Yosemite Falls too good on debut
The Arrowfield-based Dundeel (NZ) has been enjoying a fine season with the Group 1-winning 2-year-old colt Militarize (NZ) a clear standout and on Sunday Dundeel’s juvenile success continued when Yosemite Falls impressed on debut.
The Archie Alexander-trained 2-year-old filly was too slick for her rivals at Echuca over 1200 metres, cruising to a 6.5l victory from Sea Of Lights (Pride Of Dubai) while Tosen Impact (Tosen Stardom {Jpn}) was 0.2l away in third.
Yosemite Falls was bred and retained to race by Glentree Pastoral and is the fifth foal from the unraced Flying Spur mare Ruby Falls. The dam is a half-sister to the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Irish Lights (Fastnet Rock), who in turn produced Omei Sword (High Chaparral {Ire}) a Group 2-winner who was also Group 1 placed.
In 2022 the son of High Chaparral (Ire) stood at a service fee of $66,000 (inc GST). A 2023 service fee has yet to be announced for Dundeel.
Underrated Sebring Sun scores eighth winner
The Glenthorne Park-based stallion Sebring Sun had his ninth individual winner from only 15 runners to date, when the Wayne Wilkes-trained Sumo Fish won his maiden over 1200 metres on Sunday at Port Macquarie.
A son of the late Sebring, Sebring Sun was a winner of the Listed Rosebud H. during his career. Sebring Sun will be standing at Glenthorne Park for $6600 (inc GST). He stood the 2022 season at a fee of $4950 (inc GST).
Kent’s emerging stayers paths diverge
Cranbourne-based trainer Michael Kent has elected to keep his two emerging young stayers Samuel Langhorne (NZ) (Shocking) and Northern Barrage (Churchill {Ire}) on separate paths. The lightly raced New Zealand-bred Samuel Langhorne will represent Kent in Tuesday’s $300,000 Listed St Leger over 2800 metres at Flemington on ANZAC Day.
Kent also nominated the promising Northern Barrage for the Listed event, however, Kent has reserved the gelding for the G1 South Australian Derby in May.
“I really like Samuel Langhorne as a stayer of the future. He is quite an immature horse but won his maiden at Mornington well last start. He’ll run the 2800 metres no problem,” Kent told Racing.com
“Northern Barrage will likely go straight to the South Australian Derby. We rode him to close last start in the Galileo Final and he got left in front a long way out. He’ll improve and I am happy enough to go to Adelaide with him.”
Vale Phil Sweeney
Jerilderie trainer Phil Sweeney has passed away at the age of 67 following a battle with cancer.
Sweeney was a popular trainer in southern New South Wales where he was based at Jerilderie. A respected industry figure, Sweeney trained 238 winners in his solo training career, which officially began in 2008, while also overseeing the Sweeney family property at Jerilderie for many years.
Sweeney is survived by daughters Brooke and Sally, and siblings Ken, Ian, Judy and Maureen.
Chaldean dumps Dettori as Isaac Shelby posts Greenham win
There was high drama at the beginning of Saturday’s G3 Greenham S. at Newbury when Frankie Dettori parted company with the G1 Dewhurst S. hero and leading G1 2000 Guineas contender Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) upon exiting the stalls, which allowed Manton Thoroughbreds VII’s opposing Dewhurst seventh Issac Shelby (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) a free run to make all for a second pattern-race triumph in the seven furlong (1400 metres) feature.
Issac Shelby was last season’s G2 Superlative S. victor and was swiftly into stride, away from the early carnage, and gained immediate control. Unflustered on the front end for most of the race, approaching the final furlong and, with just the riderless Chaldean for company in the closing stages, kept on strongly to hit the line with an impressive 3l victory.
Trainer Brian Meehan, absorbing a first success in the contest, commented, “He is smart and I've always thought so. Things went wrong at Newmarket and he came back lame, but luckily it wasn’t serious."
The former Darley shutter Night Of Thunder (Ire) stands at Darley’s Kildangan Stud for €100,000 (AU$160,200) and has sired 33 stakes winners.
Sioux Nation’s Ocean Quest impresses in the Committed
Last seen being inched out by Treasure Trove (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the Curragh’s G3 Round Tower S. in August last year, Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}) returned with a vengeance at Navan on Saturday (local) to stamp her authority on the Listed Committed S. Ocean Quest scored an impressive 6l victory over the G2 Futurity S. winner Aesop’s Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}).
Winning jockey Shane Foley commented, “Ocean Quest is very good and has developed into a fine filly. She is quite keen and forward-going at home and going down today took me on for the first furlong, she has to have things her way.”
Assistant trainer Kate Harrington shared that the filly will likely go to the G1 Commonwealth Cup during the Royal Ascot meeting.
Ocean Quest is the seventh stakes winner for her sire Sioux Nation (USA). The former Swettenham Stud shuttler stands at Coolmore’s Castlehyde property for a service fee of €17,500 (AU$28,700).
Kingman’s Remarquee notches Fred Darling triumph
Julian Richmond-Watson and Ralph Beckett tasted Classic success in 2008 with G1 Oaks heroine Look Here (GB) (Hernando {Ger}) and they are once again eyeing a moment in the spotlight after Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is from the family of Look Here, downed 11 rivals with something to spare in Saturday’s (local) G3 Dubai Duty Free S. (Fred Darling S.) at Newbury.
Positioned under cover and racing a shade enthusiastically in mid-division through the initial fractions of the straight seven furlong (1400 metres) contest, the filly surged forward into contention at the quarter-mile pole and quickened in impressive fashion under mild urging to comfortably hold the rally of Stenton Glider (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}).
Beckett shared the May 7, G1 1000 Guineas was very much on the cards for Remarquee, “It's great, it’s everything I’d hoped for and more. She was green and running away, I think she’s very good.”
Remarquee provided the Juddmonte Farms-based Kingman (GB) his 35th stakes winner. Kingman stands for £125,000 (AU$230,170).
Proxy gets ‘last’ laugh in Oaklawn Handicap
The names of some of North America’s most accomplished thoroughbred owners grace the honour roll as winners of the G2 Oaklawn H., including the likes of Allen Paulson, Ogden Phipps, Jerry Moss, Pin Oak Stable and the late Oaklawn president Charles Cella.
Following Saturday’s (local) 2023 edition in Hot Spring, you can now add the name of Godolphin to the list, as the operations immaculately bred 5-year-old Proxy (USA) (Tapit {USA}) stormed down the centre of the track and managed to out finish defending champion Last Samurai (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}).
Proxy is from the dual Group-1 winner Panty Raid (USA) (Include {USA}). She was purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Sheikh Mohamed’s operation for US$2.5 million (AU$3.7 million) at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
Proxy is a half-brother to Micheline (USA) (Bernardini {USA}) who is a Group 2-winner and Group 1-placed.
