Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Sandown-Lakeside: G1 Blue Diamond S., $2,000,000, 1200m
The 10th G1 Blue Diamond S. victory over three generations of the Hayes family, Little Brose (Per Incanto {USA}) was part of a great day for the Street Cry (Ire) sireline.
One of the 27 stakes winners and the sixth Group 1 winner for his Little Avondale Stud-based sire, he was bred by Mr D Wallace and sold by Sledmere Stud to Lindsay Park Racing at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000.
He is out of the Listed Music Prince S. winner Mohegan Sky (USA) (Straight Man {USA}) who has also produced the dual city winner Kutayha (NZ) (Savabeel). Sadly she died last spring with her final foal being a Russian Revolution yearling filly.
Mohegan Sky is a half-sister to the Listed winner Vous (USA) (Wild Rush {USA}) from a classy US family that has enjoyed local success with the G1 Winter S. winner Absolut Glam (Snowland), the G3 Typhoon Tracy S. winner Jazz Song (Fastnet Rock), the Listed Fireball H. winner Nobby Snip (Snippetson) and the G2 1000 Guineas Prelude winner Miss Gunpowder (Pendragon).
Line-bred to the close relations Northern Dancer (Can) and Halo (USA), LIttle Brose also boasts a cross of the great mare Myrtlewood (USA) (Blue Larkspur {USA}) who appears via her prolific descendants via Mr Prospector (USA) and Seattle Dancer (USA).
G1 Oakleigh Plate, $750,000, 1100m
Never out of the first two, Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}) has both speed and class and he is a deserved addition to the G1 Oakleigh Plate honour roll.
A homebred for the Hoysted family's Lavin Park Racing and Breeding, he is one of the two local stakes winners (and eight in total) sired by his former Woodside Park shuttling sire... and he is that horse's first Group 1 winner.
Uncommon James is the second live foal produced by the stakes-placed multiple city winner Pickabee (Jet Spur) whose full sister Emmalene (dam of the stakes-placed Churning by Lonhro) is a Flemington Listed winner.
Sadly, Pickabee died only recently having last spring foaled a Dundeel (NZ) filly. Her 2-year-old is Uncommon James' yet to race 2-year-old stablemate Pickabae (Capitalist) and she also has a Yes Yes Yes yearling colt.
Pickabee is a granddaughter of the dual Listed winner Adagietto (NZ) (Sackford {USA}), also ancestress of the stakes winners Open Minded (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) and Bonvicini (Myboycharlie {Ire}).
Carrying crosses of Northern Dancer's (Can) sons Danzig (USA) and Lyphard (USA), Uncommon James can also count amongst his relations the stakes winners Captiva (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), Packing Winner (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ}) and Lut's Choice (Brz) (Fort de France {Arg}).
G1 Futurity S., $750,000, 1400m
On track for the first time since his G1 Champions Mile success in the spring, Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) is now a five-time winner at the elite level.
Purchased by the Ezybonds No 1 Syndicate for $55,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he was bred by Gerry Harvey and prepared for the sale by his Baramul Stud.
One of the 22 stakes winners (and one of the four Group 1 horses who have all won at the elite-level at least twice) for his Vinery Stud-based, four-time Group 1 winning sire, Alligator Blood is out of the unraced Lake Superior (Encosta De Lago) who sadly died young having had only four live foals, Alligator Blood the last of those.
Lake Superior is a daughter of the three-time Group 1-placed Kwilkwong (Red Ransom {USA}) whose son Cantonese (Redoute's Choice) won the Listed Christmas Cup. Kwilkwong's dam Tracy's Element (Last Tycoon {Ire}) earned the titles of South African Champion 2-Year-Old and South African Champion Older Mare with her four wins in Group 1 company.
And she did a great job at stud, her nine winners including the Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}) and the dual Listed winner Red Element (also by Red Ransom {USA}).
Alligator Blood is one of the 26 stakes winners and six Group 1 winners combining the close relations Flying Spur and Encosta De Lago - bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Rolls (USA) (Mr Prospector {USA}) as well as a 4 X 4 cross of Last Tycoon (Ire).
G2 Autumn Classic, $300,000, 1800m
Part of a good day for her Darley-based sire Street Boss (USA), Pericles appreciated a step up in distance - recording a dominant win.
Street Boss' 62nd stakes winner, Pericles is the fifth stakes winner for her high-achieving unraced dam Accessories (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) - also dam of the triple Group 1 winner Helmet, the dual Group 1 winner Epaulette, the triple Group winner Pearls (Exceed And Excel) and the G3 CS Hayes S. winner Bullbars.
Hailing from the same family as the G1 Epsom Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and last spring's G1 Toorak H. winner Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}), Accessories was served last spring by Ghaiyyath (Ire) having missed the previous spring to Bivouac. Her Microphone yearling son has already been named Lavalier.
G2 Peter Young S., $300,000, 1800m
Bravely holding off a late challenge from the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}), Steinem (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was in the winner's circle for the first time since her G3 Summoned S. success in the spring of 2021.
Bred by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, Steinem (one of her famed sire's 108 stakes winners) was purchased by Ciaron Maher Racing for $400,000 at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She is the first foal for the imported daughter of the stakes winner Alsace Lorraine (Ire) (Giant's Causeway {USA}).
Now back in the UK, Steinem's dam Thai Noon (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) has a yet to be named 2-year-old filly by Pierro.
Alsace Lorraine's dam Mer de Corail (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}) and grandam Miss Tahiti (Ire) (Tirol {Ire}) are also stakes winners.
Steinem has heavy close up male line-breeding - within five generations carrying crosses of Sadler's Wells (USA), Danehill (USA), Northern Dancer (Can) and Blushing Groom (Fr).
G2 Angus Armanasco S., $300,000, 1400m
Shuffle Dancer (I Am Invincible) was up in grade but too good, enhancing a nice record which has seen her win three of her first six starts.
A homebred for Arthur Mitchell having been withdrawn from the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, she is stakes winner number 91 for her Yarraman Park-based reigning Champion Australian Sire.
A full sister to the two-time Group 3-placed Forbidden City and a half-sister to the four-time Group-placed Never Talk (No Nay Never {USA}), Shuffle Dancer is out of the two-time winner Palace Talk (NZ) (Street Cry {Ire}) whose grandam is a half-sister to the dam of I Am Invincible's sire Invincible Spirit (Ire).
Meaning that Shuffle Dancer is bred on a 4 X 4 cross of her own fourth dam Eljazzi (Ire) (Artaius {USA}).
Palace Talk produced a full brother to Shuffle Dancer last spring and was again served by I Am Invincible.
G3 Mannerism S., $200,000, 1400m
The standout in the yard, Espiona (Extreme Choice) ran up to her looks with this determined victory - her third at stakes level.
Bred Torryburn Stud and Frank Cook, she was purchased for $190,000 by Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She is the first foal for the lightly raced Warwick Farm winner Dahooil (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) who Chris Waller purchased as a yearling for NZ$340,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale. She produced a colt by Capitalist in 2021, sadly passing away early last year.
Dahooil is one of seven winners (from as many to race) for Pretty (NZ) (Pins), also dam of the Listed winners Pretty To Sea (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and Bonny O'Reilly (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}); the latter being the dam of the two-time Group 3-placed Basquiat (Snitzel).
Pretty's Group 3-placed dam Escada (NZ) (Centaine) produced the dual Group 1 winners Vision And Power (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}) and Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) whose grandson Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel) is a dual Group 2 winner.
Espiona is a great advertisement for female line-breeding, bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Easy Date (Grand Chaudiere {Can}) and a 7 X 6 cross of Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}).
G3 Zeditave S., $200,000, 1200m
Recommendation (Shalaa {Ire}) was stepping up from a BM64 success but was too good for some nice 3-year-olds - recording the fourth win of his six-start career.
The 11th stakes winner for his Arrowfield Stud-based sire, he was bred by Pacific King and withdrawn from the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
His dam is the unraced Adviso (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}) whose dam is the four-time Group 1 winner Proviso (GB) (Dansili {GB}), also dam of the dual Listed winner Sailing Solo (USA) (Smart Strike {Can}).
Proviso's dam is the wonderful broodmare Binche (USA) (Woodman {USA}), also dam of the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. winner Byword (BG) (Peintre Celebre {USA}), the triple Group winner Finche (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and the Listed winner Baratti (GB) (Frankel).
Binche is also grandam of Woodside Park's G3 Prix Daphnis winner Delaware (GB) and the Listed Prix de Bagatelle winner Environs (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
Listed Victoria Gold Cup, $175,000, 2100m
Deserving of a stakes win having been in such great form - this victory his fourth in a row - Right You Are (So You Think {NZ}) was part of a good day for his Coolmore Stud-based sire and is one of his 49 stakes winners.
Bred by Mr SE Merriman, Right You Are is out of the G3 Geelong Cup winner Leica Ding (Redding {NZ}) who died in the spring of 2021 with her final foal being a Capitalist filly.
As her name suggests, Leica Ding hails from the same prolific "Leica" family as the big race winners Nothin' Leica Dane, Leica Planet (Planet Kingdom), Leica Guv (NZ) (Deputy Governor {USA}), Light Fantastic (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Pharaoh (NZ) (Sackford {USA}), Right You Are's fifth dam Leica Show (NZ) (Showdown {GB}) and his damsire Redding (NZ).
Morphettville: G3 Lord Reims S., $127,250 ,2600m
Outstaying his rivals in this traditional G2 Adelaide Cup lead-up, Highland Jakk (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) highlighted what a loss his sire was - that G1 Gran Premio di Milano winner dying after serving only four books of mares.
He has sired another three stakes winners including the dual Group 1 winner Explosive Jack (NZ).
Bred by Explosive Breeding, Highland Jakk was sold via the Novara Park draft to Michael Hickmott Bloodstock for NZ$25,000 at the 2010 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 2).
His dam is the city-placed, two-time winner Alessandra (NZ) (Golan {Ire}) who died young - Highland Jakk her only produce.
And he is the first black-type performer in the family for three generations - his fourth dam being the Listed winner Rose de Crystal (Fr) (Crystal Glitters {USA}) whose daughter Auriette (Ire) (Caerleon {USA}) won the G1 Gamely H.
