Randwick, G2 Quincy Seltzer Villiers S., $250,000, 1600m
Race summary:
Quackerjack (Not A Single Doubt) earned his way into the G1 Doncaster in autumn with a thrilling and brave victory over the same course and distance as the famous Randwick feature.
Drawn awkwardly in gate 11, the talented 4-year-old was trapped wide in the early part of Saturday’s race.
Jockey Rachel King had no choice but to push forward, swooping to take the lead more than 1000 metres from home.
He could be forgiven if that effort had taken its toll in the straight, but Quackerjack just kept fighting.
He bravely withstood the challenges of Invincible Gem (I Am Invincible) on the inside and Sambro (Fastnet Rock) out wide, refusing to surrender. Invincible Gem got so close in a head-bobbing finish, but Quackerjack lunged for the line and won by a nose.
Sambro was another short neck away in third.
Trained by Mark Newnham, Quackerjack has now had 18 starts for seven wins and four placings, earning more than $815,000 in prizemoney. This was his first black type win, having previously placed in the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas.
Quackerjack was bred by Gerard and Jan Nolan, who sold him under their Rosari Farm banner at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $240,000.
Pedigree notes:
Quackerjack became the 69th individual stakes winner for Not A Single Doubt, who has sired a total of 627 winners from 887 runners.
The dam of Quackerjack is the two-race winner Quack It (NZ) (Ustinov), a half-sister to the Listed winner and G1 Galaxy H. placegetter Anatina (Fastnet Rock).
Another half-sibling, Pricked (NZ) (Thorn Park), won at Listed level in Adelaide, while the Group 2-placed Acupuncture (NZ) (Pins) has produced Listed winner Sugar Boom (Spirit of Boom) and Group 3-placed Intencion (Commands).
Quack It is the dam of four named foals, all winners. In the last two years she has produced filly foals by Vancouver and Sebring.
Randwick, Listed Fugen Construction Razor Sharp H., $140,000, 1200m
Race summary:
Signore Fox (Exceed And Excel) came from nowhere and prevailed in a thrilling finish to Saturday’s sprint feature at Randwick.
The 4-year-old entire settled well back in the field as Oriental Runner (Hussonet {USA}) raced on the pace.
Oriental Runner produced a kick in the straight and seemed to be set for an upset win, but Signore Fox unleashed a massive finish down the outside to grab him right on the line.
Glenall (Redoute’s Choice) was close up behind the first pair in third place.
It was a deserved change of fortune for Signore Fox, who was balloted out of the $1 million The Hunter and missed the $7.5 million Golden Eagle because of a temperature.
Saturday’s victory took his prizemoney earnings past $400,000, and it was the seventh win of his 20-start career. He is now a two-time stakes winner, having previously won the Daybreak Lover Plate in Brisbane. The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained runner has also had two second placings.
Pedigree notes:
Signore Fox was bred by Drakenstein Stud and was a $300,000 purchase from the draft of Coolmore Stud by Snowden Racing at the 2017 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
He is by the great Exceed And Excel, whose career total now stands at 1417 winners from 2023 runners with 164 individual stakes winners.
Signore Fox is a half-brother to the South African champion Oh Susanna (Street Cry {Ire}), the winner of the G1 Met H., Woolavington 2000, and two editions of the Kenilworth Paddock S.
Another half-sibling, Indiano Jones (USA) (A.P. Indy {USA}), placed in the G2 Summer S. in Canada.
They are all out of Sharp Susan (USA) (Touch Gold {USA}), who won the G2 Lake Placid S. and placed in the G1 Carden City S.
Sharp Susan is a half-sister to Spring at Last (USA) (Silver Deputy {USA}), who won the G1 Donn H. and G2 Godolphin Mile, and the G1 Las Virgenes S. winner Sharp Lisa (USA) (Dixieland Band {USA}), who is the dam of G1 Metropolitan H. winner Foundry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and British Group 1 performer Housesofparliament (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Sharp Susan is the dam of four winners from four foals to race. She produced the unraced Fast Susan (Fastnet Rock) in 2016, and a filly by Galileo (Ire) in 2018.
Randwick, Listed Christmas Cup, $140,000, 2400m
Race summary:
Sixteen months and almost 20 starts since his last win, Morton’s Fork (Ad Valorem {USA}) turned things around with a powerful staying performance.
Ridden by Glen Boss, the 6-year-old sat in fourth place as the favourite Miss Moana (NZ) (Uncle Mo {USA}) attempted to control the race from the front.
But she was no match for Morton’s Fork in the straight. He swept past and raced clear, winning by 1.75l. High Bridge (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) made a big late run from near-last to take second place by 0.5l from Miss Moana.
Morton’s Fork began his career in the Godolphin colours, for whom he won six races including the G2 Sandown Guineas in the spring of 2016. He was later sold for $100,000 at the Magic Millions National Racehorse Sale.
His overall career record now stands at 40 starts for seven wins, 12 placings and more than $820,000 in stakes.
Pedigree notes:
Morton’s Fork was bred by Darley.
His sire is the Danzig stallion Ad Valorem (USA), who has had a total of 300 winners from 484 runners including 14 individual black-type winners.
In Australia and New Zealand, Ad Valorem has been represented by 197 winners from 298 runners including nine at stakes level. Capital Gain won the G1 J.J. Atkins S., while Free Wheeling, Morton’s Fork, Pied a Terre and Meliora have all won at Group 2 level.
Morton’s Fork is out of the Lonhro mare Dilemmas, who placed as a 3-year-old and is a half-sister to the G2 Autumn S. winner Pied a Terre.
Dilemmas’ dam Masonette (Grand Lodge {USA}) is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Graceful Encounter (Dr Grace {NZ}) and the stakes-placed Gold Class (Flying Spur).
The third dam of Morton’s Fork, Shavano Miss (Hand Crafted), won 13 races including two editions of the G2 Southwark Premium Classic, the G3 Auraria S., the Listed VRC Milady S. and the Listed H.C. Nitschke S.. She also placed in the G1 Australian Oaks.
Morton’s Fork is the only winner from Dilemmas’ two foals to race. She produced a Hinchinbrook filly in 2015 and a filly by Uncle Mo (USA) in 2016. She returned to Hinchinbrook and had a colt foal in the spring of 2018.
Eagle Farm, Listed Pages Gold Edition Plate, $200,000, 1200m
Race summary:
As expected, the talented Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) successfully came back from a break with an effortless win.
The 3-year-old sat in behind the pace on the fence and once into the clear he ambled to the front 300 metres from home to put his opposition away.
Eleven Eleven (Fastnet Rock) was in the party all the way and fought on bravely for second ahead of The Odyssey (Better Than Ready) who clung on grimly for third after setting the pace.
Pedigree notes:
A $55,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy, Alligator Blood is a son of the unraced Fastnet Rock mare Lake Superior.
She is a half-sister to the Listed Christmas Cup winner Cantonese (Redoute’s Choice) with their dam the winner and two-time Group 1 placegetter Kylikwong (Red Ransom {USA}).
She is a daughter of the multiple South African Group 1 winner Tracy’s Element (Last Tycoon {Ire}), who produced the six-time top-flight winner Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}).
Eagle Farm, Listed TAB Lough Neagh S., $125,000, 1300m
Race summary:
Deep Image (Testa Rossa) worked his way to the front from a trick barrier and he was always travelling comfortably at the head of affairs under rider Robbie Fradd.
They were clear 300 metres from home and the Rob Heathcote-trained sprinter had enough in reserve to his third win from six starts this preparation.
Looks Like Elvis (All American), who raced well during the Melbourne spring carnival, took an inside run to earn second money and Chapter And Verse (Rothesay) ran on generously for third.
Pedigree notes:
The winner is a son of Starwish (Redoute’s Wish) and was a $25,000 Inglis Digital Sale purchase.
The dam is an unraced half-sister to the Listed Gimcrack S. winner Brilliant Bisc (Elvstroem) and their dam is the G1 Australia S. winner Stella Cadente (NZ) (Centaine), also placed in the G1 Coolmore Classic.
The pedigree page also feature the G3 HKJC National Day Cup winner Dashing Fellow (Duporth) and his Listed Rosebud H. winning half-brother Aeronautical (Encosta de Lago).
Morphettville, Listed Adelaide Galvanising Christmas H., $100,000, 1200m
Race summary:
New trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy have brought the best out of the former high-quality 2-year-old Ef Troop (Spirit of Boom), guiding him back to stakes success.
Previously trained by Tony Gollan in Queensland, Ef Troop won the first two starts of his career including a 5l victory in the Listed Phelan Ready S., and he finished second in the G2 Todman S. and fourth in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
He joined the McEvoy stable after the 2019 Queensland winter carnival, and he won two trials before finishing seventh in the Magic Millions 3&4YO Classic at Ballarat on November 23.
On Saturday, the 4-year-old was right back at his brilliant best.
Ridden by Barend Vorster, he raced in third behind a strong pace set by Lagerfeld (Denman) and Captain Punch (Captain Gerrard {Ire}), then overhauled them with ease in the straight and stretched out stylishly to win by 1.25l.
Zalmona (Good Journey {USA}) finished well to take second place, with Miss Jane (Skilled) third.
Ef Troop has now had 14 starts for four wins, four placings and more than $446,000 in stakes. He was a $70,000 purchase at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes:
Ef Troop is by Spirit of Boom, who has made such a huge impact on the Queensland breeding scene. He is now the sire of 97 winners from 179 runners, with 11 individual stakes winners.
The dam of Ef Troop is Limealicious (Exceed And Excel), who won two races and finished fourth in the Listed Ottawa S. at Flemington. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Sanosuke (Haradasun).
The third dam Topicount (USA) (Private Account {USA}) won the G2 Rare Perfume S. and G3 Monmouth Park Breeders’ Cup H., and placed in the G1 Acorn S. and John A. Morris H. She produced eight winners including two at stakes level.
Limealicious has produced four winners from four foals to race. She returned to Spirit of Boom and had filly foals in 2017 and 2018, then produced a colt by Capitalist in 2019.
