G1 Kia Ora Tancred S., $1,500,000, 2400m
Race summary:
Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) barely had to raise a sweat to distance her rivals and add another Group 1 victory to her record.
The mare sat back in the field before rider James McDonald slipped her more rein near the turn and she coasted into contention.
The 4-year-old strolled to the front 300 metres from home and ambled clear to win untested from Mustajeer (GB) (Medicean {GB}) and last year’s winner Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).
Pedigree notes:
A sister to the multiple winner Verry Flash (NZ), Verry Elleegant is a daughter of Opulence (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}).
The second dam Chalet Girl (NZ) (Imposing) is an unraced half-sister to the G1 Spring Champion S. winner and sire Danewin and his brother Commands won the G3 Missile S. before attaining champion sire status.
The family also features their close relative, the G1 Waikato International S. winner Emerald Dream (NZ) (Danehill {USA}) and the young Group-winning stallions Deep Field and Shooting To Win are also members of this family.
G1 Vinery Stud S., $500,000, 2000m
Race summary:
For the third straight week, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have celebrated Group 1 success at Rosehill.
Con Te Partiro (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) won the Coolmore Classic on March 14, then Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) starred in last Saturday’s Golden Slipper. This time it was Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt) who scored a front-running upset victory in the 3-year-old fillies’ feature.
Leading into the race all eyes were on Group 1 winners and fierce rivals Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) and Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), but Shout the Bar spoiled their party.
Ridden by first-time Group 1 winner Adam Hyeronimus, she jumped well from gate four and went straight to a clear lead.
While Funstar and Probabeel chopped and changed their positions in the first half of the field, Shout The Bar did her own thing in front and did it brilliantly.
She still had plenty to offer in the straight, when she was challenged by Nudge (Fastnet Rock) on her inside and Funstar and Probabeel out wide.
Probabeel became the biggest danger in the last 150 metres, but Shout The Bar dug deep and held her out by a neck. Nudge was 1l away in third, with Funstar fourth.
Carrying the colours of Francis and Christine Cook’s Mystery Downs, Shout The Bar has now had four starts for three wins, a second placing and $378,825 in stakes. Her only defeat was a last-start second in the G3 Kembla Grange Classic.
Shout The Bar was a $200,000 purchase from Newhaven Park’s draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes:
Shout The Bar was bred by Ron Finemore and Planette Thoroughbred Trading.
She is by the recently retired Not A Single Doubt, who is the sire of 647 winners from 906 runners with 70 individual stakes winners. Shout The Bar became his 13th Group 1 winner, with Farnan becoming the 12th in the Golden Slipper last Saturday.
The dam of Shout The Bar is Drinks All Round (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), who won three races. She is out of a half-sister to the multiple Group 2 winner Satinka (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) and also the stakes-placed She Wishes (NZ) (Kenfair {NZ}), who is the dam of G1 Doncaster and George Ryder S. hero Rangirangdoo (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
She Wishes is also the dam of Group 3-placed Master Hunter (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) and is granddam of Queensland Oaks placegetter Lady Cuvee (NZ) (Savabeel).
Shout The Bar is the only foal to race for Drinks All Round. The mare has a 2-year-old Not A Single Doubt filly named She’s A Survivor, and a yearling filly by the same sire. She returned to Not A Single Doubt again in the spring of 2019.
G2 TAB Tulloch S., $200,000, 2000m
Race summary:
Master Kiwi trainer Murray Baker is now a five-time Tulloch S. winner, with Quick Thinker (So You Think {NZ}) joining his honour roll alongside Our Palliser (NZ) (Palatable {USA}), The Bill (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}), Harris Tweed (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Jon Snow (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}). Baker also finished second in last year’s race with Madison County (NZ) (Pins).
There was barely a moment’s doubt for Quick Thinker on Saturday. After settling nicely in fourth position in a strung-out field, James McDonald began to creep forward on the favourite to move into a striking position down the side of the course.
Rounding the home turn, Quick Thinker swooped past the tiring front-runner Pride Of Adelaide (Adelaide {Ire}) and kicked out to a 2l lead.
He kept going strongly to the line to score a comfortable win, 1.25l ahead of the late-finishing Zebrowski (NZ) (Savabeel). Diasonic (Reset) was another 0.75l away in third.
Trained by Baker in partnership with Andrew Forsman, Quick Thinker races in the colours of OTI Racing and has had 10 starts for three wins, four placings and $292,728 in stakes.
He won the Listed Champagne S. at Ellerslie as a 2-year-old, then won the G3 Ming Dynasty in a Sydney spring campaign that also featured a third in the G2 Gloaming S. and fifth in the G1 Spring Champion S. He was a last-start third in the G2 Phar Lap S.
Quick Thinker was a $180,000 purchase at the 2017 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, and he was bought by De Burgh Equine for $100,000 at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes:
Quick Thinker was bred in Queensland by Bowcock Bloodstock.
He is by the globe-trotting champion racehorse So You Think (NZ), who stands at Coolmore for a service fee of $38,500 (inc GST). He is the sire of 304 winners from 488 runners, with 24 individual stakes winners.
Quick Thinker is out of Acouplamas (Al Maher), who won two races and placed in the Listed Princess S. in Brisbane.
The dam of Acouplamas is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Kensington Gardens (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}), who is the dam of Group 1 winners Blackfriars (Danehill {USA}) and Larrocha (Danehill {USA}) and stakes-winners Manton (Danehill {USA}), Waterford Road (Danehill {USA}) and Lions Gate (Danehill {USA}).
Acouplamas is the dam of three winners from four foals to race, including two stakes performers. Quick Thinker’s older half-brother The August (I Am Invincible) has won two races and placed in the G3 H.D.F McNeil S., also finishing fourth in the G3 Vain S.
In 2017, Acouplamas had a Zoustar colt who has been named Yulong Code and is in the Chris Waller stable. She was served by Trapeze Artist in the spring of 2019.
G2 Jim Beam Emancipation S., $200,000, 1500m
Race summary:
In-form mare Positive Peace (Stratum) took a big step up in class on Saturday and rose to the occasion with an outstanding win.
The winner of all of her last four starts, the 4-year-old tackled black-type competition for the first time in her career in Saturday’s fillies and mares’ feature.
Ridden by Tim Clark for trainer Bjorn Baker, she stalked the front-running Amangiri (All Too Hard) before pouncing at the home turn and taking the lead.
Mares lined up across the track to try to run her down, but Positive Peace stayed out of their reach and won by 1.25l. Noire (Foxwedge) drove through the inside to take second place, 0.5l ahead of Amangiri.
Positive Peace has now had 17 starts for eight wins, four seconds and $370,815 in prizemoney for owners Steve and Louise Gillard. She was a $260,000 purchase at the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes:
Positive Peace was bred by Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd.
She is by Stratum, who has sired 525 winners from 743 runners. Positive Peace became his 45th individual stakes winner, joining a list headed by seven Group 1 winners.
Positive Peace is out of Warpath (Reset), who won seven races headed by the Listed Aspiration H.
She is a half-sister to the dam of Limestone (Helmet), who won the G3 Blue Diamond Preview, placed in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude and finished fourth in the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
Warpath’s dam is a half-sister to stakes winner The Key Rainbow (Ire) (Rainbow Quest {USA}) and the dams of stakes winners Honoria (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) and Destined For Glory (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}).
Warpath is the dam of five foals to race, all winners. Rotator (Not A Single Doubt) placed in the G3 Widden S., while her first foal Alkaashef (Stratum) placed in the Listed UCI S.
She has an unraced Not A Single Doubt 2-year-old named Calcareous, and a yearling filly by Your Song. She was served by So You Think (NZ) in the spring of 2019.
G3 Schweppervesence, $160,000, 1400m
Race summary:
After an unlucky last-start run in the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce S., Holyfield (I Am Invincible) bounced back with a brilliant win that left no excuses for his rivals.
The colt broke sharply from gate three and took the lead within the first 50 metres, but he was consistently under siege from that point on. I Am Swerving (I Am Invincible), Obligatory (Fastnet Rock) and Aftermath (Spirit Of Boom) all pushed forward and threw down the gauntlet.
But Holyfield and in-form jockey Tom Marquand shook free of those foes at the home turn and scooted away, putting a 3l margin between himself and the chasers.
Untamed (Pierro) got the closest with a determined surge through the inside, but Holyfield was out of his reach and won by 0.75l. Time Is Precious (Snitzel) finished another 3l away in third.
The horses who put pressure on Holyfield in front all faded out of contention late in the race. I Am Swerving finished fifth, while Aftermath was 11th and Obligatory finished at the tail of the 13-horse field.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace for owners Aquis Farm and Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Holyfield has now won three of his four starts and $133,865 in stakes. His only defeat was a luckless ninth in the VRC Sires’ Produce S.
The well-bred Holyfield was bought for $800,000 from Segenhoe’s draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes:
Holyfield was bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Australia Pty Ltd.
He is by the super-sire I Am Invincible, who has been represented by 134 individual winners in Australia this season and has amassed more than $12.4 million in prizemoney.
Holyfield became the 55th individual stakes winner sired by I Am Invincible in his career, and the 28th stakes-winning 2-year-old.
The dam of Holyfield is Hurtle Myrtle (Dane Shadow), who won four races including the G1 Myer Classic, G2 Sapphire S. and G2 Dane Ripper S. She also placed in the G1 Flight S., G2 Premiere S., G2 Furious S., G2 Surround S. and G3 Silver Shadow S.
Hurtle Myrtle is out of a half-sister to Whisper Bay (Royal Academy {USA}), who won at Listed level and is the dam of Listed winner Indian Thunder (Manhattan Rain).
Hurtle Myrtle’s granddam is a half-sister to Golden Slipper winner Star Watch (Bletchingly) and two other stakes performers including Clear Apollo (King Apollo), who features in the dam line of nine stakes winners.
Holyfield is one of three winners from four foals to race out of Hurtle Myrtle, and he is her first stakes winner. She produced a filly by Not A Single Doubt in the spring of 2019, then was served by Deep Field.
G3 Iron Jack Neville Sellwood, $160,000, 2000m
Race summary:
Unplaced in five starts since a second placing in the G1 Toorak H. in October, Night’s Watch (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) turned his form around with a powerful come-from-behind staying performance.
With James McDonald in the saddle, the 6-year-old eased back to the tail of the field as a strong speed was set up in front.
Gemmhara (Choisir) took up the front-running role, with House Of Cartier (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) pushing forward to sit outside that runner after being trapped three wide through the early stages of the race.
Gemmhara and House Of Cartier got well ahead of the rest of the field coming up to the home turn, but they began to feel the pinch in the straight and were quickly reeled in by the back markers.
Night’s Watch, Aliferous (Hinchinbrook) and Shadow Flight (Duporth) surged into contention at the same time inside the last 200 metres, but it was Night’s Watch who produced the strongest finish to win by a neck. Aliferous finished second, a head in front of Shadow Flight.
Racing in the same OTI Racing colours that were worn to G2 Tulloch S. success by Quick Thinker (So You Think {NZ}) 40 minutes earlier, Night’s Watch is trained by Chris Waller. He has now had 33 starts for nine wins, six placings and $703,803.
This was his second black-type victory, having previously won the G3 Naturalism S. at Caulfield.
Pedigree notes:
Night’s Watch was bred by Gerry Harvey and is by Redwood (GB), who stands at Harvey’s Westbury Stud in New Zealand for a service fee of NZ$10,000.
Redwood is the sire of 88 winners from 155 runners, with Night’s Watch one of seven individual stakes winners. Others include Group 1 placegetters Platinum Invador (NZ), Rising Red (NZ) and Rock On Wood (NZ).
The dam of Night’s Watch is Glory Run (Exceed And Excel), a winning daughter of Group 1 mare Penny Gem (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
The winner of the Captain Cook S. at Trentham and a placegetter in four other elite races including the Queensland Oaks, Penny Gem is a three quarter sister to Entirely Platinum (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), who won the G3 Sky High S. and placed in the G1 CF Orr S. and Memsie S.
Penny Gem is also a half-sister to Australia Day Cup winner Fairygem (NZ) (Viscount), the dam of stakes performer Dottie Dee (NZ) (Brazen Beau).
Glory Run is the dam of three named foals, all winners. Night’s Watch was her first foal, and his younger half-brothers Governor Landy (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Excelman (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) have both won races in Australia.
She produced a Reliable Man filly in 2017 and a Redwood filly in 2018, and she returned to Redwood last spring.
G3 E-Group Security Star Kingdom S., $160,000, 1200m
Race summary:
Vegadaze (Lope De Vega {Ire}) showed his pace and determination with a tenacious display for trainer Anthony Cummings and rider Tom Marquand.
They worked hard early to get to the front and travelled strongly to the turn and repelled all challenges in the run home.
Godolphin runner Manicure (Exceed And Excel) came home doggedly for second ahead of her stablemate Kementari (Lonhro), who was making his first appearance since March following an unsuccessful retirement to stud.
Pedigree notes:
Vegadaze is the second winner and first stakes performer for his dam Rainzy Daze (Commands).
She is an unraced sister to the Listed Parramatta Cup winner Deltona with the headline act in the immediate pedigree the smart sprinter Rain Affair (Commands), winner of the G2 Expressway S, and a multiple placegetter at Group 1 level.
Another smart performer in the family is the Listed Cap D’Antibes S. winner Wayupinthesky (Snitzel) while Walk Alone (Honour And Glory {USA}) is also a black type winner.
G3 Chandon Doncaster Prelude, $160,000, 1500m
Race summary:
After striking plenty of bad luck in recent weeks, Saturday was finally the day for Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}).
The Godolphin gelding turned his fortunes around in emphatic style, surging home from second-last with an irresistible finishing burst.
Mask Of Time (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) had raced handy behind the front-running Desert Lord (High Chaparral {Ire}) and snuck through his inside to take the lead in the straight.
But Cascadian unleashed his huge finish down the centre of the track and ran down Mask Of Time, beating him by a head in a tight finish.
The winner’s Godolphin teammate Gaulois (Street Cry {Ire}) finished third, 1.25l behind the first pair.
Trained by James Cummings, Cascadian has now had 15 starts for five wins and five placings, earning $632,000 in prizemoney. This was his first stakes win, but he had previously placed in five stakes races including the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville and the G1 Cantala S. at Flemington.
Pedigree notes:
Cascadian is by New Approach (Ire), who has sired 461 winners from 727 runners worldwide with 51 stakes winners. In Australia, the Galileo (Ire) stallion has been represented by 118 winners from 157 runners, with 10 individual stakes winners headed by May’s Dream in the G1 Schweppes Oaks.
Cascadian’s dam is Falls Of Lora (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), who won four races including the G3 UAE Oaks and the Listed Sandown Distaff S.
She is a half-sister to two Listed winners – Latharnach (USA) (Iffraaj {GB}), who also placed in the G1 Royal Ascot St James’s Palace S., and Etive (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}).
Their dam is Firth Of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), who won at Listed level and placed in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. Her dam Kerrera (Ire) (Diesis {GB}) won multiple stakes races and placed in the English 1000 Guineas.
Falls Of Lora is the dam of three named foals, all winners. Cascadian was her first foal. Trossachs (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) has won three races in Ireland, while Imperial Empire (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was a 2-year-old winner in the United Kingdom last year.
