Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Randwick: G1 Epsom H., $1,500,000, 1600m
It was a day of exciting finishes at Randwick and none closer than this one. Connections of both Top Ranked (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Ellsberg (Spill The Beans) biting their nails as they anxiously awaited for the photo-finish result.
Both sets of owners were happy, the two tough horses, unable to split the courageous pair. It is the third time the G1 Epsom H. has provided a shared finish though it has been a while 1925 and 1873!
A two-time local stakes winner from just four starts on Australian soil, the imported grey Top Ranked was bred by Wicklow Bloodstock and originally purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock for 26,000gns (AU$75,000) at the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The winner of five races in the UK including the G3 Superior Mile S. at Haydock and the Listed Doncaster Mile, he is now raced by Australian Bloodstock.
One of the 93 stakes winners for his Yeomanstown Stud-based G1 Middle Park S.-winning sire Dark Angel (Ire) who earlier in the day was represented by the Flemington Listed winner Visinari (Fr). Top Ranked is out of the winner Countess Ferrama (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) whose dual Group 2-winning dam Madame Dubois (GB) (Legend Of France {USA}) produced another nine winners including the G1 1rish 2000 Guineas winner Indian Haven (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) and the G1 Gran Criterium winner Count Dubois (GB) (Zafonic {USA}) who earned the title of Italian Champion 2-Year-Old Colt.
Two of Madame Dubois's daughters have produced stakes winners as have two of her granddaughters. There are stakes winners all over the place - England, Scotland, Ireland, South Africa - and now Australia.
Saturday's second stakes winner bred on a Snitzel/General Nediym-cross (Empire Of Japan the first), Ellsberg (Spill The Beans) was bred by Hillside Downs and purchased by Gerald Ryan Racing for $280,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the first Group 1 winner for the triple Group winner Spill The Beans who sadly died young having produced four crops.
Ellsberg is out of the city-placed, three-time winner, Love Of Liberty (General Nediym), a full sister to the G3 Colonel Reeves S. winner Electric General. Missing last spring to Shamus Award after foaling a colt by that same stallion, Love Of Liberty has her yet to race 3-year-old Spill The Beans gelding Free Choice who was a $160,000 Magic Millions graduate from the same stable.
G1 Flight S., $750,000, 1600m
The first filly since Samantha Miss (Redoute's Choice) in 2008 to win the G2 Silver Shadow S., the G2 Tea Rose S. and the G1 Flight S., Zougotcha (Zoustar) just keeps doing the job!
Beaten only twice in her six-start career, the winner of over $780,000 really knows how to find the line, a trait often seen in the progeny of her in-form Widden Stud-based sire Zoustar who earlier in the day was represented by the G3 Gimcrack S. winner Platinum Jubilee who is also out of a Fastnet Rock mare.
A $500,000 graduate of the 2012 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and was purchased by Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock, she was bred by Widden Stud with the RMA Bloodstock Trust, Zougotcha is one of the dual Group 1-winning progeny for the sire's 33 stakes winners.
She is one of three stakes winners for her dam, the stakes-placed, triple city winner Fast Talker (Fastnet Rock) whose dam is the Listed winner Crystal Wit (Distorted Humor {USA}).
She is also the dam of Listed winners Persuader (Zoustar) and The Actuary (Sebring) as well as the city winner Campaign (Sebring), Fast Talker was served last spring by Written Tycoon having not had a great deal of luck (missing and slipping) since producing Zougotcha.
Fast Talker is a half-sister to the G3 Heath S. winner Crystal Dreamer (Stratum) and is from the family of the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Crystal Lily (Stratum) and the stakes winners Amaethon (Al Maher), Crystal Web (Hard Spun {USA}) and Carrara (Elvstroem).
Zougotcha is one of the 29 winners and four stakes winners (the first at Group 1 level) from just 35 runners bred on a Zoustar/Fastnet Rock-cross, one which boasts an outstanding 82.9 per cent winners-to-runners strike rate.
G1 The Metropolitan, $750,000, 2400m
Chris Waller had a strong hand leading into this staying contest with the best of his four runs on the day ending up being the tough No Compromise (NZ) (Pins).
Recording his first Group 1 win and his second at Group level on the back of his G3 Queen's Cup victory in March, the 6-year-old son of Waikato Stud legend Pins who died four years ago, was bred by G.R Cunningham and sold through the Curraghmore draft to his owners the Thurlow family for NZ$40,000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
The 10th Group 1 winner (and one of the 88 stakes winners) for his G1 Australian Guineas-winning sire, No Compromise is the second Group 1 winner for his dam Baggy Green (Galileo {Ire}) whose recently retired daughter Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) won at the elite-level on four occasions.
Also dam of the G1 ATC Derby runner-up Benaud (Reliable Man {GB}) who was second in the G3 Kingston Town S. a couple of weeks ago, Baggy Green is out of the winner Starspangled (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) who has done a great job with Sadler's Wells (USA) line stallions - also producing the G1 Flight S. winner Funstar by Adelaide (Ire) and the G1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar by High Chaparral (Ire).
Served last spring by Ocean Park (NZ) having missed the previous season (her most recent foal a yet to be named 2-year-old filly by that same stallion), Baggy Green is a granddaughter of the star mare User Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}).
G2 Premiere S., $1,000,000, 1200m
The Everest-bound Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) reaffirmed his liking of rain-affected tracks with this game performance, recording his ninth win from 16 starts; his third at stakes level.
Bred by JML Bloodstock and purchased by trainer John O'Shea for $40,000 from the Blandford Lodge draft at the 2018 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
One of the 24 stakes winners for Little Avondale's Street Cry (Ire) stallion Per Incanto (USA) a Group 3 winner in Italy, Lost And Running is the first runner for the unplaced Dreamlife (NZ) (Danroad) who missed to Savabeel in 2020 with her most recent foal being a full sister to Lost And Running the 2-year-old Paruna (NZ) in the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable.
Paying a return visit last spring to Per Incanto, Dreamlife is a daughter of Make Me Dream (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}), also the dam of stakes winners A Chance To Dream (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}), Kiss Me Ketut (NZ) (Danroad) and Fast Love (NZ) (Fastnet Rock), and in turn dam of the Listed winner Kaonic (NZ) (Savabeel). Make Me Dream's dam Heavenly Calm (USA) (Diesis {GB}) and grandam Smooth Bore (USA) (His Majesty {USA}) are both stakes winners.
Lost And Running boasts multiple strains of the prolific Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA})/Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) family... Northern Dancer (Can), Halo (USA), Danehill (USA) and Machiavellian (USA) whilst also carrying a cross of the Kentucky Oaks heroine Lalun (USA).
G2 Hill S., $1,000,000, 2000m
What a terrific record, the handsome and gutsy Godolphin homebred Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) is building, this win is his ninth from 41 starts and his fifth at Group level.
One of the 58 stakes winners for his multiple Group 1-winning, Dalham Hall-based former shuttling sire New Approach (Ire). He is one of the four winners (from as many to race) for the G3 UAE Oaks winner Falls Of Lora (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), who is also the dam of the G1 Woodbine Summer S. winner Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Falls Of Lora is one of the four stakes winners produced by the Listed Prix des Sablonnets winner Firth Of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), also the dam of dual Group winner Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Listed winners Latharnach (USA) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Etive (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}). Firth Of Lorne's dam is the G3 Cherry Hinton S. winner Kerrera (Ire) (Diesis {GB}), ancestress of another eight stakes winners.
Cascadian boasts crosses of four high-class broodmares within seven generations Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}), Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}) and Relance (Fr) (Relic {USA}).
G3 Breeders' Plate, $200,000, 1000m
Charging home out wide, the eye-catching Empire Of Japan (Snitzel) lived up to his good trial with this exciting debut performance.
Bred by Corumbene Stud and sold through their 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for $680,000 to China Horse Club, Newgate Bloodstock and Starlight, Empire Of Japan is out of the Arrowfield Stud-based sire, Snitzel who is the four-time Australian Champion Sire's 125th stakes winner.
Part of an all-Danehill (USA)-line finish, Empire Of Japan is a son of the G2 Magic Night S. and triple Listed winner Ichihara (General Nediym). Her fourth live foal and her third winner, he is a full brother to the winner's Mount Fuji and Omar.
Slipping last year to The Autumn Sun, Ichihara foaled an Exceed And Excel colt last spring.
Ichihara is one of three General Nediym stakes winners produced by Cut A Dash (Whiskey Road {USA}) whose daughters Au Chocolat and Isurava are both stakes winners - the latter producing the G2 Run To The Rose winner and now Corumbene Stud-based Menari.
The G1 1000 Guineas winner Whisked (Whiskey Road {USA}) hails from this family and what a terrific broodmare she proved to be with her three stakes winners - the multiple Group 1 winner Tie The Knot (Nassipour {USA}) and the Listed winners Hood (Shamardal {USA}) and Dream Ballad (Singspiel {Ire}).
Empire Of Japan is the eighth stakes winner bred on a Snitzel/General Nediym cross (there have been three Group 1 winners bred this way) - one which provides for a number of duplications including the terrific mare Diableretta (GB) (Dante {GB}).
G3 Gimcrack S., $200,000, 1000m
It was a Waterhouse/Bott stable quinella for the first of the season's 2-year-old fillies features with Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar) really putting in the big strides late to overhaul her stablemate Perfect Proposal (Russian Revolution).
Bred by Go Bloodstock (who remain in the ownership), Platinum Jubilee was a $600,000 purchase from the Newgate Farm draft for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The 33rd stakes winner for her Widden Stud-based sire, Zoustar. She is out of the Listed Denise's Joy S. winner Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock).
Served last spring by Flying Artie after foaling a Written Tycoon filly, Miss Debutante has made an outstanding start to her broodmare career with Platinum Jubilee being her second foal whilst her first is the triple Group 3 winner Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible) whose latest success was the G3 Champagne S. at Moonee Valley a week ago.
The fourth stakes winner bred on a Zoustar/Fastnet Rock cross, Platinum Jubilee is a granddaughter of the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf S. winner More Than Real (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) whose dam and grandam are both stakes winners.
That's five generations of female black-type, Platinum Jubilee's third dam Miss Seffens (USA) (Dehere {USA}) was successful at Listed level on five occasions whilst her dam Noise Enough (Can) (Bold Ruckus {USA}) was a Listed winner at two.
Listed Dulcify S., $250,000, 1600m
Part of a good day for his sire, breeders and his stable, Williamsburg (Snitzel) was back to his determined best third-up from a spell. Bred by Arrowfield Pastoral and GSA Bloodstock and purchased by Tony Fung Investments for $470,000 at Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, the son of the G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Fenway (High Chaparral {Ire}) from the prolific Denise's Joy (Seventh Hussar {Fr}) family is one of the 125 stakes winners for his Arrowfield Stud-based Champion Sire, Snitzel. His dam was served last spring by Maurice (Jpn) after producing an I Am Invincible filly.
Flemington: G1 Turnbull S., $1,000,000, 2000m
G2 Edward Manifold S., $300,000, 1600m
It was a nice change of plans for Smokin' Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines), who prior to his G3 Naturalism S. victory two weeks ago, had the G3 Bart Cummings S. pencilled in for this weekend.
But so tough was he at Caulfield that he earned himself a crack at this Group 1 contest and he won this one even more impressively - always travelling well for Ethan Brown who is enjoying his best year with three Group 1 victories.
Also winner of last summer's Listed Pakenham Cup, Smokin' Romans has done a great job winning nine of his 23 starts, with this success becoming a millionaire.
Purchased by Darrien Weir for $52,500 from the White Robe Lodge draft at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, he is one of the six stakes winners (the first at Group 1 level) for White Robe's G2 Todman S.-winning Ghibellines, a well related son of Shamardal (USA) and the Group 1 mare Camarilla (Elusive Quality {USA}).
Smokin' Romans is one of three winners (from as many named foals) for the two-time G3 Canterbury Gold Cup winner Inferno (USA) (Yamanin Vital {NZ}) whose other two runners - The Big Boss (NZ) (Gallant Guru) and Dante Fire (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}) - are both metropolitan winners.
Served last spring by Ancient Spirit (Ger) after foaling a full sister to Smokin' Romans, Inferno is a half-sister to the Listed Inglewood S. winner Ortem Fire (NZ) (Gallant Guru) and the stakes-placed city winners Unfurl (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}) and Ronnie (NZ) (Seasoned Star).
G2 Rose Of Kingston S., $300,000, 1400m
Part of a good day for Darley-based sire, Exceed And Excel, his daughter Excelida was brave to the line breaking through for her first stakes success at the age of six. And a deserved win it was too - nice along her six black-type placings!
Bred by Trelawney Stud and J.B and D.J Struthers, she was sold through the Trelawny draft to her owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay for $460,000 at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Her sire's 204th stakes winner and his second for the day, Excelida is to date the sole winner for her three-time-winning dam Lady Sayyida (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), a half-sister to the G1 W.S Cox Plate winner Ocean Park (NZ) (Thorn Park).
Served last spring by Hello Youmzain (Fr) having produced a Too Darn Hot (GB) colt, Lady Sayyida hails from one of New Zealand's most prolific families - able to boast amongst her relations the big race winners Grunt (NZ), Prince Kaapstad (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}), Critic (NZ) (Centaine), Courtza (NZ) (Pompeii Court {USA}), Our Pompeii (NZ) (Pompeii Court) and O'Reilly (NZ).
G2 Danehill S., $300,000, 1100m
Engaging in a two-horse battle to the line, the handsome Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) did a great job remaining undefeated after four starts - recording his second win at Group level.
A homebred for Jonathan Munz (also co-breeder of the Listed Dulcify S. winner Williamsburg by Snitzel), Giga Kick is one of the two stakes winners for his G3 Up And Coming S.-winning sire who left Australian shores in 2019 - Haras d'Etreham in France his home.
He is the 10th foal produced by the imported mare Rekindled Applause (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), a four-time winner who was four times stakes-placed in Italy.
Last spring producing a colt by Pariah, Rekindled Applause has been nicely represented by six winners with Rekindled Power and Shuffle Up (both by Scissor Kick's sire Redoute's Choice) also earning black type with Group-placings.
And she is grandam of a classy galloper, her lightly raced daughter Lago Ovation (Encosta De Lago) producing Yulong's G1 C.F Orr S. winner Alabama Express.
It seems no accident that members of this family have been regular visitors to Redoute's Choice and his sons with Rekindled Applause's fourth dam being a half-sister to Redoute's Choice's influential fourth dam Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}).
Plus her sire Royal Applause is a grandson of Try My Best (USA), Best In Show's high-achieving grandson.
Also boasting crosses of Rainbow Quest (USA) (4 X 3) and the Canadian Oaks heroine Flaming Page (USA) (Bull Page {USA}), Giga Kick boasts a pedigree of considerable depth with his sire's three strains of the great Nijinsky II (Can) complemented by his dam's strain of that horse's three-quarter brother The Minstrel (Can). And Flaming Page and Best In Show are both descendants of the wonderful mare Torpenhow (GB) (Torpoint {GB}).
Rekindled Applause is one of the seven winners produced by Rekindled Affair (Ire) (Rainbow Quest {USA}), also dam of the G2 Feehan S. and G2 AAMI Vase winner Rekindled Interest (Redoute's Choice again), the US-based Group 3 winner Where We Left Off (GB) (Dr Devious {Ire}) and the French Listed winner Porticcio (Ire) (Lomitas {GB}).
G2 Gilgai S., $300,000, 1200m
This is a favourite time of year for Private Eye (Al Maher) who on this same weekend last year produced a barnstorming run to win the G1 Epsom H.
Well supported having just his second Melbourne run, he was an easy winner at his first run since finishing an unlucky second to Alligator Blood (Casino Prince) in the G1 Stradbroke H. in June.
One of the 36 stakes winners for his Stockwell-based, well related G1 Australian Guineas-winning sire, Private Eye was bred by Goodwood Farm and sold through the Ambergate Farm draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale for $62,500.
He is the second foal and second winner (the multiple city winner Royal Witness by Star Witness her first) for the unplaced Confidential Queen (Shamardal {USA}), half-sister to the Group 3-placed King's Troop (Redoute's Choice).
Served last spring by Shalaa (Ire) having produced a colt by that same stallion, Confidential Queen is a granddaughter of the fast dual stakes winner Snippets' Lass (Snippets) whose five winners include the Champion Sire Snitzel and the Group 3 winners Hinchinbrook and Viennese (Redoute's Choice).
Line-bred to the close relations Northern Dancer (Can) and Halo (USA), Private Eye also carries crosses of the influential mare Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mamoud {Fr}) and Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}).
G3 Bart Cummings, $750,000, 2510m
It has been a while - Black Knight (Silver Knight {NZ}) in 1984 - since a G1 Melbourne Cup has been won by a son or daughter of another Melbourne Cup winner... can Lunar Flare (Fiorente {Ire}) make similar history?
Adding to her nice staying resume (one which also includes last year's G2 Moonee Valley Cup and the Listed R.M Ansett Classic), she looks set to become the first Melbourne Cup runner for her popular trainer Grahame Begg.
Bred by Mojo Thoroughbreds, Lunar Flare is one of the eight stakes winners sired by her Widden Victoria-based sire who is doing a particularly good job with daughters of Lunar Flare's dam sire Encosta de Lago... 13 runners so far, 10 winners including three stakes winners.
Fiorente (Ire) hails from the same Simon's Shoes (GB) (Simon Square {GB}) family as Encosta de Lago's sire Fairy King (USA) noting that Lunar Flare's dam is bred on a 3 X 4 cross of Fairy King's dam Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}), also dam of Sadler's Wells (USA).
Lunar Flare is one of nine winners for the reliable broodmare My Fair Lago who has also produced the stakes-placed gallopers Sea Of Tranquility (Dash For Cash) and Eagle Command (Dash For Cash) whilst her winning daughter Lunar Lights (Bianconi {USA}) is dam of the Listed winner Honey's Steel Gold (Keep The Faith).
Listed Maribyrnong Trial S., $175,000, 1000m
It was a quinella for Darley's evergreen Exceed And Excel with Zulfiqar digging deep to defeat Aditi (Exceed And Excel). The Godolphin homebred is Exceed And Excel's 203rd stakes winner and is the first foal for the imported winner Sayf Shamal (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}) whose first three dams are all stakes winners; Alizes (Rory's Jester), La Baraka (Euclase) and Triscay (Marscay). Sayf Shamal was served last year by Lonhro and Microphone having foaled a full brother to Zulfiqar.
Listed Paris Lane S., $175,000, 1400m
Part of a great day for Yeomanstown Stud's Dark Angel (Ire) whose son Top Ranked (Ire) shared the G1 Epsom H. prize with Visinari who earned his first black-type since a Group 2-placing at Newmarket in July 2019. Bred by Ecurie Haras De Beauvoir, he is the 93rd stakes winner for his sire whilst his dam Countess Ferrama (GB) (Authorized) is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Visionario (Ire) (Spinning World {USA}) from the family of the multiple Group 1 winning stayer Vazirabad (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}).
Listed Super Impose S., $175,000, 1800m
Just last week celebrating Savabeel's 21st birthday, Waikato had further cause to smile with the first stakes win for his talented son Mr Maestro (NZ). His G1 W.S Cox Plate-winning sire's 127 stakes winner, the NZ$100,000 graduate of the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale was bred and sold by Windsor Park Stud to his trainer Andrew Forsman. His stakes-placed, six-time-winning dam Let Me Roar (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) - who sadly died after producing just three foals - is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Lion Tamer (NZ) (Storming Home {GB}).
Kalgoorlie: Listed Kalgoorlie Cup, $150,000, 2200m
So tough recording his second Kalgoorlie stakes race in a row, Stafford's Lad (Demerit) is racing in career best form at the age of eight. Bred by A Clapshaw, he is one of the six stakes winners for his G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude-winning sire who died three years ago. He is the only foal for his dam Crash Hot (Blackfriars), a winning granddaughter of the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner Castle Pines (Marscay).
