Cover image courtesy of Michael McInally
Sunshine Coast: G3 Winx Guineas, $200,000, 1600m
Majestic Colour (So You Think {NZ}) continued his march through the classes with this smart performance - his fourth win in a row on the back of successes at maiden, class one and class two level.
A homebred for the Wanless family, he is the 43rd stakes winner for his Coolmore Stud-based sire who has enjoyed an outstanding season.
His dam is the lightly raced Vivid Diamonte (Fastnet Rock) whose dam is the G2 Sunline S. and G3 Matriarch S. winner Flushed (Redding {NZ}).
Served last spring by Zousain having foaled a Churchill (Ire) colt in late October, Vivid Diamonte lost her previous foal with her most recently named produce being the yet-to-race 2-year-old French Step, a full sister to Majestic Colour.
Majestic Colour boasts an interesting pedigree with his ninth dam Francolin (NZ) (Paper Money {GB}) being the seventh dam of So You Think (NZ).
Listed Caloundra Cup, $300,000, 2400m
A third stakes success - and his second on Australian soil - for the tough import Le Don De Vie (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}).
Bred by Kirsten Rausing (also breeder of, by the same sire, the Group 1 import Zaaki {GB}), Le Don De Vie is one of the 25 stakes winners for his classy Lanwades Stud-based sire.
His dam is the six-time winner Leaderene (GB) (Selkirk {USA}), half-sister to the German Group 3 winner Lucidor (Ger) (Zafonic {USA}) and the French Group 1 winner Lady Marian (Ger) (Nayef {USA}) whose son Loxley (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) is a dual Group 2 winner.
Another member of this prolific international family is the high-class German stallion Lomitas (GB).
Listed TAB Glasshouse H., $175,000, 1400m
An exciting finish to the day’s final stakes race with Le Gai Soleil (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) putting her nose out right on the line.
A homebred for the Bax family, she is the 38th stakes winner for her late sire and the second for her unraced dam, Night Danza (Danzero).
Also dam of the dual Group 1 winner Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who earned the title of New Zealand Champion Middle Distance Horse in 2018/19, Night Danza was served last spring by So You Think (NZ).
Night Danza is a daughter of the Group 1-placed Gretchen (NZ) (Bahhare {USA}), half-sister to the two-time Group winner Silky Red Boxer (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA}) and to the dam of the triple Group 1-winning mare Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel).
Flemington: Listed Penfolds VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final, $200,000, 1600m
Putting a nice gap on his rivals halfway down the straight, Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}) was always travelling well in the lead, justifying his short quote.
The fourth stakes winner for his Darley Victoria-based sire, Tuvalu was bred by Merricks Station, purchased from their 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale draft for $200,000 by Boomer Bloodstock/Lindsey Smith.
He is the first foal for the placed Hangin’ Tough (Exceed And Excel) whose dam is the stakes-placed import Ancelin (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).
Served last spring by Capitalist after foaling an Impending colt, Hangin’ Tough hails from a classy family, one well-represented at the elite level by the likes of Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), National Defense (GB), Ave (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Helmet and Epaulette.
Listed Furphy Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final, $160,000, 1200m
It had been a while in between drinks for Sirius Suspect (Wanted) who reaffirmed his liking for the Flemington straight, recording his first win since taking out the G3 Standish H. over the same trip at the same track in January last year.
A homebred for Darren and Elizabeth Dance’s Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, Sirius Suspect is one of the five stakes winners for his Clear Mountain Fairview-based sire who also relished the Flemington straight - winning the 2010 G1 Newmarket H. in memorably stormy conditions.
Served last spring by Toronado (Ire), Sirius Suspect’s dam Sirius Miss (Galileo {Ire}) is out of the city winner Miss Peridot (Rory’s Jester), half-sister to the G3 Vanity winner Lan Kwai Fong (Bluebird {USA}) whose grandson is the Group 1 sprinter Vega One (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
Sirius Miss has produced another three winners including the eight-time winner You Can’t Be (Nadeem). Her last foal is the yet to race 2-year-old Sirius Statement (Press Statement), a member of the Saab Hasan stable.
Listed Kennedy Taj Rossi Series Final, $160,000, 1600m
The Elvstroem Classic run during the Swan Hill carnival is so often a good form race and it has again proven the case with the first two home in that race stepping up to stakes company at Flemington and again running one-two with Quang Tri (Shalaa {Ire}) again too strong for Kings Consort (Ilovethiscity).
Bred by B Duncan and Rushton Park, Quang Tri was purchased from Rushton’s draft for $90,000 by Prime Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
The ninth stakes winner for her Arrowfield Stud-based sire, she is out of the Listed Christmas Cup winner Saigon Tea (NZ) (Thorn Park) who has also produced the dual city winner Saigon (I Am Invincible).
A daughter of the 2003/04 NZ Champion 3-Year-Old Boulevardofdreams (NZ) (Daggers Drawn {USA}), Saigon Tea died last spring with the last of her four live foals being an Epaulette filly.
Belmont: Listed Belmont Oaks, $125,000, 2000m
Last spring’s Champion Fillies' S. winner Searchin’ Roc’s (Awesome Rock) added another stakes race to her consistent record, one that has seen her successful at half of her 12 starts.
A homebred for the Grant family, she is one of the two stakes winners for her young Gold Front Thoroughbreds-based sire, a Fastnet Rock winner of the G1 Emirates S.
She is the second foal for the lightly raced (just the one start) Still Searchin’ (Trade Fair {GB}) whose dam is the multiple city winner Search Me (Verglas {Ire}).
Last spring paying a return visit to Awesome Rock, having had the previous year off, Still Searchin’ has as her fifth dam one of Australia’s finest matriarchs - the multiple Group 1 winner Denise’s Joy (Seventh Hussar {Fr}).
Listed Aquanita S., $125,000, 2000m
Too good as an odds-on favourite, Black Fantasy (Blackfriars) was tough to the line recording the second success of his 12-start career.
Bred by Scenic Lodge, home to his late sire, Black Fantasy is that much missed G1 VRC Derby winner’s 47th stakes winner.
Purchased from Scenic Lodge’s draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Black Fantasy looks a bargain at $36,000 for Pearce Racing.
Black Fantasy is the second foal and second winner for the city winner Dreamalong (Southern Image {USA}) whose dam is the Listed Bolton Sprint winner Cool Business (Key Business).
Not currently in foal after producing a Snippetson colt last spring, Dreamalong produced a Magnus colt the previous season. Hailing from one of Western Australia’s better families, she is a half-sister to the dual Group 3 winner Shining Knight (Blackfriars).
Amongst Black Fantasy’s relations are the stakes winners Marasco (Scenic {Ire}), Hot Shot Brother (Key Business), Siesta Bay (Scenic {Ire}) and the G1 Melbourne Cup hero Rogan Josh (Old Spice) who passed away during the week.
