Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
G1 Yulong Stud Newmarket H., $1,500,000, 1200m
A longshot success in an old-fashioned G1 Newmarket H. with horses spread across the track - a great spectacle! Especially for supporters of the big-priced winner Roch 'N' Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) who brought her consistent New Zealand form to Flemington.
Bred by part-owners the Little Avondale Trust and passed in for NZ$40,000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, the attractive chestnut is one of the 23 stakes winners for her Little Avondale Stud-based sire and she is that Italian Group 3 winner's fifth Group 1 winner.
A granddaughter of Street Cry (Ire), Roch 'N' Horse is out of the unraced Rochfort (NZ) (Cecconi), half-sister to the G3 Wellington S. winner Weissmuller (NZ) (Handsome Ransom) and the dual Listed winner Travolta (NZ) (Handsome Ransom).
Not returned to the New Zealand Stud Book since being served by Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Rochfort has a yet to be named 2-year-old filly by Tavistock (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Hailing from the same family as the stakes winners Presently (Unbridled's Song {USA}), New Predator (New Approach {Ire}) and Serena Miss (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), Roch 'N' Horse carries crosses of the influential mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
G1 TAB Australian Cup, $1,500,000, 2000m
A nice bit of history to see Edward Cummings win a race that his legendary grandfather enjoyed so much success in - and a strong win it was too by the fast finishing mare Duais (Shamus Award).
A homebred for Mr Matthew Irwin, last year's G1 Queensland Oaks heroine is one of the 17 stakes winners and four Group 1 winners sired by Rosemont Stud's Shamus Award (Snitzel) who is best remembered for breaking his maiden in the G1 W.S Cox Plate.
The winner of six of her 17 starts and over $1.7 million in stakes, Duais (who is bred on a 5 X 5 cross of Storm Bird {Can} {Northern Dancer {Can}}) is a half-sister to the G3 Sunshine Coast Guineas winner Baccarat Baby (Casino Prince) out of the lightly raced Grafton winner Meerlust (Johannesburg {USA}).
Served last spring by Bivouac (Exceed And Excel), after foaling an All Too Hard (Casino Prince) filly, Meerlust hails from one of the world's great families with her third dam being Northern Dancer's (Can) legendary daughter Fanfreluche (Can).
The ancestress of Group 1 winners throughout the world, she has been particularly well-represented in Australia by the Group 1-winning, high-class stallions Encosta De Lago (Fairy King {USA}) and Flying Spur (Danehill {USA}). And by Russian Revolution (Snitzel) who also enjoyed a good Saturday.
G2 MSS Security Sires' Produce S., $300,000, 1400m
A standout in the yard, Let'srollthedice (Dundeel {NZ}) was straight up in class off a dominant maiden debut victory on Heavy going at Bendigo and was again too good. Bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Australia and purchased by John Foote for $240,000 at last year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, he is the 17th stakes winner for his Arrowfield-based, multiple Group 1-winning sire.
He is the third live foal and third winner for the lightly raced Hannah In A Hurry (More Than Ready {USA}) who was in the market - showing ability - in just two outings for the Peter Moody stable.
Last spring paying a return visit to Dundeel (NZ), she has not had much luck since producing this promising colt. Her dam is the G2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' S. winner Viennetta (NZ) (Pins) who also produced the G3 McNeil S. winner Golden Archer (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).
Vienetta is a half-sister to the New Zealand Champion Older Female Sprinter Butterscotch (NZ) (Gold Brose) and to the dam of triple Group winner Mackintosh (NZ) (Pins).
Let'srollthedice carries crosses of the classy broodmares mares Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) via her grandsons Northern Dancer (Can) (Nearctic {Can}) and Halo (USA) (Hail To Reason {USA}) and La Mirambule (Fr) (Coaraze {Fr}) via her sons In The Purple (Fr) (Right Royal {Fr}) and Nasram (USA) (Nasrullah {Ire}).
G2 TAB Kewney S., $300,000, 1600m
Barb Raider (Rebel Raider) was gutsy holding off a late run from the more royally bred Argentia (Frankel {GB}), recording the fourth success of her eight-start career and her second in Group company on the back of her G3 Vanity S. win last month.
A homebred for Graeme Gathercole, she hails from the third-last crop of her G1 VRC Derby and G1 South Australian Derby-winning sire, who died in 2019 and she is one of his five stakes winners.
She is the first foal for the lightly raced Corowa winner Graebarb (Host {Chi}) whose 2-year-old Graewazi (Our Wazi) is also a member of the Jerome Hunter/Gathercole stable. Served last spring by Prized Icon (More Than Ready {USA}), she foaled a filly in late September by Squamosa (Not A Single Doubt).
Graebarb is a full sister to the multiple city winner Flying Hostess from the family of the G1 WA Derby winner Firing Range (Kala Dancer {GB}) and the "Discreet" horses who have fared so well in South Australian and beyond in recent years.
G3 Furphy Shaftesbury Avenue H., $200,000, 1400m
Kissonallforcheeks (Written Tycoon) built a terrific record in Perth and it was a classy performance at her Melbourne debut.
Bred by Graham Daws and purchased by Morton Racing for $120,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Kissonallforcheeks (who carries crosses of the excellent mares Natalma {USA} by Native Dancer {USA}) and Lalun {USA} by Djeddah {Fr}) is now a four-time stakes winner - and one of the 45 stakes winners sired by Yulong's reigning Australian Champion Sire Written Tycoon (Iglesia).
She is the third live foal and one of two winners for the terrific race mare Rosie Rocket (Blackfriars) who won nine of her 34 starts including the Listed Starstruck Classic and the Listed La Trice Classic.
Also dam of the spring's debut winner Star Of Rosie (a 3-year-old Adam Durrant-trained daughter of Star Witness) - and a yearling colt by Russian Revolution (Snitzel), Rosie Rocket was served last spring by Written Tycoon's Group 1 son Ole Kirk after foaling an All Too Hard (Casino Prince) filly in October.
Whilst there is not much black-type close up in Rosie Rocket's pedigree, she does hail from the same family as the Group 1 winners Water Boatman (Ire) (Main Reef {GB}), Nannina (GB) (Medicean {GB}), Pure Champion (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and Buoy (GB) (Aureole {GB}).
G3 TBV Thoroughbred Breeders' S., $200,000, 1200m
Up in class off a debut midweek victory at Sandown, Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) showed plenty of heart in an exciting finish.
Bred by Go Bloodstock and purchased by Ciaron Maher Racing for NZ$90,000 from Book 1 of last year's New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, Ruthless Dame hails from the final crop of her late, high-achieving Cambridge Stud-based sire.
His 35th stakes winner, Ruthless Dame is the third foal and second winner for the stakes-placed winner Ruthless Lady (NZ) (Keeper). Also dam of the two-time winner Peerless Warrior (Savabeel), she is a daughter of the G2 Matamata Breeders' S. winner Lady Dehere (NZ) (Dehere {USA}).
Served last spring by Ocean Park (NZ) (Thorn Park) with youngsters coming through by Super Seth (Dundeel {NZ}) (a filly foal) and Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (a yearling filly who sold for NZ$40,000), Ruthless Lady is a half-sister to the South African-based triple Group winner Oracy (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the dual Listed winner The Lady (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
A descendant of the famed matriarch Cinna (GB) (Polymelus {GB}), Ruthless Dame can boast amongst her relations the Group 1 winners Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock), Hold That Smile (Haulpak), and the Group winners Carry A Smile (Haulpak), Oratorio (Stravinsky {USA}) and Chabaud (NZ) (Lookin At Lucky {USA}).
G3 Penfolds Max's Rosé Matron S., $200,000, 1600m
What a terrific mare Flying Mascot (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) is, this soft victory the sixth of her 13-start career and her third at Group 3 level on the back of her Tesio S. and Mannerism S. successes.
Bred by Finemore Thoroughbreds and purchased by Flying Start Syndications for just $25,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, Flying Mascot is one of the 35 stakes winners for her late sire who was also represented earlier on in the Flemington card by Ruthless Dame (NZ).
Line-bred to the great mare Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}), Flying Mascot is one of seven winners for the deceased mare Lucky Mascot (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
A descendant of the influential Teppo (GB) (Ladas {GB}), Lucky Mascot is also the dam of the Listed Cinderella S. winner Koala Bear (Exceed And Excel) (in turn dam of the the stakes-placed Marsupial by Street Cry {Ire}) and the city winner Cruachan (Commands).
Lucky Mascot's dam is the four-time Group winner Arletty (NZ) (Centaine) whose daughters have been doing a great job at stud - she also being grandam of the dual Group 1 winner Xtravagant (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), the Group 3 galloper He's Remarkable (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) and the Listed winner Exclusive Lass (Nicconi).
Lucky Mascot's final foal is Lucky Stock, a yet to race full sister to Flying Mascot - retained by Finemore Thoroughbreds in the John O'Shea stable.
Listed Moomba Plate, $160,000, 1100m
A second stakes success from just nine starts for Glistening (Zoustar), a $260,000 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate purchased by James Harron and the Freedman Brothers and bred by Mr G Ryan and Mr G Lanham. One of her sire's 27 stakes winners, she is out of the G3 Gold Coast Guineas winner Beethog (Shovhog).
