Awapuni, Listed Ricoh Feilding Gold Cup H., NZ$50,000, 2200m
Race Summary:
Toms (NZ) (Towkay) finished runner-up at Otaki at his previous engagement and he had no trouble going one better. He raced one off the fence in midfield and when rider Johnathan Parkes asked him for his best in the straight the 6-year-old responded with a powerful finishing burst.
Duplicity (Duporth) also found the line strongly from the tail of the field for second and the winner’s stablemate Balham (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}) was next home.
Pedigree Notes :
Toms is out of Steel Stillettos (Hussonet {USA}) who was successful once, but she’s proved a grand broodmare. She is also the dam of the multiple black type winners Boots ‘N' All (NZ) (Perfectly Ready) and Air Max (Nadeem). It is also the family of the Australian Group 3 winners Vestey (Last Tycoon {Ire}), Ready Set Sail (More Than Ready {USA}) and Turnitaround (Hard Spun {USA}).
Ascot, G3 Hosemasters Asian Beau S., $150,000, 1400m
Race Summary:
Samizdat (Not a Single Doubt) bounced back to winning form in style on Saturday to claim his second black type win.
The Chris Gangemi-trained runner had begun his career with four wins and a placing from his first five starts, headed by a win in the Restricted Listed Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy. In his two most recent appearances, he had finished sixth and fifth respectively in the Listed Birthday S. and G3 Northerly S.
The 4-year-old was dominant on Saturday, dropping back to second-last before warming up in the straight for jockey Brad Parnham.
Last season’s G2 WATC Derby winner Regal Power (Pierro) burst to the lead in the straight, but he was quickly swallowed up by the powerful finish of Samizdat.
Samizdat swept past and won by a length and a half from Regal Power, with three-quarters of a length back to Perfect Jewel (Redoute’s Choice) in third.
Raced by Gangemi Thoroughbreds Ltd, Bradley Thoroughbreds Ltd and five other individuals, Samizdat is now the winner of five of his eight starts and $397,550 in stakes.
He was a $325,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale by Gangemi Racing.
Pedigree Notes:
Samizdat was bred by Amelia Park Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd and is by top stallion Not a Single Doubt, who is the sire of 619 winners from 876 runners.
Not a Single Doubt is now the sire of 66 individual stakes winners, with Samizdat joining a list topped by 11 Group 1 winners including Kenedna, Extreme Choice, Miracles of Life and Scales of Justice.
Samizdat is a half-brother to Samovare (Savabeel), who won the G3 Champion Fillies’ S. and placed in the G2 Sunline S., G2 W.H. Stocks S., G3 Schweppervescence Trophy, G3 Naturalism S., G3 Mannerism S. and G3 Coongy H.
Samizdat is out of the winning More Than Ready mare Sambar, who is the dam of four winners from five foals to race.
Sambar’s progeny in recent seasons include Samsurian (Snippetson) in 2017, a colt by Extreme Choice in 2018 and a colt by Lonhro in 2019.
Ascot, G3 Tabtouch Prince of Wales S., 1000m, $150,000
Race summary:
Four-time stakes placegetter Flirtini (Artie Schiller {USA}) broke through for her first black-type win with an unstoppable come-from-behind performance.
All eyes had been on the favourite Misty Metal (Oratorio), who started slowly but recovered to be poised to pounce behind the leaders rounding the home turn.
A gap opened in the straight and Misty Metal burst through, quickly opening up a commanding lead. But then Flirtini unleashed a fearsome finish from third-last, running over the top of Misty Metal and beating her by a length. Stageman (Written Tycoon) was another long neck away in third place.
Flirtini is trained by Simon Miller and was ridden to victory on Saturday by Paul Harvey.
She has now had 12 starts for four wins, six placings and $324,700 in prize-money for owners Barry and Jan McRostie.
Withdrawn from the Inglis Sydney Weanling & Broodmare Sale, Flirtini was later bought for $150,000 by Barry McRostie at the Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale.
Pedigree Notes:
Flirtini was bred by Emirates Park Pty Ltd.
She is by the Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Artie Schiller (USA), who has sired 677 winners from 943 runners including 49 individual stakes winners.
Artie Schiller has sired 14 stakes winners in Australia, including G1 Coolmore Stud S. hero Flying Artie and Rosehill Guineas winner Laser Hawk.
Flirtini is the second stakes winner for the Hennessy mare Ajaweed, who is also the dam of Truson (Al Maher), winner of four Listed races in Malaysia including the Perak Derby and Selangor Gold Cup. He has won a total of 18 races.
Another of Ajaweed’s progeny, Sunshine Full Life (Al Samer), placed in the Listed Macau Guineas and Macau 4YO Prelude.
Overall, Ajaweed has produced eight winners from nine foals to race. She died earlier this year, but after producing Flirtini four years ago, she had a colt by Mulaazem and a filly by Smart Missile.
Ajaweed was a half-sister to Any Humour (Danewin), who won the Listed Chairman’s Trophy and EW Barker Trophy in Singapore.
The pair’s dam Damasta (USA) (Ogygian {USA}) is a half-sister to the G1 Santa Anita Oaks winner Hidden Light (USA) (Majestic Light {USA}), the dam of 10 winners including Artie Schiller.
The next dam down the line is Tallahto (USA) (Nantallah {USA}), winner of the G1 Oak Tree Invitational S., Vanity H. and Santa Barbara H. and dam of seven winners including three stakes performers. She is the granddam or great granddam of 15 black-type performers.
