
The 9-year-old has earned a devoted following throughout his decorated career, winning three Group 1 races and placed in another 10 – many of them behind the legendary Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).
Happy Clapper earned the 12th win of his remarkable career and went past $7 million in prize-money with a popular victory in Saturday’s Craven Plate, but the race did not go to plan.
Pat Webster’s pride and joy was caught wide early in the race, leaving jockey Tommy Berry with no option but to send him forward to take the lead down the back straight.
That was where the remarkable gelding stayed, fighting strongly all the way down the straight to hold out the challenge of Tally (Street Cry {Ire}) by a head.
Life Less Ordinary (Ire) (Thewayyouare {USA}), who had trouble finding a clear run in the straight, was another length away in third.
Pedigree Notes:
Happy Clapper is by Teofilo (Ire), who shuttled to Australia from 2009 to 2017. He has sired 592 winners from 957 runners worldwide, 85 of them at stakes level including 16 at Group 1.
Teofilo has enjoyed particular success in Australia, siring 12 stakes winners including Group 1 stars Happy Clapper, Humidor (NZ), Palentino, Kermadec (NZ), Sonntag and last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter (GB).
Happy Clapper was bred by his owner, Michael Thomas.
He is out of the winning Encosta de Lago mare Busking, who also finished fourth at Listed level in the Gold Coast’s Ken Russell Memorial Classic.
Busking is the dam of six winners from seven foals to race. Happy Clapper is not the only stakes performer, with Not a Single Cent (Not a Single Doubt) winning the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce S. and Gig (Commands) placing in the G2 P.B. Lawrence S. and six other stakes races.
Busking is a half-sister to Thankgodyou’rehere (Secret Savings), whose eight wins included the G3 Bill Ritchie H. and Hawkesbury Gold Cup. He also placed in the G1 Galaxy H.
Randwick, Listed Bisley Workwear Reginald Allen Quality, $140,000, 1400m
Race Summary:
Akari (Snitzel) secured her first black-type victory with a relentless performance in the first of Randwick’s features on Saturday.
The Brad Widdup-trained filly was a last-start maiden winner at Wyong last week, and earlier in the year she had finished third behind high-class rival Libertini (I Am Invincible) in the Listed Woodlands S. at Scone.
In Saturday’s Reginald Allen, Akari settled in fourth as a fired-up Still Single (More Than Ready {USA}) pulled her way to a clear lead through the early part of the race.
Jockey Christian Reith unleashed Akari after straightening for home, and she soon charged into contention.
But Mayaaseh (Exceed and Excel) went with her, and the two fought an exciting battle for a large part of the Randwick straight. But Akari eventually got the better of her rival, pulling clear to win by half a length.
Betcha Flying (Uncle Mo {USA}) got out of traffic and produced a late charge to snatch second, with Mayaaseh close up in third.
Raced by Jadeskye and Werrett Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Akari has now won two of her five starts and more than $143,000 in stakes.
Pedigree Notes:
Akari was bred by Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd and Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd. She was a $1.05 million purchase at the 2018 Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale.
Saturday’s win made Akari the 92nd individual stakes winner for champion stallion Snitzel, whose overall total now stands at 764 winners from 1032 runners.
Akari is one of three winners from three foals to race for dam Asterix (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}). She is also the dam of Aerolithe (Jpn) (Kurofone {USA}), who won the G1 Tokyo NHK Mile Cup, G2 Mainichi Okan and G3 Sapporo Hokkaido Shimbun Hai Queen S. She also finished second in two editions of the G1 Yasuda Kinen.
Second dam Isle de France (USA) (Nureyev {USA}) was a Group 3 winner and Group 1 placegetter and produced nine winners from 10 foals to race. Those include Star Isle (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), the dam of the dual Group 1 winner and Arrowfield Stud stallion Mikki Isle (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Since producing Akari in the spring of 2016, Asterix has produced a Redoute’s Choice colt, named Black Saladin, and another filly by Snitzel.
Rotorua, G3 Sweynesse S., NZ$70,000, 1215m
Race Summary:
Dawn Patrol (NZ) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) made a welcome return to the form that made him a Group 1 performer last season, recording his first stakes win in Saturday’s weight-for-age sprint feature at Rotorua.
The talented chestnut won two races last season and placed in another three, all at stakes level including a second to Madison County (NZ) (Pins) in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
Dawn Patrol settled in midfield behind a solid pace in Saturday’s race, then quickened smartly in the straight for jockey Jonathan Riddell.
That burst of speed carried him to a clear lead, which he maintained by three-quarters of a length from the late-finishing Princess Kereru (NZ) (Pins) and Midnight Runner (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}).
Trained by Frank Ritchie of Bonecrusher (NZ) (Pag Asa) fame, Dawn Patrol has had 10 starts for four wins, four placings and more than $205,000 in prize-money. He is raced by Rex Jensen.
Pedigree Notes:
Dawn Patrol completed a black-type double at Rotorua for breeders Monovale Holdings Ltd, who also bred the Listed Staphanos Classic winner Sweet Treat (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}).
Dawn Patrol was a $20,000 purchase at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
His sire Dawn Approach (Ire) shuttled to Australia from 2014 to 2018. He has sired 111 winners from 284 runners worldwide, with Dawn Patrol becoming his ninth individual stakes winner.
In Australia and New Zealand, Dawn Approach has sired 25 winners from 76 runners. Dawn Patrol is his first Group winner in this part of the world, with Dawn Passage and Diamond Thunder both Listed winners.
Dawn Patrol is the best of three winners out of Dazzling (NZ) (Star Way {GB}), who herself was a winner over 2000 metres.
Dazzling is a full-sister to the multiple Listed winners Zero Limit (NZ) (Star Way {GB}) and Twinkling (NZ) (Star Way {GB}), and she is also a sibling to the dams of Group 1 winners Boundless (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy {USA}) and Veyron (NZ) (Thorn Park).
Dazzling produced a colt by Ocean Park (NZ) in 2017 and a filly by Proisir last year.
Rotorua, Listed Staphanos Classic, NZ$50,000, 1950m
Race Summary:
Apprentice jockey Joshua Kam headed to Rotorua on Saturday with only one career victory to his name, but he left as a Listed winner.
While most of the Staphanos Classic field headed wide around the home turn in search of drier ground, Kam cut the corner on $43 outsider Sweet Treat (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}).
The ground-saving move proved to be vital as Sweet Treat suddenly came from midfield to be right in the thick of the finish. After a tough battle down the straight, Sweet Treat prevailed by three-quarters of a length from Charlie Horse (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}). The third-placed Strolling Vagabond (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) was another length away.
Sweet Treat is trained by Team Rogerson and carries the colours of long-time Rogerson stable employee Denise Howell. The same connections won this race in 2014 with the multiple Group 1 winner Soriano (NZ) (Savabeel).
Sweet Treat was bred by the Smithies family’s Monovale Holdings Ltd, who have retained a share in the ownership.
The 6-year-old has now won five of her 39 starts, placing in another nine for more than $108,000 in prize-money.
Pedigree Notes:
Sweet Treat was a $30,000 purchase from the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale in 2015.
She is by Ekraar (USA), who began his stud career in 2005 and initially shuttled to New Zealand before being based there permanently from 2010 until his death last year.
Ekraar has sired 238 winners from 467 runners, and Sweet Treat is his 11th individual stakes winner. Eight of those stakes winners have been female, headed by his quartet of Group 1 winners – Shez Sinsational (NZ), Ekstreme (NZ), Habibi (NZ) and Rising Romance (NZ).
Sweet Treat is one of seven winners from seven foals to race for the dam Flinders (USA) (Royal Academy {USA}). The other six include Ezra (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), who placed at Listed level.
Flinders won two races and is a daughter of Eternal Reve (USA) (Diesis {GB}), who won the G3 Matron S. at the Curragh and placed in the G1 Keeneland Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and Royal Ascot Coronation S.
Since Sweet Treat was born in the spring 2013, Flinders has produced the two-race winners Steven James (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}) and Early Explorer (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), then unnamed colt foals by Sacred Falls (NZ) and Ekraar (USA).
