Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Caulfield: G3 Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Easter Cup, $200,000, 2000m
It was a second win in a row in this race for the Michael Moroney stable who last year cheered home the imported Hang Man (Ire) (Windsor Knot {Ire}), this time taking the prize with a New Zealand-bred.
Runner-up in last year's G1 New Zealand Derby, Milford (NZ) (Savabeel) is now a dual stakes winner having won at Listed level in New Zealand in January last year. One of this Waikato Stud-based sire's 125 stakes winners, he was bred at that farm.
His dam is the unraced Etiquette (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), full sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Sacred Falls (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}). Her third dam is the dual Group 3 winner Iguazu (NZ) (Carolingian), ancestress of seven stakes winners including the Group 2 winners Shopaholic (NZ) (Pins) and Splurge (NZ) (Savabeel).
Boasting crosses of the great mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}), Milford was purchased by Bruce Perry Bloodstock for NZ$360,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale.
He is one of the 23 Savabeel (Zabeel {NZ}) stakes winners out of mares by O'Reilly (NZ) (Last Tycoon {Ire}).
G3 Neds Victoria H., $200,000, 1400m
It was a good return from a spider bite enforced break for Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) who raced away to an easy win, his sixth from just eight starts and his second at Group 3 level on the back of his G3 Gunsynd S. success last winter.
Bred by his part-owner G.J McCarthy, he is one of the 82 stakes winners for his former shuttling sire. His dam is the unraced Odessa (NZ) (Falkirk {NZ}) whose dam is the Listed Canterbury Belle S. winner Sabbatical (NZ) (Bakharoff {USA}) - also dam of the G3 Eulogy S. winner Monterey Bay (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}).
A descendant of the famed matriarch Cinna (GB) (Polymelus {GB}), Ayrton boasts strong male line-breeding with duplications of the outstanding stallions Mr Prospector (USA) (Raise A Native {USA}), The Minstrel (Can) (Northern Dancer {Can}), Northern Dancer (Can) (Nearctic {Can}) and Secretariat (USA) (Bold Ruler {USA}).
Listed Elvis Thurgood Galilee Series Final, $200,000, 2400m
Mamounia (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) was just too strong as favourite, the Godolphin homebred becoming her former shuttling sire's 165th stakes winner. She is the first foal produced by the three times winner Marrakesh (Lonhro), half-sister to the Group 1 winners Alizee (Sepoy) and Astern (also by Medaglia D'Oro {USA}). Her third dam is the Group 2 mare Alizes (Rory's Jester), her fourth dam the Group 1 sprinter La Baraka (Euclase) and her fifth dam the multiple Group 1 winner Triscay (Marscay).
Eagle Farm: Listed XXXX Daybreak Lover, $130,000, 1400m
A lightly raced and promising 3-year-old who also won the Listed Canberra Guineas, Flying Crazy (Flying Artie) is one of his Newgate Farm-based sire's three stakes winners. Bred by SF Bloodstock and Blake Sandblom Pty Ltd, the $40,000 Inglis Classic graduate purchased by WBF Thoroughbreds and Equi-Com Syndications is out of the multiple city winner Forever Crazy (Encosta De Lago) whose grandam is the Group 1-winning, high-class broodmare Shindig (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}).
Listed TAB Ascot Quality H., $130,000, 1000m
Je Suis Belle (Bel Esprit) is building a good record, this success - her first at stakes level - being her eighth from 17 starts. Bred by Gainsborough Lodge and purchased for $80,000 by Ben Currie Racing and Cameron Cooke Bloodstock at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, she is the 28th stakes winner for her Widden Victoria-based sire. Her dam Licorice Stick (Lonhro) is a three-quarter sister to the dual Group 3 winner Raspberries (Lonhro) from the family of the Group 1 winners Flavour (Rubiton) and Sonntag (Teofilo {Ire}).
Ascot: G3 WA Sires' Produce S., $200,000, 1400m
Strong to the line recording his second win from just five starts, Snowdome (Rommel) is a nice type in the making.
Bred by part-owner Santo Guagliardo who also raced his sire Rommel (Commands) to four victories including the G2 WA Guineas and the G3 Zeditave S., Snowdome was purchased by Parnham Racing Stables for $180,000 at last year's Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
The second stakes winner for his sire who served his first book of mares in 2017, Snowdome is the second foal for the promising broodmare Snow Pixie (Snitzel) whose first foal is the R. Listed Pinjarra Magic Millions 3YO Trophy winner Pixie Chix - Rommel's other stakes winner.
Also the dam of a yearling colt by Safeguard (Exceed And Excel), Snow Pixie is out of a half-sister to the Singapore-based stakes winner Hughsy (Henny Hughes {USA}) from the family of the G1 French Oaks winner Shemaka (Ire) (Nishapour {Fr}).
