Third Southern Hemisphere-bred winner for Caravaggio
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Merisi (Caravaggio {USA}) got off the mark on the first attempt when he landed a 1200-metre contest at Newcastle on Saturday.
The 2-year-old colt stayed on well to come out on top of a blanket finish to beat Nation Pride (Shalaa {Ire}) by 0.1l.
Merisi wins at Newcastle | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Purchased by Darby Racing and Will Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) for $60,000 during the Highway Session of the Inglis Classic Sale in 2021, Merisi is out of unplaced Cape Blanco (Ire) mare Count The Dots (NZ) and she is herself a daughter of Kaatoon (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}).
Caravaggio (USA) shuttled to Coolmore’s Jerrys Plains base for one season in 2018.
Maher and Eustace enjoyed a double on the day with Maserartie Bay (Artie Schiller {USA}) taking out a BM100 at Flemington.
Sophmaze provides rising Derryn with his first stakes winner
The Allan Sharrock-trained Sophmaze (NZ) (Derryn) provided Grangewilliam Stud-based, first-season sire Derryn with his first winner when she broke her maiden at Trentham on May 21 and on Saturday the filly became the stallion’s first stakes winner when she won the Listed Castleton S. at Waverley.
The filly defeated Miss Nico Belle (Nicconi) in second on her last outing and she once again gained the scalp of that filly on Saturday, beating her by a wider margin of 2.3l.
Sophmaze (NZ) wins the Listed Castleton S. at Waverley | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Sophmaze was passed in during Book 2 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale in 2021 after failing to make her NZ$60,000 reserve and she is a daughter of stakes-placed mare Miss Isle (NZ) (Bachelor Duke {USA}), who is herself a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Levante (NZ) (Proisir).
Derryn - a son of Hinchinbrook - stands at stud for a fee of $5000 plus GST.
Diamonds sparkles at Flemington
Chris Bieg-trained mare Diamonds (Rich Enuff) proved too strong at her second attempt down the Flemington straight.
Diamonds provided the trainer his first ever state-to-state double, with mare Tubby Two Tracks (Declaration Of War {USA}) winning at Morphettville earlier in the day.
"First state-to-state double. I'm rapt with that. I told Josh to get some cover and he's ridden that a treat. She's finished off enormous," Bieg said.
Already a Listed placegetter, Diamonds relished a drop in grade to record her fifth win after struggling in the G3 Proud Miss S. at Morphettville last start.
"She was a victim of circumstances last time. First-up she was enormous and we were very confident wherever she ran today that she was going to be winning.
"She'd had one start down the straight at Flemington and Craig Williams got off and said the only thing that cost her winning was her lack of experience to straight racing."
Waller breaks another record
Chris Waller smashed the national prizemoney record for a season as the Champion Trainer sent out seven winners across three states on Saturday, headed by two stakes victories provided by Political Debate (So You Think {NZ}) and Irish Sequel (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).
Political Debate booked his ticket to next weekend’s G1 JJ Atkins S. with a win in the Listed Phoenix S. at Eagle Farm, while Irish Sequel handed the trainer his third in the Listed Winter Cup at Rosehill.
These wins combined with numerous minor placings helped boost the Waller’s stable earnings for 2021/22 season to just under $44.7 million, breaking his own national record he set in 2019/20 when he prepared the winners of $44,526,701.
Double for I Am Invincible
Having taken the lead off So You Think (NZ) last week, I Am Invincible enjoyed another good Saturday when he sired a double headed by Vinco’s (I Am Invincible) victory in the Listed Chief Quality H. at Eagle Farm.
Belle Rouge also provided the Yarraman Park-based sire with a winner when she landed a race over 1400 metres at Flemington.
I Am Invincible | Standing at Yarraman Park Stud
Coolmore’s So You Think also sired a stakes winner on Saturday when Political Debate landed The Phoenix S. at Eagle Farm, while the son of High Chaparral (Ire) also had a winner in New Zealand, but this will not count towards his tally in Australia.
Three winners for Spirit Of Boom
Eureka Stud-based sire Spirit Of Boom was represented by a treble on Saturday, with the trio of winners headed by Boomnova’s (Spirit Of Boom) victory in the Listed Lightning Quality H. at Eagle Farm.
Meanwhile, the stallion also enjoyed juvenile success when his daughter Hattusa got off the mark at the fifth attempt at the Gold Coast. Spirit Of Boom also sired a winner at Bowen when his son Legal Chance won his first race since March 25, 2021.
Spirit Of Boom is set to stand the 2022 season for an unchanged fee of $33,000 (inc GST).
Treble for Per Incanto
The Little Avondale-based sire Per Incanto (USA) also enjoyed a brilliant day, siring two winners in New Zealand and one in Australia.
Per Incanto (USA) | Standing at Little Avondale Stud
Lex Rex (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) provided the stallion with a winner when he landed the Auckland Alarms Maiden at Avondale, while Platinum Bordeaux (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) snapped a long losing run when she landed a race over 1650 metres at Waverley. Meanwhile in Australia, the Kris Lees-trained Per Inaway (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) took out a BM78 at Rosehill.
Per Incanto will stand the upcoming season for an increased fee of NZ$50,000 plus GST.
First senior win for Nugent
Teo Nugent enjoyed his first win as a senior rider at Flemington on Saturday when he steered Jimmy The Bear (Jimmy Creed {USA}) to victory in the Silver Bowl Series H.
Nugent explained he began the day at Bendigo and was set to give up his ride on Jimmy The Bear, but was counting himself lucky he decided to stay on the gelding.
"I went to Bendigo first today to ride one (Fly Nice) for Ciaron (Maher) and it was a super effort as she was first-up and she'll take a lot of benefit from that," Nugent told Racing.com. “It was a very rain-affected track, a Heavy 9 I think, but she is only going to improve.
"I was going to go there for a full book today, but I had to hand over a few so as to get here and ride Jimmy and I am pretty pleased I did.
"It worked in perfect as I was able to keep my bosses Ciaron and Dave Eustace happy and to be able to come back here and ride my first winner as a senior."
Tuesday steps out of her family’s shadow
In terms of breeding, Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) had a lot to live up to and on Friday the 3-year-old filly stepped out of the shadow of her famous family when she landed the G1 Oaks at Epsom.
Tuesday was a late foal, meaning she only turned three on Friday, and she celebrated more than just her birthday when beating the John Gosden-trained Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who did battle back after stumbling out of the stalls.
A daughter of the peerless late Coolmore Stud-based sire Galileo (Ire), Tuesday is out of dual Group 1 winner Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), making her a sister to multiple Group 1 winner Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose seven Group 1 wins included a victory in the 2016 edition of the British Classic.
Tuesday is also a sister to fellow Group 1 winner Empress Josephine (Galileo {Ire}) and Group 3 scorer Kissed By Angels (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
In winning the race, Tuesday handed her sire Galileo with his 94th Group 1 winner, while she also provided her trainer Aidan O’Brien with an astonishing 10th win the Oaks and victory meant the trainer has now saddled record-breaking 41 British Classic winners.
