Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
G2 Villiers S., $750,000, 1600m
It was a deserved success off consistent form for Brutality (Shamus Award), a horse who rarely runs a bad race.
Bred by Go Bloodstock, Brutality was purchased for $40,000 by Pride Racing at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. His dam is the stakes-placed city winner Star Salute (General Nediym), also dam of the metropolitan winner Peggy Selene (Rubick).
In early September foaling a filly by The Autumn Sun (Redoute's Choice), Star Salute is out of a half-sister to the stakes winners Be My Princess (Chief's Crown {USA}) and Flying Princess (Flying Spur).
Part of a good run for Rosemont Stud's Shamus Award (Snitzel), he is that G1 W.S Cox Plate winner's 17th stakes winner.
Brutality is bred on the successful Snitzel (Redoute's Choice)/General Nediym (Nediym {Ire}) cross that provides for strong Mumtaz Begum (Fr) (Blenheim II {GB}) influence.
R. Listed Inglis Nursery, $400,000, 1000m
With the benefit of race experience Victorian visitor El Padrino (Street Boss {USA}) was able to find the line in determined style.
Bred by Murray Thoroughbreds and purchased by Ciaron Maher for $210,000 at this year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, he is the 59th stakes winner for his Darley-based dual Group 1-winning sire who moved from Victoria to New South Wales this year.
El Padrino is the first foal for the lightly raced Misty Rock (Fastnet Rock), a Geelong maiden winner from just six starts. In late October foaling a Brutal (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) filly, she also has a Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) filly who was secured by Paul Willetts for $30,000 as a Inglis Australian weanling.
A full sister to the city winner Ocean Spray (Fastnet Rock), Misty Rock is a granddaughter of the G3 Renaissance S. winner Beauty Bright (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) whose G3 King George S.-winning dam Dietrich (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}) also produced the two-time Listed winner (in the UK and Australia) Aloft (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Dietrich has as her fourth dam one of the great mares of the stud book - the wonderful Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) - making El Padrino an exciting stallion prospect.
Listed Razor Sharp H., $140,000, 1200m
Special Reward (Demerit) was good odds for a horse with talent and his strong victory was the ninth of his 27 start career; a success which made him Australia's newest equine millionaire.
Bred by Taunton Vale, he is one of the five stakes winners for his G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude-winning sire who died two years ago.
Purchased by John Chalmers Bloodstock for $145,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Special Reward is one of three stakes winners for his placed dam Special Diseki (Special Bond).
Sadly losing a Playing God (Blackfriars) foal this spring, she had a filly by Sessions (Lonhro) in 2020. Her other foals include the G3 Western Australian Sires' Produce S. winner Showy Chloe (Alfred Nobel {Ire}) and the Listed Perth S. winner El Rijes (Eternity Range {USA}).
Other members of this family include the stakes winners Dancing Pago (Thunder Gulch {USA}), Pago Rock (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Rock My Pago (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).
Special Reward boasts crosses of two outstanding mares within five generations - bred on a 4 X 5 cross of Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) and a 5 X 4 cross of Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}) - also carrying a strain of the latter's close relation Nureyev (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}).
Listed Christmas Cup, $140,000, 2400m
Part of a big day for Waikato Stud's Savabeel, Mightybeel (NZ) was tough to the line becoming his sire's 122nd stakes winner and his third for the day.
Bred by Barlow Thoroughbred Ltd and purchased by Go Racing Auckland for NZ$200,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale (Book 1), Mightybeel had done a great job winning five of his 13 starts.
He is the second foal for the unraced Super Power (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) whose grandam Cathedra (GB) (So Blessed {GB}) is the grandam of superstar galloper Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
A descendant of the legendary mare Selene (GB) (Chaucer {GB}), Mightybeel is bred on a 6 X 6 cross of his own sixth dam, the wonderful mare All Moonshine (GB) (Bobsleigh {GB}) - third dam of Sir Tristram (Ire) (Sir Ivor {USA}).
Another strength to his pedigree is a 5 X 6 cross of Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}), dam of Nureyev (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}) and grandam of Sadler's Wells (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}).
