G1 Penfolds Victoria Derby, $2,000,000, 2500m
It was a remarkable achievement to so easily win a G1 VRC Derby at just his third run back from a spell - Hitotsu (Maurice {Jpn}) merely seven weeks ago winning a 1350m-maiden at Donald before finishing off nicely for a G1 Caulfield Guineas fifth.
Showing that he had no issues with the step up in distance, the exciting colt became the first Australian Group 1 winner for Arrowfield Stud's six times Group 1 winner Maurice (Jpn) whose daughter Pixie Knight (Jpn) has also won at that level in her home country.
Bred by Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd, Belford Productions Pty Ltd and Mr H Chambers, Hitotsu was purchased by his original trainer Wendy Kelly for $100,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the third foal and second winner for the unraced Love Is Fickle (Redoute's Choice), a $250,000 from the 2013 Magic Millions. Served last spring by Castelvecchio having foaled a filly by Shalaa (Ire), she is a daughter of the G1 Avondale Gold Cup winner She's A Meanie (NZ) (Prince Salieri) - also the dam of the triple Group-winning stallion Love Conquers All (Mossman) and the Listed winner She's Meaner (Falvelon) whose son Lean Mean Machine (Zoustar) won two Group 2 races.
Danehill (USA)-line mares are of interest for Maurice whose grandsire Grass Wonder (USA) (who stood briefly and unsuccessfully at Eliza Park) is out of a mare bred on the same Danzig (USA)/His Majesty (USA) cross as Danehill.
Other highlights of Hitotsu's pedigree include crosses of Never Bend (USA) and his G1 Kentucky Oaks-winning dam Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
G1 Kennedy Cantala, $2,000,000, 1600m
Buying the dual Group 3 winner Stormy Nova (Metal Storm {Fr}) off the track proved a stroke of genius by Bob and Sandra Peters with that talented mare's son Superstorm (Sebring) being the fourth stakes winner in a row she has produced.
A mare who really knew how to find the line, winning half of her 14 starts, Stormy Nova is also dam of the G3 La Trice Classic winner Cosmic Storm (Street Sense {USA}), the Listed Tattersall's Cup winner Royal Command (Street Sense {USA}) and the Listed Burgess Queen S. (Sebring) winner Mikimoto.
A well-deserved Group 1 winner on the back of consistent elite level form, Superstorm is his late sire's seventh big race winner and one of his 73 stakes winners overall.
Served last spring by Sessions having produced a colt by that same stallion, Stormy Nova (now owned by Oakland Park Stud) is out of the stakes-placed Pro Challenge (Protos {USA}).
G1 Coolmore Stud S., $1,500,000, 1200m
Always celebrations at Coolmore Stud when they win their own race (as they did in 2017 with Merchant Navy by Fastnet Rock) and no doubt there were plenty of smiles amongst the crew when Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) raced away to a dominant 3l victory yesterday.
It was two Coolmores in a row for Chris Waller (successful last year with September Run by Exceed And Excel) and there looks to be more in store for this impressively laid-back colt who did such a great job at just his seventh outing.
Bred by Torryburn Stud and purchased by Tom Magnier for $875,000 at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Home Affairs is just the second foal for the up-and-coming broodmare Miss Interiors (Flying Spur) whose first foal is the Group 1-placed Aysar - whilst her third Wilbury (a $1.05 million Easter graduate by Capitalist) debuts in Tuesday's G3 Maribyrnong Plate.
One of Yarraman Park's I Am Invincible's 66 stakes winners - and his tenth Group 1 winner - Home Affairs hails from one of the world's great families, his fifth dam being Northern Dancer's (Can) wonderful daughter Fanfreluche (Can). And his dam is bred on a 4 X 4 cross of that mare, also third dam of Flying Spur.
What a family this is, Miss Interiors being a half-sister to the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Russian Revolution (Snitzel) whilst others to win at the elite level amongst this clan include Encosta De Lago (Fairy King {USA}), Majestic Roi (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}), Medici (Chi) (Sir Cat {USA}), L'Enjoleur (Can) (Buckpasser {USA}), Aube Indienne (Fr) (Bluebird {USA}) and Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) (Danehill {USA}).
G1 TAB Empire Rose S., $1,000,000, 1600m
Colette (Hallowed Crown) has well and truly made up for her G1 Caulfield Cup campaign going awry, with this latest determined victory her second at Group 1 level on the back of her ATC Australian Oaks success last year.
A Godolphin homebred by the now Twin Hills Stud based dual Group 1 winner Hallowed Crown, she is one of his three stakes winners and by far his biggest prize money earner having on this same day last year won the rich Golden Eagle at Rosehill.
She is a half-sister (though both are members of the Street Cry {Ire} sireline) to the Listed winner Metastasio (Street Cry{Ire}) and to the dam of the US-based Listed winner Frenzified (GB) (Yeats {Ire}).
Her unraced dam Libretto (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}) died a few months ago, her final foal also passing away - leaving Colette as the last of her six runners.
Libretto's dam is the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Truly Special (Ire) (Caerleon {USA}) who has proven a strong influence as the dam of two Group 2 winners (Wareed {Ire} by Sadler's Wells {USA} and Truly A Dream {Ire} by Darshaan {GB}) and ancestress of another 34 stakes winners!
It was a lovely quinella from a pedigree perspective with the runner-up Mystic Journey being a daughter of Hallowed Crown's half-brother Needs Further.
Colette boasts crosses of the terrific mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}).
G2 TAB Not One Day Linlithgow S., $300,000, 1200m
Showing plenty of heart saluting at nice odds Justacanta (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) was back to 1200 metres, having contested longer races at his three previous starts - his success indicative of the skills of his trainer Patrick Payne who has this gelding in flying form at eight.
Bred by Little Avondale Stud by their resident stallion Per Incanto (USA) (sire of 22 stakes winners), a Group 3 winner in Italy, Justacanta is one of four winners produced by the now-retired winning mare Just Casual (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA}).
Her G3 Challenge S.-winning dam Some Reason (NZ) (Sound Reason {Can}) is also the dam of the G1 New Zealand Derby winner So Casual (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA})- and grandam of the G1 Diamond S. winner Kaaptan (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}).
Bred on a 7 X 5 cross of the G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}), Justacanta is a descendant of Duke's Delight (Ire) (His Grace {GB}), also ancestress of the G1 gallopers Pistol Packer (USA) (Gun Bow {USA}), Noblesse (GB) (Mossborough {GB}), Warning (GB) (Known Fact {USA}), Commander In Chief (GB) (Dancing Brave {USA}), Rainbow Quest (USA) (Blushing Groom {Fr}) and Scenic (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}).
G2 ZED RUN Wakeful S., $300,000, 2000m
Outstanding broodmare Dextrous (Quest For Fame {GB}) has gone out with a bang leaving this impressive filly as her final foal - Willowy (Kermadec {NZ}) being a half-sister to the G1 ATC Champagne S. winner Skilled (Commands), the dual Group 2 winner Sidestep (Exceed And Excel) and the G3 Theo Marks winner Ambidexter (Commands).
Herself a horse of considerable class, Dextrous won five races including the G2 Sandown Guineas and the G3 Vanity. Sadly she died last year but she has certainly left her mark and she currently has four daughters at stud.
Doing a great job winning this G1 VRC Oaks lead-up at just her fifth start, the Godolphin homebred is the second stakes winner for Darley Victoria's dual Group 1-winning miler Kermadec (NZ).
Hailing from the same family that produced the champion grey Emancipation (Bletchingly), Willowy has as her damsire Quest For Fame (GB), who is bred on a Wild Risk (Fr)/Northern Dancer (Can) cross, the reverse to Kermadec.
Also of interest in Willowy's pedigree is the combination of Fuji Kiseki (Jpn) and Blushing Groom (Fr) with both stallions being descendants of the influential matriarch Black Ray (GB) (Black Jester {GB}).
G3 Furphy Sprint, $200,000, 1100m
A savvy purchase for Rosemont Stud (a $1.8 million graduate of the Shadwell Stud dispersal), Minhaaj (Exceed And Excel) has done a great job further enhancing her page adding this Group 3 success to her recent G3 Nivison S. win in Sydney.
One of Darley stalwart Exceed And Excel's 189 stakes winners, she is the first foal produced by the lightly raced Telaawa (Lonhro) - a winner and city-placed from just eight starts.
Recently producing a full brother to Minhaaj, Telaawa also has 2-year-old Exceed And Excel - the $900,000 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Dean Hawthorne (on behalf of Pinecliff Racing) recently being named Movie Matinee.
Bred on a 2 X 4 cross of Danehill (USA), Minhaaj is a granddaughter of the stakes-placed Magic Harmony (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who has produced two Group 3 winners; Charmed Harmony (Hussonet {USA}) locally and Suyoof (Magic Albert) in South Africa.
Plenty of stakes winners hail from this family including the Group 1 juvenile winners Reward For Effort (Exceed And Excel) and Overreach (Exceed And Excel).
G3 Lexus Hotham H., $300,000, 2500m
Securing himself a G1 Melbourne Cup start, Great House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) outstayed his rivals recording a deserved victory on the back of a close-up G1 Caulfield Cup when not quite in the right part of the track.
The imported galloper bred by Coolmore became the second Galileo (Ire)-sired winner of this race with Niwot successful in 2011 - whilst Galileo's half-brother Sea The Stars (Ire) provided the 2016 winner Oceanographer (GB).
A half-brother to the French Group 3 winner Aboulie (Ire) (Exceed And Excel), Great House is out of Anja (Indian Ridge {Ire}) whose Group 3-winning dam Allez Les Trois (USA) (Riverman {USA}) also produced the G1 French Derby winner Anabaa Blue (GB) (Anabaa {USA}).
Allez Les Trois' dam is none other than the wonderful Allegretta (GB) (Lombard {Ger}) whose G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winning daughter Urban Sea (USA) (Miswaki {USA}) is of course the dam of Galileo!
Making Great House bred on a close 3 X 3 cross of his own third dam, a lovely duplication supported by a 5 X 5 cross of the equally wonderful mare Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
G3 Paramount+ Carbine Club S., $500,000, 1600m
It had been 15 years since a filly last won this race and Fangirl (Sebring) was able to do so in impressive fashion, racing away to an easy 3l victory - her third success from just five starts.
A homebred for the Ingham family racing in their famous cerise silks, Fangirl was part of a good Flemington day for the late Sebring whose son Superstorm won the G1 Cantala S. later in the day.
One of four winners for her triple Listed-winning dam Little Surfer Girl (a $1.5 million yearling by Encosta De Lago), Fangirl is a granddaughter of the wonderful mare Special Harmony (Spinning World {USA}) who won 10 races, three of those at Group 1 level - including the VRC Oaks this week 18 years ago.
Special Harmony's dam Marooned Lady (Marooned {GB}) was also talented, that G2 WA Sires' Produce S. winner represented by 10 winners including the G2 Perth Cup winner King Canute (King Of Kings {Ire}) and the G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Redwoldt (King Of Kings {Ire}).
Fangirl is the sixth Sebring stakes winner out of an Encosta De Lago mare, a cross that provides for a 4 X 4 duplication of Rolls (USA) (Mr Prospector {USA}), dam of Sebring's damsire Flying Spur and grandam of Encosta De Lago.
Further back this is the family of the high-class stallions Red Ransom (USA) and Showdown (GB).
