Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Race-Day Recap
James Cummings and Godolphin continued to plunder lucrative prizes as Vilana (Hallowed Crown) produced an impressive display to win $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle.
Earlier in the afternoon at the New South Wales track, The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pierossa (Pierro) added valuable black type to her pedigree when she showed her class in the G3 Spring S.
Fresh from siring his first stakes winner last week, Yarraman Park’s Hellbent looks to have another exciting youngster among his progeny in the shape of Fire Lane, who got her career off to the perfect start with a fine victory in the Max Lees Classic.
Co-trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young enjoyed a brilliant day when they sent out three winners at their hometrack, Cranbourne and the trio were headlined by Uncle Bryn’s (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) victory in the Listed Cranbourne Cup.
Newgate Farm resident Deep Field was provided with his 22nd stakes winner when the Dion Luciani-trained My Bella Mae preserved her unbeaten record in the Listed Placid Ark S. at Ascot, while the stallion also enjoyed an impressive winner in Hong Kong.
Godolphin again, as Vilana gains redemption in The Hunter
James Cummings and Godolphin gained yet more lucrative silverware to their already brimming cabinet as Vilana (Hallowed Crown) atoned for his torrid run in the Golden Eagle with a brave victory in the $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle on Saturday.
Having taken out the Silver Eagle first-up in October, the 4-year-old entire went into the Golden Eagle as the horse to beat, but things didn’t get off to the best start when he drew in the car park and as a result, endured a horror run and eventually finished eighth.
Vilana (blue cap) fending off In The Congo (red cap) in The Hunter | Image courtesy of Sportpix
However, he showed no ill-effects from that race, doing just enough to beat In The Congo (Snitzel) by 0.37l. The winner’s stablemate, Gravina (Sebring), finished another 1.5l further afield in third.
Godolphin stable representative Darren Beadman was happy and believes his campaign up north last preparation may have been the making of him.
“You're always confident when it's going to be a tight finish that Nash (Rawiller) is going to get the best out of them,” Beadman said. “He's (Vilana) been a model of consistency, the trip away to Brisbane just did him the world of good. He really matured, it made him stand up and take notice.
“You're always confident when it's going to be a tight finish that Nash (Rawiller) is going to get the best out of them.” - Darren Beadman
“The team have placed him to perfection this preparation and it was wonderful to see the way he knuckled down and fought off a very, very tough competitor in In The Congo.
“Full credit to Nash, it's been a remarkable carnival.”
Meanwhile, Rawiller was on board the 4-year-old in the Golden Eagle and said there had been genuine excuses in the $10 million race.
“I've got a lot of confidence in the horse from what he showed me in previous rides,” Rawiller said. “Unless you watch the stewards' replay you wouldn't really know what he encountered in the Golden Eagle.
“I've got a lot of confidence in the horse (Vilana) from what he showed me in previous rides.” - Nash Rawiller
“Today he just used his natural speed to get across in a lovely spot, and I knew he'd relax once he got there. In The Congo is tough. It felt like we were going to beat it by a length, but he just kept coming with me. But he's a lot of class my bloke, he's on the way up.”
Bred by Godolphin, Vilana is out of Retsina (Redoute’s Choice) making him a half-brother to six-times Group winner Savatiano (Street Cry {Ire}) and the dual Listed winner Athiri (Lonhro).
Vilana is one of six stakes winners for his Twin Hills-based sire Hallowed Crown, who is standing for a fee of $11,000 (inc GST).
Pierossa impresses in Spring Stakes
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pierossa (Pierro) added valuable black type to her pedigree when she showed her class in the G3 Spring S. at Newcastle on Saturday and in the process became stakes winner number 32 for Coolmore Stud resident Pierro.
Pierossa (red silks) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
After settling midfield with cover during the run, jockey Sam Clipperton managed to pull her out to the centre of the track and let down, showing a good turn of foot to beat Kazalark (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) by 0.36l, while Robusto (Churchill {Ire}) was the same distance away in third.
Co-trainer Paul Snowden was quick to pay tribute to the hard work from the team at home, explaining the filly was difficult to deal with in her early years.
“She's come a long way after having a poor attitude as a young horse,” Snowden said.
“She was always going to improve with maturity and the staff have done a good job with her. We ironed out a few things and the team deserves a lot of credit.
“She (Pierossa) was always going to improve with maturity and the staff have done a good job with her. We ironed out a few things and the team deserves a lot of credit.” - Paul Snowden
“I think she proved she'll run further. I know it was a slog, but I always thought she would get over 2000 metres. So it was good to see her being the strongest late.
“She'll be in the paddock on Monday and we'll look at the late autumn and into Brisbane.”
Clipperton said the victory came as no surprise to him, having always thought a lot of the filly.
“It was a tough win. I've had a lot of time for this filly for a fair while,” Clipperton said. “She used to put on quite a show before the start, and she got me at Canterbury, her first ever start and she got beaten a nose that day.
“So now it's just about working with her and eliminating those habits, and I must say with racing she's gotten a lot better. She's a filly that you have to squeeze every little bit out of but she really knuckles down under hard riding.
Pierossa after winning the G3 Spring S. | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“I think this filly is going to be an even more mature filly in the autumn, and particularly once she gets up to those 2000-metre and beyond distances.”
Purchased by Triple Crown Syndications for $120,000 from the Tyreel Stud draft at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Pierossa is the fourth foal out of the lightly raced but talented Edwina Georgie (Testa Rossa), making the filly a half-sister to the Listed winner Ploverset (Street Boss {USA}).
Pierro stands at Coolmore Stud for a fee of $99,000 (inc GST).
Bigger things on the horizon for Fire Lane
Fresh from siring his first stakes winner last week, Yarraman Park’s Hellbent looks to have another exciting youngster among his progeny in the shape of Fire Lane, who got her career off to the perfect start with a fine victory in the Max Lees Classic at Newcastle.
Despite having only one trial before her debut, the Brad Widdup-trained filly did not let this lack of experience impede her performance, finishing strongly to hold off the fast-finishing Cylinder (Exceed And Excel), eventually beating him by 0.04l. Line Of Law (Russian Revolution) was a further 1.3l away in third.
Jockey Jay Ford was impressed with Fire Lane’s performance and believes there are bigger days ahead with the filly.
“She's had one trial, been very well schooled up. But she's like she's got an old head on her shoulders,” Ford said. “She takes it all in her stride, she's very push-button. Has good speed which enables her to put her in a spot.
“She (Fire Lane) takes it all in her stride, she's very push-button. Has good speed which enables her to put her in a spot.” - Jay Ford
“I thought the second horse of Godolphin's was going to monster us late, but she just showed her tenacity. She's only going to improve and (owners) BK Racing have got a handy one.
“Into the straight, I thought I had to give her a bit of a shove because she was starting to drop the bridle,” Ford said.
“But once she got into the straight and balanced I gave her a tickle up again, then she started to lengthen for me. She's got a promising future and a good job by all involved."
Jay Ford returns to scale on Fire Lane after winning the Max Lees Classic | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Widdup was equally pleased with his filly's performance and was hopeful for the future.
“These sorts of races, she's still got to learn a lot and I'm sure she'll develop a lot more," Widdup said. “She's got a good head on her shoulders and good natural ability.
“She's (Fire Lane) got a good head on her shoulders and good natural ability.” - Brad Widdup
“(Hellbent) is a terrific young stallion, we were lucky to get a couple at the Magic Millions, she's the first one I've raced. I've got a nice bunch of 2-year-olds this year, she's put her hand up.”
Co-bred by Yarraman, the home of her sire Hellbent, Fire Lane was purchased by her trainer and her owners BK Racing And Breeding for $330,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year and she is out of the placed Charge Forward mare Heritage Lane.
Hellbent tasted his first stakes success last Saturday when Magic Time, another of his daughters, landed the Listed The Amanda Elliott at Flemington.
Brad Widdup | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Not be outdone by his son and barnmate, I Am Invincible was provided with a quinella in the Listed Keith Noud S. when the Annabel Neasham-trained Holyfield beat Garibaldi in the Listed contest at Doomben.
Uncle Bryn produces fine performance in Cranbourne Cup
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Uncle Bryn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) produced an impressive performance to win the Listed Cranbourne Cup on Saturday and in the process became the fifth import in the last 10 years to win the 1600-metre Listed contest.
A winner of the Listed Sale Cup in October, the son of Sea The Stars (Ire) was last seen enduring a torrid run when being galloped into in the $2 million The Five Diamonds at Rosehill on November 5, but he showed no ill-effects from that race, scampering away to an impressive 2l victory over Group 1 winner Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante).
Uncle Bryn (GB) (green and blue cap) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Uncle Bryn’s victory was the third and final leg of an impressive treble for Busuttin and Young, with the training partnership having tasted victory in the second race with Serangoon (Ilovethiscity), before chalking up their second winner of the meeting with Braydan Star (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}), who, like Uncle Bryn, is raced in a partnership which includes Seymour Bloodstock’s Mark Pilkington.
Young said that she was confident going into the race that the gelding was up to the task in the Listed race.
“We've always known he's got plenty of ability. He finished second behind Smokin' Romans in the race before he won the Turnbull. Then in The Five Diamonds last week he got a couple of pairs further back than he needed to be and he finished only 2.5l behind Ellsberg, who is a Group 1 winner,” Young said.
“We've always known he's (Uncle Bryn) got plenty of ability. He finished second behind Smokin' Romans in the race before he won the Turnbull.” - Natalie Young
“I wasn't worried by the week's back-up. We've done nothing with him since he's been back. We've taken him to the beach and we've done something different every day.
“Now he'll have a break and target a Doncaster or even an All-Star Mile.”
Winning jockey Mark Zahra has been aboard Uncle Bryn twice now for two wins, having won on him by 4l at Sale in April and said the horse is definitely capable of winning a Group 1.
“I was giggling when they were steaming along in front. I was a fair way off them but I was really travelling and everything around me, I could hear everyone around me starting to go for their horse and I hadn't even moved,” Zahra said.
“He could (win a Group 1), I reckon a mile is his trip and if he was set for a mile I think he could win one for sure.”
“He (Uncle Bryn) could (win a Group 1), I reckon a mile is his trip and if he was set for a mile I think he could win one for sure.” - Mark Zahra
The 5-year-old becomes the second progeny of top-class European sire, Sea The Stars to win the Listed contest, adding to the victory of Future Score (Ire) in 2020.
Uncle Bryn is out of the Group 2-placed dam Wall Of Sound (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and she is also dam of the G3 Prestige S. winner Boomer (GB) (Kingman {GB}).
Pilkington was also celebrating earlier in the afternoon when the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Garza Blanca (I Am Invincible), a colt he co-bred, chalked up his second career victory in a 3-year-old handicap over 1200 metres.
My Bella Mae retains unbeaten run
Newgate Farm resident Deep Field was provided with his 22nd stakes winner when the Dion Luciani-trained My Bella Mae preserved her unbeaten record in the Listed Placid Ark S. at Ascot.
Having her third career start and first at stakes level, the 3-year-old filly surged clear in the final stages to beat Revitup (Demerit) by 1.8l, while Wild Belle (Pride Of Dubai) was another 2l away in third.
The filly was passed in at the 2021 Magic Magics Perth Yearling Sale after failing to make her $80,000 reserve and she is out of five-time winning mare Mae West (NZ) (Sir Percy {GB}), who is herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Who Dares Wins (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).
Deep Field was also represented by a winner in Hong Kong in the shape of True Legend, who was adding a fourth win to his CV.
A $530,000 purchase by Lucky Owners at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2018, the gelding is out of Group 2 winner Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock), making him a half-brother to stakes-placed pair God Of Thunder (More Than Ready {USA}) and Emperor (I Am Invincible).
Jolie Bay is out of the wonderful broodmare, Group 3 winner Legally Bay and she is also the dam of dual Group 1 winner and now Coolmore Stud resident Merchant Navy and Listed winner Setanta (Fastnet Rock).
Deep Field stands at Newgate Farm for a fee of $88,000 (inc GST).
