Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
G2 Expressway S., $200,000, 1200m
Whilst most of the attention centered on the return of the brilliant Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) who lost no fans with his gutsy third, it was Overpass (Vancouver) taking his deserved place in the winner's circle - so game leading throughout.
Passed in for $140,000 at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale only to be obtained by Derby Racing, Overpass was bred by Corumbene Stud out of their lightly raced mare Walkway (Exceed And Excel) who won at Donald and Ballarat from just six starts.
The eighth stakes winner for his Coolmore Stud-based G1 Golden Slipper S.-winning sire, Overpass is a half-brother to three winners from the family of one of the best horses to race in Australia - his grandam Boardwalk Bell (Bellotto {USA}) being a half-sister to the champion Northerly (Serheed {USA}).
Bred on a 3 X 3 Danehill (USA) (Danzig {USA}) cross, Overpass also boasts amongst his relations the Group winners Canon Song (Rory's Jester), North Boy (Rory's Jester), Duchess Katrin (Rory's Jester), Wild Rain (Manhattan Rain) and Northern Song (Rory's Jester).
Walkway was served last spring by Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) having foaled a colt by Capitalist (Written Tycoon). Her previous foal is a colt by Menari (Snitzel).
G3 Canonbury S., $160,000, 1100m
Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel) brought Sunshine Coast trial form to Sydney with this stunning victory, making it stakes winner number 117 for his high-achieving sire, the Arrowfield Stud-based four-time Australian Champion Sire.
Bred by Gerry Harvey who remained in the ownership after trainer Kacy Fogden laid down $425,000 for the colt at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Best Of Bordeaux is the second foal for the Sandown winner Chateau Cheval (High Chaparral {Ire}) who was also bred and raced by Harvey.
Also dam of the yet to race 3-year-old Left Bank (Fastnet Rock), a Coolmore Stud owned $420,000 Magic Millions graduate in the Hayes stable, Chateau Cheval was served last spring by Written Tycoon (Iglesia) having previously missed in two return visits to Snitzel (Redoute's Choice).
Chateau Cheval is one of the nine winners for the stakes-placed high-class broodmare Lady Capel (Last Tycoon {Ire}) who has produced four stakes winners - the G1 Chipping Norton S.-winning stallion Casino Prince (Flying Spur), the G3 Tramway winner Tagus (Encosta De Lago), the dual Listed winner Lord Of The Land (Timber Country {USA}) and the Listed winner Metallurgical (Redoute's Choice).
Best Of Bordeaux is Lady Capel's second Group-winning grandson, the other being the G1 JJ Atkins S. winner Prince Fawaz (Fastnet Rock) who last spring made his stud debut at Oaklands Stud, Queensland.
Boasting crosses of the great mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}), Best In Bordeaux can boast amongst his relations the Group 1 winners Onemorenomore (Red Ransom {USA}), Green Birdie (NZ) (Catbird), Piccolo (GB) (Warning {GB}) and Arravale (USA) (Arch {USA}) who earned the title of Canadian Horse of the Year.
G3 Widden S., $160,000, 1100m
A daughter of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was a short-priced favourite here but it was not to be Ebhaar (who faded after pulling hard throughout) in the winner's circle - rather Queen Of The Ball who put on a dashing display of speed.
Having her second start on the back of a Randwick second in late October, the homebred for Sir Owen Glenn's Go Bloodstock is the 74th stakes winner for her star Yarraman Park Stud-based sire.
She is the first foal for the speedy Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock) - a $430,000 yearling purchase for Paul Moroney who won four of her eight starts for Go Bloodstock - including the Listed Denise's Joy S.
Served last spring by Flying Artie (Artie Schiller {USA}) after foaling a Written Tycoon (Iglesia) filly, Miss Debutante also has a yearling filly by Zoustar (Northern Meteor).
Miss Debutante’s full sister Miss Imagination has a filly by Deep Field heading to the Inglis Premier Sale as Lot 100.
Queen Of The Ball is a fifth generation stakes winner with her grandam More Than Real (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) taking out the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf S. whilst her third dam Miss Seffens (USA) (Dehere {USA}) was five times successful at Listed level. And her fourth dam Noise Enough (Can) (Bold Ruckus {USA}) was a Listed winner at two.
Bred on a 4 X 4 Danzig (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}) cross, Queen Of The Ball also carries duplications of the excellent mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}).
