Cover image courtesy of Racing NSW
Race-Day Recap
Bargain buy Love Shuck (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) overcame a protest to keep the $200,000 Inglis 2YO Challenge at Scone on Friday.
Commando Hunt (Time For War) ridden by popular hoop Jeff Penza defied their odds to record a memorable victory in the Listed Darley Scone Cup on Friday.
The well-bred filly Afterlight (I Am Invincible) broke the ice at start eight adding a valuable victory to her page in Race 2 at Scone on Friday.
Following the theme of well-bred fillies was Mistress (More Than Ready {USA}) who claimed her second victory from only six starts at Scone on Friday.
Drama in Inglis 2YO Challenge
The connections of the Todd Smart-trained Love Shuck (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) were on edge, awaiting the result of a protest lodged by the eventual third-placed Lulumon (Vancouver) after the head-on vision showed the filly to be at a potential disadvantage on the rail after encountering interference five strides before the finish line. However, Racing New South Wales stewards could not be satisfied that the interference was substantial enough to uphold the protest that would have promoted the Kristen Buchanan-trained Chevron (Spieth) as the winner of the $200,000 Inglis 2YO Challenge over 1100 metres at Scone on Friday afternoon.
Overcome with concern regarding the interference, Jockey Aaron Bullock did not have time to soak in the victory, quickly dismounting and skipping past the media to weigh-in. Trainer Todd Smart however, was eager to have a few words telling Sky Thoroughbred Central, “This is one of the biggest wins of my career. I have had a lot of support and I am so happy we got a win. Love Shuck was a $6000 purchase; Pete Twomey (Peter Twomey of Wattle Bloodstock, FBAA) is our bloodstock agent and finds and buys these types of horses for us, so a big thank you to him.
“This is such a big thrill. Our eye has been on this race since we bought this horse. We gave him a run, but he always showed a bit early, and this has been the plan. The main aim of this preparation was this race.”
Todd Smart with Love Shuck & strapper | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Love Shuck is the fourth foal from the Magic Albert mare Oyster Bell. She was a dual winner and a half-sister to Belmonte (Singspiel {Ire}), who won the G3 Doomben Classic, the G3 Rough Habit Plate and the Listed Carbine Club S.
The gelding is a son of the former Arrowfield Stud shuttler Mikki Isle (Jpn), a son of the mighty Deep Impact (Jpn). Mikki Isle has left over 40 winners from 80 runners in Australia, headed by his Listed-winning son Dragonstone.
Love Shuck was a $6000 yearling purchase by Wattle Bloodstock (FBAA) and Todd Smart Racing from the draft of Bowness Stud at the 2022 Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale.
Hometown hero claims Scone Cup
A local trainer and horse were to the fore in the finish of the $200,000 Listed Darley Scone Cup over 1600 metres on Friday.
The Scone-based trainer Cameron Crockett was represented by the outsider Commando Hunt (Time For War) and ridden by popular hoop Jeff Penza. The trio defied their odds to record a memorable victory to score narrowly from the Kris Lees-trained Luncies (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Acquitted (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).
It was the second Country Cup for Commando Hunt, having claimed the Muswellbrook Cup two starts ago. In winning the Listed Darley Scone Cup, connections of Commando Hunt scored an entry into the $2 million Big Dance to be run at Royal Randwick on November 7.
Commando Hunt | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Thrilled with the win, Crockett took a cheeky quip at those who underrated his charge’s chances: "I was listening to all the experts on the radio this morning and nobody mentioned his name.
“Thanks, Des Kennedy and to everybody who owns Commando Hunt and everyone at home who works with him. The horse just pulled up from the Tamworth Cup a bit underdone as I had been trying to keep him fresh, so we poured the work into him, and the Scone Race Club has allowed us to gallop him on the course proper, which has been great.
“He’s off to the Big Dance now. The biggest thing with this horse is he had kissing spine and had the surgery and with that, we tried to keep him over shorter distances but now he’s really starting to find himself and his place. Jeff rode him an absolute treat. Unbelievable, this is why we do it.”
“He’s (Commando Hunt's) off to the Big Dance now. The biggest thing with this horse is he had kissing spine and had the surgery and with that, we tried to keep him over shorter distances but now he’s really starting to find himself and his place.” - Cameron Crockett
Winning rider Jeff Penza told Sky Thoroughbred Central, “He is a very tough horse. I let him rip around the top of the straight, and it would have taken a good horse to beat him and they couldn’t today. It was my first win in the Scone Cup, so wonderful.”
Commando Hunt is the sixth foal from the Strategic mare Misasio - a winner of two races. At stud, her progeny have had an affinity with the Scone surface; her son Barbass (Benfica) claimed the Inglis 2YO Challenge at Scone.
Commando Hunt as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Commando Hunt is the fifth stakes winner for his late sire Time For War.
The gelding was a $30,000 yearling purchase by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Kitchwin Hills at the 2019 Inglis Scone Yearling Sale.
Well-bred filly breaks the ice
The Chris Waller-trained Afterlight (I Am Invincible) put it all together at start eight to claim a valuable victory for her page in the Brokenwood Maiden Plate over 1000 metres at Scone on Friday.
Partnered by Regan Bayliss, the 3-year-old filly was dominant, winning by 2.08l from Orlabent (Hellbent) and Azayaka (More Than Ready {USA}), finishing third.
Afterlight is the fifth foal from Testa Rossa mare Twilight Royale. She was a three-time winner who won the G2 Sires’ Produce S. the R. Listed Inglis Nursery S. and was fourth in the G2 Silver Shadow S.
Afterlight winning the Brokenwood Maiden Plate at Scone on Friday | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
She is already the dam of the eight-time winner Royal Hale (Snitzel) and his promising full sister Serasana who was an impressive debut winner at Sandown-Hillside in December before running fourth in the G3 Chairman’s S.
Afterlight was a $580,000 yearling purchase by Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from the draft of Kia Ora Stud at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Mistress puts her best foot forward
Following the well-bred Afterlight (I Am Invincible) in Race 2 was the John O’Shea-trained Mistress (More Than Ready {USA}). The 3-year-old filly carrying the colours of her owner John Muir’s Milburn Creek Thoroughbred Stud claimed a second victory from six starts in the Stablewizard Class 1 H. over a mile.
With the promising apprentice Tyler Schiller in the saddle, Mistress denied Spoke To Rajiv (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) by 1.29l and Adjourn (GB) (Postponed {Ire}).
Mistress winning the Stablewizard Class 1 H. at Scone on Friday | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Mistress is the eighth foal from the Redoute’s Choice mare Allez Wonder. She was a three-time winner and, most notably, was a winner of the G1 Toorak H. and the Listed Keith F Nolan Classic, in addition to placing third in the G1 VRC Oaks.
At stud, Allez Wonder is the dam of Kooweerup (More Than Ready {USA}) who won the G3 Breeder’s S., and the Group 2-placed Prompt Prodigy (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}), both full siblings to Mistress.
Furthermore, this is the family of the Group 1-producing Waikato Stud-based Tivaci, a victor of the G1 All Aged S.
