The Valley, G1 Keogh Homes William Reid S., $500,000, 1200m
Race Summary:
Star filly Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) has claimed her second Group 1 win against the older horses, winning the Group 1 William Reid S. in brilliant fashion.
Craig Williams parked Loving Gaby on the outside of hot favourite Bivouac (Exceed And Excel), who was thrust into the role of leader when Pippie (Written Tycoon) didn’t cross.
Loving Gaby put the acid test on Bivouac as the 3-year-olds straightened for home, and immediately got the better of him, with Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) closing on that pair. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly had enough in the locker to kick away and beat Gytrash by 1.25l, adding a second Group 1 victory over the course and distance, having won the Manikato S. back in October.
Bivouac finished third beaten 2.75l by the winner, ahead of Pippie and the fast-finishing Mystic Journey (Needs Further).
It was her fourth win from her 12-start career and took hr record to four wins, three of them at stakes level.
She becomes the third multiple Group 1 winner for her sire I Am Invincible.
Pedigree notes:
Bred by Kia Ora Stud and Alan Bell, Loving Gaby is the first foal from stakes-placed Maastricht (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was sold for $2.25 million to Coolmore at last year's Inglis Chairman's Sale. She recently foaled an I Am Invincible filly and has a yearling filly by Sebring and visited Justify (USA) last spring. The yearling filly is catalogued as Lot 49 in Kia Ora's draft at the upcoming Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Maastricht (NZ) is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Velocitea (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) as well as Listed winner Weaponry (NZ) (Declaration Of War {USA}). The other Group 1 winner to feature on the pedigree page is Orange County (Volksraad {GB}).
The Valley, G2 Sheamus Mills Bloodstock Sunline S., $200,000, 1600m
Race Summary:
Consistent mare Mamzelle Tess (O'Lonhro) claimed her first stakes success with a hard-fought win in the G2 Sunline S. at Moonee Valley,
Ben Thompson put the Leon and Troy Corstens' trained 7-year-old outside the leader Bam's On Fire (Universal Ruler) early in the race and she wore her rival down in what was an on-pace dominated affair.
She held strong to claim career win number eight by 0.5l, relegating Bam's On Fire to second with Fidelia (Not A Single Doubt) rocketing home for third, another 1.25l further back.
Mamzelle Tess had contested seven stakes races before Friday, finishing runner-up in the G3 Frances Tressady S, last time out as well as second in the 2018 G2 Blazer S. She has now won eight races and over $620,000 in prizemoney.
Pedigree Notes:
Bred by the Naismith family, Mamzelle Tess is one of four winners from Phoenix Crown (Sarason), but the first at black-type level. In fact, she is the first stakes-winner in the family since the five-time Group 1 winner Belmura Lad (NZ) (Belmura {GB}), who is out of a sister to this mare's third dam.
She also becomes the first stakes winner by O'Lonhro, who stands at Larneuk Stud in Victoria.
Phoenix Crown did not have another foal after Mamzelle Tess.
The Valley, G3 Dynamic Print Group Alexandra S., $160,000, 1600m
Race Summary:
Paradee (Epaulette) added substantial residual value with her debut stakes win in the G3 Alexandra S. at Moonee Valley.
The Danny O'Brien-trained filly has made rapid progress to the status of stakes winner, breaking her maiden at Bendigo last month before winning recent midweek race at Flemington.
Elevated to black-type level, she handled her opposition with aplomb on Friday, sweeping from just off the pace to defeat Snapdancer (Choisir), who had set the pace by 1l, with Flandersrain (Manhattan Rain) another 0.5l back in third.
It was Paradee's third win from six starts and she has now won nearly $150,000 in total prizemoney.
Pedigree notes:
A $240,000 buy for her owner Robert Anderson at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Paradee, bred by the Vieira family, is the first foal out of Icy Heels (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), who was unraced.
The dam is a half-sister to Listed Breeders' Plate winner Law (Denman), out of Lady Cat (Chi) (Sir Cat {USA}), who was a multiple stakes-winner in Chile.
Icy Heels has a yearling filly by Winning Rupert and foaled a Pride Of Dubai colt last year before visiting Trapeze Artist.
The Valley, Listed Palentino Ready To Launch Valley Pearl, $140,000, 1200m
Race Summary:
Larimer Street (Brazen Beau) was rewarded for his consistency through his 2-year-old campaign with a classy victory in the Listed Palentino Ready To Launch Valley Pearl at Moonee Valley.
Given a patient ride just in behind the pace by Damien Oliver, Larimer Street, trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, showed a superior turn of foot to surge through late and beat Vangelic (Vancouver) by 0.75l, with Pioneer River (Snitzel), working home well for third.
The race set up nicely for the well-supported Larimer Street with plenty of pace on early and at the top of the straight, as Vangelic surged to the front, it was clear that only bad luck was going to beat the Brazen Beau colt. Once Oliver got the run, Larimer Street put the race away quickly to break his maiden at start three.
He had been previously stakes placed when second in the G2 VRC Sires Produce S. at Flemington, and prior to that when third in the R Listed Inglis Millennium, while he was runner-up on debut at The Valley.
Pedigree notes:
Larimer Street was a $450,000 purchase for Mark Pilkington and his trainers at last year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. He is the fourth winner from Original Choice (Redoute's Choice), who has produced a stakes-placegetter in Brockhoff (Lonhro).
She is out of Group 2 winner Innovation Girl (Rubiton), who has produced the Listed winner Chloe in Paris (Exceed And Excel), the dam of one of Brazen Beau's other five stakes winners, Ideas Man.
Larimer Choice was Original Choice's final foal.
Albury, Listed Commercial Club Albury Gold Cup, $200,000, 2000m
Race Summary:
Veteran Spunlago (Hard Spun {USA}) has delivered a memorable Listed Albury Cup win for local trainer Ron Stubbs, with the 8-year-old prevailing at massive odds.
Having his 56th start, it seemed Spunlago's chance of a career stakes victory had passed him by, but he delivered a career-best effort at his home track, punching clear under jockey Mathew Cahill to defeat Maid Of Ore (Duporth) by 1.1l with another outsider, Great Glen (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}), filling third, another 1l away.
Spunlago started out his career with trainer Greg Baker before briefly joining Archie Alexander's stable. He then debuted for Stubbs about 18 months ago. He has won five races for the new stable, while his overall career prizemoney sits at over $466,000.
He has now won 13 of his 56 career starts.
Pedigree notes:
Spunlago is the first stakes-winner out of Lindt (Encosta De Lago), who has also produced the winner Any Given Day (Any Given Saturday {USA}).
She hails from the extended family of stakes-winners Russian Caravan (Dehere {USA}), Custard (Lonhro), Serene Majesty (Fastnet Rock), Curdled (All Too Hard) and Fravashi (Falbrav {Ire}), Vivacious Spirit (Bel Esprit), Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago), Audacious Spirit (Bel Esprit) and South African Group 1 winner The Last Lion (Chosir).
Bred by the Anderson family, Spunlago becomes the 78th stakes winner for his sire Hard Spun and his 18th in Australia.
