Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix
Ascot: G2 Ted Vam Heemst S., $250,000, 2100m
Refusing to lie down when challenged by the favourite, Marocchino (Maschino) was a determined winner of his 11th race (from 45 starts) - his fourth at stakes level, his first in Group company.
Bred by his trainer Lou Luciani, Marocchino is is one of the five stakes winners for his Alwyn Park-based, G3 R.J Peters S.-winning sire. His dam is the city winner Comeitbesideme (McFlirt), half-sister to the Listed Bunbury Cup winner Whipsaw (Hold That Tiger {USA}).
In late October foaling a full sister to Marocchino having slipped the previous season, Comeitbesideme has another Maschino in the Luciani stable - the yet to race 2-year-old colt Frappuccino.
Comeitbesideme is a granddaughter of the stakes-placed Luluwa (Francis Bacon {Ire}) who produced the Listed winner Valparaiso (Bianconi {USA}) and this is also the family of the dual Group 1-winning, high-class stallion Fastnet Rock and last season's G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Lightsaber (Zoustar).
Listed Starstruck Classic, $125,000, 1600m
Alsephina (Star Turn) enhanced her already impressive record with this, her first win at stakes level - and her eighth success from just 10 starts.
Bred by G and G Bloodstock Australia, she is stakes winner number seven for her Vinery Stud-based sire, a dual Group-winning son of Star Witness.
The first stakes winner line-bred to Green Forest (USA), she is the third foal and one of two winners for the Listed Natasha S. winner Delta Gee (Street Cry {Ire}) who took a while to get going at stud - missing or slipping at each of her first five seasons.
Her first foal is the multiple city winner Born To Try (Blackfriars) and Alsephina is her second - her third is the unraced Valtellina (Blackfriars) who foaled a Gingerbread Man colt in September whilst her fourth and most recent foal is the yet to race Supido 3-year-old Tale Of Perth, a member of the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable.
Delta Gee is a half-sister to another Natasha S. winner in Wave Rock (Blackfriars) from the family of this year's G1 Champagne S. and G1 VRC Oaks winner She's Extreme (Extreme Choice). Further back this is also the family of another of this year's big-race winners in Shelby Sixtysix (Toronado {Ire}).
Trentham: G2 Manawatu Challenge S., NZ$120,000, 1400m
What she lacks in size she certainly makes up for in heart, Darci La Bella (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) finding some trouble in the run home but so strong to the line once clear - holding off a late charge from the dual Group 1 winner Coventina Bay (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}).
Recording the 11th win of her 17-start career, Darci La Bella is now a triple Group winner and it seems just a matter of time until she adds an elite-level victory to her impressive resume.
One of the 57 stakes winners The Oaks Stud-based sire - a stalwart of New Zealand breeding - she is one of the four winners produced by the metropolitan winner Bellaroof (NZ) (Maroof {USA}) - also dam of the G2 Challenge S. and G3 Arawa S. winner Tavi Mac (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and the 10-time winner Darci Mac (NZ) (also by Darci Brahma {NZ}).
The final foal of her dam, Darci La Bella is a homebred for the McCallum and Sharrock families.
Her third dam is the Group 1-placed, dual Listed winner Highden Belle (NZ) (Pevero {Ire}) whose grandam is the great producer Belle Time (NZ) (Summertime {GB}) - dam of the feature-race winners Asgard (NZ) (Hermes {GB}), Chiming (NZ) (Oncidium {GB}), Honey Belle (NZ) (Better Honey {GB}) and Son Of Cyrus (NZ) (Cyrus {Ire}).
Her sire and damsire are bred on the same Danzig (USA)/Relic (USA) cross.
G3 Manawatu Cup, NZ$100,000, 2300m
It was a gutsy all-the-way win recorded by Sagunto (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), his seventh victory and his first at stakes level at the age of seven.
Bred by Waikato Stud and purchased by the McKay family for NZ$120,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, Sagunto is the 96th stakes winner for his late sire.
He is one of the four winners (from as many to race) for the Listed Breeders' S. winner Queen Sabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) who has also produced the Flemington winner Tyrannize (NZ) (also by O'Reilly {NZ}).
Served last spring by Per Incanto (USA), Queen Sabeel had the previous year off after producing a Sacred Falls (NZ) filly.
Queen Sabeel is one of the five winners for the metropolitan winner Vanessatheundressa (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}) who also produced the Group 3-placed Vandancer (NZ) (Savabeel).
Vanessatheundressa's dam is the Listed Queen Adelaide S. winner Voguessa (Almurtajaz {NZ}), half-sister to the durable Group 2 winner Gypsy Rogue (Gypsy Kingdom) from the family of the champion Vo Rogue (Ivor Prince {USA}).
It was an apt day for Sagunto to salute, the same day a race named in honour of his famed ancestress Eulogy (GB) (Cicero {GB}) was run.
Eagle Farm: G3 Grand Prix S., $250,000, 2100m
It has been some debut campaign for the exciting Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) who, off a debut fourth at Newcastle in mid-October, has quickly made his way through the classes... four wins in a row culminating in this feature race success.
Bred by Nearco Stud and purchased by Mulcaster Bloodstock from the Curraghmore draft at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, Kovalica is the 18th stakes winner for his Waikato Stud-based, G1 W.S Cox Plate-winning sire.
He is the second foal - and the first to race - for the city-placed winner Vitesse (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) whose half-brother The Bostonian (NZ) is by Jimmy Choux (NZ) who, like Ocean Park (NZ), is by Thorn Park.
The Bostonian is a 10-time winner with three of his successes coming at Group 1 level - the Doomben 10,000, the Kingsford-Smith Cup and the Canterbury S.
Vitesse's winning dam Keepa Cheval (NZ) (Keeper) is also a half-sister to a multiple Group 1 winner - the two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year and New Zealand Hall of Fame member Mufhasa (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
Kovalica is one of two very smart 3-year-olds for this family - his fourth dam Silver Sheila (NZ) (Silver Dream {GB}) being the third dam of Sacred Satono (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) who won the G3 Bonecrusher S. a couple of weeks ago.
Vitesse was served last spring by Almanzor (Fr) having foaled a filly by Super Seth.
Listed Lough Neagh S., $200,000, 1400m
The in-form Ucalledit (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) took another nice step with this victory - his third in a row and his first at stakes level.
A horse who really knows how to find the line, the tough 5-year-old was bred by W.A Lawton and purchased by his original trainer (and owner) Kevin Myers for NZ$15,000 from the Grangewilliam Stud draft at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 3).
The eighth stakes winner for his sire, Ucalledit is one of only two named foals for the unraced Special Bay (Al Maher) whose other son Special Duke (NZ) (Bachelor Duke {USA}) is a winner over 2100 metres in New Zealand.
Special Bay is a half-sister to six winners out of the unraced Go With The Wind (Song Of Tara {Ire}), half-sister to the tough triple Group 1-winning sprinter Bomber Bill (Air de France {USA}), the Group 3 filly Camargue (Air de France {USA}) and the Listed winner Special Song (Song Of Tara).
Special Bay's dam Lady Special (Alzao {USA}) is one of the six winners produced by the record-breaking triple Group 1-winning speedster Special (Habituate {Ire}), dam of the stakes winners Stavka (Xaar {GB}) and Specialize (Bluebird {USA}) and ancestress of the stakes winners Demographic (NZ) (Gold Brose), Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), Distinctive Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), Kuro (Denman) and Ever Loyal (Sebring).
Whilst a descendant of one Special, Ucalledit is line-bred to another, the USA-bred version - the daughter of Forli (Arg) who appears via her son Nureyev (USA) and grandson Sadler's Wells (USA). A 3 X 3 Danehill (USA) cross is also of interest as he appears in the two male lines; a cross which tends to underperform overall. Ucalledit does however, also carry strains of Danehill's relations Northern Dancer (Can) and Halo (USA).
Listed Gold Edition Plate, $200,000, 1200m
It was a small field but a hot field with a number of very promising 3-year-olds and the horse able to prevail was End Assembly (Outreach), the Toowoomba-trained galloper remaining undefeated after three starts.
A homebred for part-owner M Munro, End Assembly won his first two home track assignments by wide margins and judging by the determination he displayed today, there is more in store for him.
End Assembly is the second stakes winner for his Widden Stud-based, lightly raced (one start, a G3 Canonbury S. second) sire, Outreach, a son of Exceed And Excel.
He is the second foal and second winner for the four-time winner Lonhro's Spirit (Lonhro) whose most recent foal (her third) is a Press Statement yearling filly.
Lonhro's Spirit is one of four winners produced by the city-placed, two-time winner Rejoice (Belong To Me {USA}), half-sister to the G1 VRC Derby winner Hit The Roof (NZ) (Maroof {USA}) and the Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup winner War Ends (Redoute's Choice).
This is a prolific black-type family, one of which Outreach is also a member - giving End Assembly a 6 X 5 cross of his own fifth dam Royal News (Ire) (Sovereign Path {GB}).
Te Rapa: G3 Eulogy S., NZ$85,000, 1600m
The addition of blinkers did the trick for the lightly raced and promising Polygon (NZ) (Highly Recommended) who was tough to the line recording the second win of her seven-start career.
A homebred for Cambridge Stud's Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Polygon - the third stakes winner for her Berkley Stud-based G2 Alister Clark S.-winning sire - is a daughter of the multiple city winner Polyantha (Encosta De Lago).
In late September foaling a Hello Youmzain (Fr) filly, Polyantha has also produced the metropolitan winner That's Incranibull (NZ) (Cape Blanco {Ire}) who is now in Australia - winning at Donald in mid-November for the Patrick Payne stable.
Polyantha is out of the city winner Ballycairn (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), dam of another seven winners including the G2 Moonee Valley Oaks winner Pure Harmony (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}). Ballycairn's daughters and granddaughters are doing well at stud - producing the stakes winners Outdo (Exceed And Excel), Avisto (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Annavisto (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), Celtic Tiger (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) and No Pushover (NZ) (Pins).
Bred on a 5 X 4 Sir Tristram (Ire) cross, Polygon also boasts duplications of the excellent mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Knight's Daughter (GB) (Sir Cosmo {Ire}).
Flemington: Listed Kensington S., $200,000, 1000m
It was an interesting second leg of a running double with this determined win by Ashford Street whose sire Moshe is a full brother to Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), dam of the previous race winner Invincible Caviar (I Am Invincible).
He is the third stakes winner for his lightly raced but fast sire who was exported to Indonesia in 2019 having stood seven seasons at Eliza Park Stud.
A homebred for P.F McLaren, Ashford Street is the sixth and final foal produced by the city placed, four-time winner Magic Gosh (Magic Albert) who died three years ago. All five of her foals to race are winners including the Listed Carlyon S. winner Grandview Avenue (Statue Of Liberty {USA}) and the Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic winner Claro El Banco (Statue Of Liberty).
Magic Gosh is one of six winners for the stakes-placed, multiple city winner Kashcrop (NZ) (Kashani {USA}) who was also represented by the metropolitan winners Project Compassion (Dubai Destination {USA}) and Cheap Thrills (Giant's Causeway {USA}).
Bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Snippets, Ashford Street can also count amongst his relations the Group 1 mare Hill Of Grace (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the two-time G2 Hong Kong International Bowl winner Monopolize (Rubiton).
Listed JRA Trophy, $175,000, 2600m
With the steadier of 60kg vs the rest of the field sitting on 54kg, Persan (Pierro) had to be tough - and he was exactly that, having a nice time in front with class kicking in as he defied the only challenger Nobel Heights (Fiorente {Ire}) who he defeated by 1.75l with a further 8l to the next horse.
Bred by Brendan Bentata and purchased for $160,000 by James Bester from the Holbrook Thoroughbreds draft at the 2017 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, Persan was prepared for the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale only to be passed in for $300,000.
Now a dual Flemington stakes winner having won the G3 Bart Cummings two years ago (subsequently a handy G1 Melbourne Cup fifth), Persan is one of the 32 stakes winners for his Coolmore Stud-based sire.
He is one of the six foals and six winners for the G1 Coolmore Classic winner Ofcourseican (Mossman) who has also produced the city winners Pierrless (also by Pierro), Forever Dream (Dream Ahead {USA}) and the last-start Canterbury winner Cinderella Days (Astern) who has won three of her first four starts for the Joseph Pride stable.
Ofcourseican is a half-sister to the Australian-bred South African Group 1 winner Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready {USA}) from the family of the stakes winners Gregers (Commands), Girl Guide (Churchill Downs), Classic Benbara (Fraar {USA}) and Prince Benbara (Fraar).
