Arrowfield sires land juvenile Triple Crown
In addition to helping his sire Dundeel (NZ) to a stakes double on the day, the emphatic win of Militarize (NZ) in the G1 Champagne S. at Royal Randwick on Saturday ensured that Arrowfield sires landed all three legs of the 2-Year-Old Triple Crown. Dundeel’s barnmate Snitzel sired the winner of the G1 Golden Slipper S. last month courtesy of exciting colt Shinzo, before Militarize won the final two legs of the Triple Crown having already landed the G1 Inglis Sires’ prior to Saturday’s second top-level success.
Promising Osipenko kickstarts Waller four-timer
A small but select field lined up for the G3 Frank Packer Plate at Royal Randwick on Saturday, where talented colt Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro) secured the second Group race victory of his burgeoning career with Nash Rawiller aboard.
Osipenko (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Trained by Chris Waller, who enjoyed another stellar day at Randwick with four winners on the card, the 3-year-old got the better of the James Cummings-trained Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) by a length, with Williamsburg (Snitzel) back in third.
Having landed the G2 Hobartville S. over 1400 metres earlier in his career, Osipenko was unfortunately withdrawn on the morning of the G1 Randwick Guineas due to an elevated temperature, and Waller is more than happy to give him a chance to make amends at the elite-level in the spring off the back off Saturday’s return to winning ways.
“The boys and girls at home say he's a Group 1 horse in waiting so he'll get his turn in the spring,” Waller said.
“He's shown today he can also run 2000 metres, so he's been a Hobartville winner over 1400 metres and a Frank Packer Plate winner over 2000 metres and he's ready to go to the next level.”
Vilana books potential Brisbane raid
The James Cummings-trained Vilana (Hallowed Crown) has set himself up for a Brisbane winter carnival raid after recording the third stakes success of his career in the G3 Hall Mark S. at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Vilana (royal blue silks) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Ridden to victory by Nash Rawiller, the 4-year-old entire got his preparation off to the best possible start courtesy of a 1.3l success over Waihaha Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), with Cummings indicating that Vilana could target the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup and the G1 Stradbroke H. in the hope of setting himself up for a stud career at the end of the winter.
Vilana has been a consistent performer for Godolphin, landing two lucrative prizes in the $1 million The Hunter and The Silver Eagle in addition to his three stakes race wins. He is also bred in the purple, being a half-brother to multiple stakes winners Savatiano (Street Cry {Ire}) and Athiri (Lonhro), as well as the stakes-placed juvenile Rakomelo (Lonhro).
Stakes double continues Dundeel’s red-hot run
Moments before his star juvenile Militarize (NZ) landed his second Group 1 victory in the G1 Champagne S., Arrowfield Stud stallion Dundeel (NZ) was provided with his 24th individual stakes winner and eighth of the season after the Matt Cumani-trained Bengal Boy broke his maiden in the Listed Galilee Final at Sandown-Lakeside.
Militarize (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The OTI colour-bearer showed his staying prowess with Billy Egan in the saddle to out muster Midnight Glow (Sebring) by the narrowest of margins ahead of the third placegetter and race favourite Northern Barrage (Churchill {Ire}), setting up a tilt at next month’s G1 South Australian Derby in the process.
“A Derby is a race my father did very well in and I'd like to do it,” Cumani said. “We'll start with the SA Derby and hopefully this horse is the right horse for it.
“I've always loved Dundeels. We bought two more of these this year and we've had a lot of faith in him.”
Demolition jobs for She Dances and Pinstriped on good day for Street Boss
The Peter Moody-trained 3-year-old filly She Dances (Street Boss {USA}) turned the VOBIS Gold Dash into a mere procession at Sandown-Lakeside on Saturday as she coasted away for a 5.5l victory, before Group 3 winner Pinstriped, also by Darley’s Street Boss (USA), careered away with the VOBIS Gold Mile to give his sire a double on the Sandown card.
Earlier in the afternoon, the James Cummings-trained Heuristic (Street Boss {USA}), who was stakes-placed on debut in the Listed Debutant S., took out the 2-year-old contest at Morphettville in South Australia to cap a stellar day for his sire.
Heuristic is the first foal from the Lonhro mare Admissible, who is a daughter of G1 Golden Slipper winner and star race mare Forensics (Flying Spur). At Royal Randwick, another of Forensics’ daughters produced a winner in the shape of Wordcraft (GB) (Shamardal {USA}), whose son Tamerlane (Golden Horn {GB}) made it back-to-back victories with a runaway success in the BM100 H. on the card.
Class rises to the top in VOBIS Gold Heath
The $250,000 VOBIS Gold Heath saw the class horse of the race rise to the occasion. The Danny O’Brien-trained 2022 G1 Australian Oaks winner El Patroness (Shamus Award) found her best form with Jye McNeil aboard to return to the winner's circle after a run of outs. The 4-year-old daughter of Shamus Award, who was returning from Sydney after taking on the cream of the crop in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., won by 2.75l from the in-form Never Again (High Chaparral {Ire}), with Tobaysure (Cable Bay {Ire}) running into third.
El Patroness could now head to Queensland or remain in Melbourne for a crack at the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. (2800 metres) on May 13 in a bid to guarantee an early place in the field for this year’s G1 Melbourne Cup.
New stakes winner for Flying Artie
Blue Gum Farm’s new recruit Flying Artie showcased his versatility as a stallion on Saturday, notching his fifth stakes winner courtesy of Fierce Flight’s breakthrough stakes success in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup over 2200 metres.
Flying Artie | Standing at Blue Gum Farm
The Mark Walker-trained gelding, who is a half-brother to the late G3 Hawkesbury Guineas winner Exoboom (Exosphere), got the better of Pinion (NZ) (Pins) and Colorado Star (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) by the narrowest of margins in a blanket finish to the Listed contest, proving that his last-start second in the Listed New Zealand St Leger over 2600 metres was no fluke.
Later in the day, another of Flying Artie’s sons, the progressive Democracy Manifest, continued his upward trajectory when landing the final race at Randwick over 1200 metres, handing his sire a double on the day.
Four-timer for in-form Pride Of Dubai
Coolmore stallion Pride Of Dubai continues to go from strength to strength this season and enjoyed yet another big Saturday courtesy of a four-timer across four different venues.
Pride Of Dubai | Standing at Coolmore Stud
The sire of last weekend’s emphatic G1 Queen Elizabeth S. winner Dubai Honour (Ire) enjoyed winners at Randwick and Eagle Farm courtesy of Mayrose and the in-form Ultimate Pride (NZ), before Australian-bred Golden Samurai got off the mark in Hong Kong at just the second time of asking.
Another sire who enjoyed a four-timer on the day was Deep Field, who will not stand the 2023 breeding season at Newgate Farm owing to fertility issues.
The Vowels makes it five on the bounce
Team Edmonds’ hugely-progressive 3-year-old The Vowels (Better Than Ready) continued his rapid ascent through the ranks with a fifth consecutive victory in the Listed Daybreak Lover at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Ridden by Jimmy Orman, the gelding handled the step up to stakes class with aplomb to record a narrow victory over multiple Group-winning mare Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci), providing Lyndhurst Stud stallion Better Than Ready, who enjoyed a treble on the day, with his ninth individual stakes winner.
Elsewhere at Eagle Farm, trainer Robert Heathcote saddled the quinella in the Listed Ascot H. with Prince Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom) easing to a 3l victory over stablemate Rothfire (Rothesay) to form part of a four-timer on the day for his sire Spirit Of Boom.
Stakes double for Maher and Eustace in Adelaide
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable enjoyed a successful hit and run mission at Morphettville on Saturday, landing back-to-back stakes victories on the card.
Progressive 3-year-old filly Affaire A Suivre (NZ) (Astern) was the first to salute, backing up her recent maiden victory at Cranbourne with a decisive success in the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas on her first crack at stakes level, a win which handed Darley stallion Astern his ninth individual stakes winner.
Affaire A Suivre (NZ) (yellow cap) winning the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Not to be upstaged by her stablemate, talented Jennilala (Shalaa {Ire}) also broke through for her first stakes win in the G3 Auraria S., justifying favouritism to beat Arugamama (Churchill {Ire}) by 0.8l.
Jennilala is the 14th stakes winner for former shuttle sire Shalaa (Ire), who now resides permanently in Australia at Arrowfield Stud.
Second winner for Embellish in New Zealand
Cambridge Stud’s regally bred first-season sire Embellish (NZ), a son of the eight-time Champion New Zealand Sire Savabeel and a full brother to the Group 1 winner Diademe (NZ) (Savabeel), continues to kick goals at stud when he sired his second winner at Hastings on Saturday. Trainer Mark Walker sent out What You Wish For (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) in the 2-year-old feature on the card over 1300 metres and the gelding proved to good for Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Full Moon Fever (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}).
Embellish (NZ) | Standing at Cambridge Stud
What You Wish For was a NZ$60,000 purchase by Te Akau principal David Ellis from Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale. Ellis also purchased What You Wish For’s three-quarter sister by Savabeel for NZ$190,000 at this year’s edition of the flagship auction.
Te Rapa treble for Walker
It was a juvenile double on the day for Te Akau Racing’s head trainer Mark Walker, as in addition to claiming the 2-year-old race at Hastings, he also claimed the juvenile contest at Te Rapa when Viva Vienna (NZ) (All Too Hard) landed the second victory of her career in the Website Angels 2YO over 1100 metres. The daughter of Vinery Stud stallion All Too Hard beat Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon) and Darci’s Angel (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) to form the first leg of a treble on the Te Rapa card for Walker.
Miss Layla opens stakes account at Riccarton Park
The Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong-trained Miss Layla (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) opened her stakes account on Saturday at Riccarton Park when winning the Listed NZB Airfreight S. the outsider claimed victory from the regally bred Luella Cristina (NZ) (Snitzel) a daughter of multiple Group 1 victress Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel) and Madame Giselle (NZ) (Time Test {GB}) in third.
Miss Layla after winning the Listed NZB Airfreight S. | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Lloyd reaches half-century in style
The red-hot run of exciting young jockey Zac Lloyd shows no sign of stopping after the apprentice notched his 50th metropolitan win of the campaign at Randwick yesterday to continue his breakout season.
Lloyd brought up his half-century of city winners when successful aboard the Danny Williams-trained Preemptory (Winning Rupert) in the Highway Handicap (1200m), before guiding Godolphin’s Tamerlane (Golden Horn {GB}) to a wide-margin success in the penultimate race to make it a double on the day.
The youngster, who sits second in the Sydney jockeys' premiership behind only James McDonald, is optimistic that his dream run of form can continue despite his claim being reduced as a result of reaching the milestone.
"I'm down to 1.5 (kilo claim) so hopefully we can keep it going," Lloyd said. "It's a good problem to have, going through quickly."
Lane chasing further Japanese success
Leading Australian hoop Damian Lane is set to partner Hrimfaxi (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) in the G1 Satsuki Sho at Nakayama on Sunday as he chases further Group 1 riches in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’.
Lane has already secured himself a number of feature race rides in the coming months , including in the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) aboard the hat-trick seeking Silver Tonic (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), whom he partnered to victory in the G3 Red Sea Turf Handicap at the lucrative Saudi Cup meeting earlier this year.
"I'm excited to be back in Japan, very much looking forward to riding on the JRA (circuit) again," Lane told Racing.com. "I kick off this weekend at Nakayama and then will be predominantly based out at Tokyo after that.
"I'm probably most looking forward to getting back on Silver Sonic in the Tenno Sho at the end of the month, and also Sodashi in the Victoria Mile and Serifos will run in the Yasuda Kinen at the end of my stint."
