Randwick: G1 Queen Elizabeth S., $5,000,000, 2000m
Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) seems rather fond of Australia, his second Group 1 win from as many starts here coming at the expense of some of the country’s best weight-for-age gallopers.
Bred by Macha Bloodstock/Meridian International and purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock for 110,000gns (AU$215,000) at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Dubai Honour is part of a great recent run for his Coolmore Stud-based sire.
One of his 18 stakes winners and two Group 1 winners, Dubai Honour is out of the unraced Mondelice (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) whose G3 Prix Daphnis-winning half-brother Last Kingdom (USA) stands at Kooringal Stud.
Interestingly 10 of those 18 stakes winners, Dubai Honour included, are out of mares either from the Sadler’s Wells (USA) sireline or carrying a strain of that great stallion.
Mondelice is a granddaughter of the Irish Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}) whose nine winners include the dual-Group-winning stallion Requinto (Ire).
Dubai Honour carries crosses of the influential mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
G1 Sydney Cup, $2,000,000, 3200m
The Derby king of 2021 was back to his best outstaying his rivals in Sydney’s biggest two miler, Explosive Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) adding a third Group 1 to his great staying record.
The G1 Australian Derby, G1 South Australian Derby and Listed Tasmanian Derby winner is one of the four stakes winners for his late sire, a Group 1 winner in Italy.
Explosive Jack was bred by Explosive Breeding and purchased by his original trainer Peter Moody for NZ$100,000 from the Novara Park draft of the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Explosive Jack is out of the Listed Castletown S. winner Extra Explosive (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}) whose stakes-placed dam Explosive (NZ) (Exploding Prospect {USA}) is also grandam of the G1 New Zealand Derby winner Vin de Dance (NZ) (Roc De Cambes {NZ}).
Served last spring by Staphanos (Jpn), Extra Explosive lost her previous foal with her most recent being her 2021 Staphanos colt. She also has a 2-year-old by that stallion - Eruptive Force (NZ) in the Chris Waller stable.
G1 Australian Oaks, $1,000,000, 2400m
A big roar from the big ownership group of the G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) who treated the Australian Classic fillies with fair amount of contempt.
Bred by Jim and Les Wallace and raced by them with their families and friends, Pennyweka is one of the four stakes winners and two Group 1 winners (pending a decision on the recent positive swab returned by Tokyo Tycoon {NZ}) for her Rich Hill-based sire, a Deep Impact (Jpn) horse who has been in great form of late.
Her dam is the unraced Threepence (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) whose other two runners are also winners including the multiple city-winning, South Australian-based galloper Lord Bouzeron (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}).
Due to have foaled to Time Test (GB) last spring (slipping to him the previous season after foaling a colt by him in 2020), Threepence is a half-sister to the durable G1 Auckland Cup winner Titch (NZ) (Lord Ballina) who managed another 17 wins.
This is a family of winners; Threepence is also a half-sister to the stakes-placed Soph (NZ) (Lord Ballina) who won 10 races and to the stakes-placed Streets Away (NZ) (Street Cry {Ire}) who was victorious on 11 occasions.
G1 Queen of the Turf S., $1,000,000, 1600m
Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) was great first-up in the G2 Emancipation S. and was able to go right on with the job racing away to an easy win, her first at the elite level on the back of wins in Group 2, Group 3 and Listed company.
The 31st Group 1 winner for her Waikato Stud-based sire (and one of that G1 W.S Cox Plate winner's 133 stakes winners), Atishu is a NZ$260,000 graduate of the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale (Book 1) - sold by Waikato Stud to Go Racing.
Bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Nureyev (USA), Atishu is a well-named daughter of the two-time-winning No Excuse Needed (GB) mare Posy (NZ), sister to the NZ Champion 3-Year-Old Daffodil (NZ) whose three wins at Group 1 level include the AJC Oaks.
Served last spring by Noverre (NZ) with her most recent foal being her 2020 Savabeel filly, who is yet to be named.
Posy is also dam of the G3 Desert Gold S. winner Mazzolino (NZ) - also by Savabeel.
The G1 NZ 2000 Guineas Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) also hails from this family, one which has as its ancestress the high-class UK broodmare Felucca (GB) (Nearco {Ity}).
G2 Percy Sykes S., $1,000,000, 1200m
A Kensington midweeker proved the right formline for this race with Kristilli (Hellbent) turning the tables on Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}) (third) in this million-dollar feature.
Having just her second start off her debut second, Kristilli was bred by B Martin, L Mitchell and M Morton and purchased for $200,000 from the Yarraman Park Stud Draft by Annabel Neasham Racing and Brian McGuire at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
It was a great race for Yarraman Park, home to the sires of the first three across the line - Tiz Invincible by Hellbent’s sire I Am Invincible splitting Kristilli and Kimochi whose sire Brave Smash (Jpn) relocates to the farm from Aquis this spring.
Kristilli is the second Hellbent stakes winner, Magic Time just last weekend the first.
She is the second foal and second winner for the two-time winner Sognani (Magic Albert) whose dam is a half-sister to the G2 Edward Manifold S. winner She Will Be Loved (Strategic).
Sognani has been a regular visitor to Hellbent, served by him the last five seasons - missing the first time, Kristilli the second result followed by a filly and a colt.
Kristilli is the seventh stakes winner from 73 runners bred on an I Am Invincible/Zeditave cross, noting that both of those stallions are descendants of the legendary matriarch Chelandry (GB) (Goldfinch {GB}).
G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint, $1,000,000, 1200m
Appreciating a freshen before a drop back in distance, Godolphin homebred Aft Cabin (Astern) was back to his best recording the fourth win of his eight-start career.
One of the eight stakes winners for his G1 Golden Rose-winning, Darley-based sire, Aft Cabin is the sixth foal and one of three stakes winners for the dual city winner Shelters (Lonhro) who has also produced the G3 PJ Bell S. winner Multaja (by Astern's sire Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) and the Listed Lonhro Plate winner Veranillo (also by Medaglia D'Oro).
Returning to Astern last spring after foaling a Brazen Beau colt, Shelters also has a Harry Angel (Ire) yearling colt. She is out of the three-time Group 2-placed multiple city winner Hut (Danehill {USA}) whose son Benfica won the G1 TJ Smith S.
A descendant of the influential Democratie (Fr) (Epinard {Fr}) whose other descendants include the successful stallions Red Ransom (USA) and Showdown (GB), Aft Cabin is bred on a 4 X 3 male/female Danehill (USA) cross whilst also boasting duplications of the outstanding mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
G2 Sapphire S., $300,000, 1200m
The third Godolphin Randwick winner for the day, Zapateo (Brazen Beau) looked to have plenty in hand racing away to an easy win - her seventh from 16 starts and her fourth at Group level.
The second stakes winner for the day (Taunting at Oakbank the other) for her Darley Victoria-based sire - and one of his 24 overall - Zapateo is out of the Listed Ramornie H. winner Jerezana (Lonhro) who did such a great job at stud with her first five foals to race all being winners.
Sadly, she died in 2019, leaving behind a Street Boss (USA) colt - Zaragoza who was second in a Kembla Grange trial in early February.
Also dam of the Group 2-winning sprinter Osborne Bulls (Street Cry {Ire}) and the Group 3-placed Badajoz (Commands), Jerezana is out of the Group 1-placed, dual city winner Saddler's Silk (Barathea {Ire}) whose grandson Viridine (Poet's Voice {GB}) is a two-time Group winner.
Also from this family are the stakes winners Barawin (Barathea {Ire}), De La Terre (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Brief Embrace (Irgun {USA}).
Listed Fernhill Mile, $160,000, 1600m
Another day, another Godolphin homebred 2-year-old stakes winner!
This time in the shape of the promising Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) who really put in the big strides late to secure his second win from four starts.
The fifth stakes winner (and second local) for his Darley-based shuttling sire, Tom Kitten is the second stakes winner for the multiple city winner Transfers (Street Cry {Ire}) whose son Promotions (Exceed And Excel) won the Listed Canberra Guineas.
Also dam of the city winner Va Via (Astern), Transfers was served by Palace Pier (GB) having had the previous season off. Her yearling is a colt by Brazen Beau.
Transfers is out of the metropolitan winner Movin’ Out (Encosta De Lago) whose city-winning dam Twyla (Danehill {USA}) is a three-quarter sister to Redoute’s Choice - making Tom Kitten a member of the internationally prolific Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) family which is represented in Harry Angel (Ire) by Try My Best (USA).
Tom Kitten boasts a cross of another great mare in Ciboulette (Can) (Chop Chop {USA}), dam of Night Shift (USA) and fifth dam of Encosta De Lago.
Listed South Pacific Classic, $160,000, 1400m
Always travelling well, Razeta (Deep Field) just needed the gaps to come and once they did she was off and away - her second win at Listed level an easy one.
A homebred for Bob Hannon, Razeta is one of the 24 stakes winners for her Newgate Farm-based sire and one of three for her lightly raced Newcastle maiden winning dam Little Zeta (Commands) who was also bred by Hannon - as was her lightly raced Scone maiden winning dam Catherine Zeta (Quest For Fame {GB}).
Missing last spring to Home Affairs after foaling a Merchant Navy filly, Little Zeta (who also has a yet to be named 2-year-old Deep Field colt with her 2021 Capitalist filly dying) has also produced the Newgate-based, dual Group winner Cosmic Force (another Deep Field) and the G3 Gucci S. winner Onemorezeta (Onemorenomore).
Hailing from the immediate family of the stakes winners More Than Great (More Than Ready {USA}) and Grand Tycoon (Written Tycoon), Razeta is a descendant of Red Lace (Excitement {Ire}) - grandam of the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Baguette and sixth dam of Sebring.
Razeta is bred on a 5 X 3 cross of Eight Carat's (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) wonderful daughter Cotehele House (GB) (My Swanee {GB}) who is proving quite the force... of the 63 runners boasting a cross, 39 are winners with Razeta one of the 10 stakes winners.
Another two of those (Cosmic Force and Sky Command) are also by Deep Field whilst another two (Shooting For Gold and Tailleur) are by his now WA-based brother Shooting To Win. Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) is the pin-up girl for this cross, one which has also produced the Group winners Fiscal Fantasy (Commands), Fair Trade (Danewin) and Quilate (Bramshaw).
Pukekohe Park: G1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' S., NZ$300,000, 1600m
It was a soft victory for Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) who is building a good record - this win her ninth from 27 starts for the in-form Lisa Latta stable.
One of the 27 stakes winners (and the seventh Group 1 winner) for her Little Avondale Stud-based sire, the DK Woodhouse homebred is the third foal produced by the winner Miss Rhythmic (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) whose grandam is the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Olga’s Pal (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}).
Olga’s Pal produced nine winners from her 12 foals to race, her best being the G2 Tulloch S. winner Zareyev (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). She is also grandam of the G1 VRC Oaks heroine Kirramosa (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) and the G2 WA Guineas winner Cape North (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}).
Again served by Per Incanto (USA) last spring, Miss Rhythmic had the previous season off with her most recent foals being a Time Test (GB) yearling filly and a yet to be named 3-year-old full brother to Belclare.
