Spirit Of Boom sires the quinella
The Eureka Stud-based Spirit Of Boom sired the quinella of the Butler McDermott Lawyers Bruce McLachlan Classic QTIS 2YO H. over 1000 metres on Saturday at the Sunshine Coast.
With Ryan Maloney in the saddle, the classy Stuart Kendrick-trained Defiant Spirit won by 1.8l from his paternal sister De Sonic Boom.
Defiant Spirit is from the More Than Ready (USA) mare Defiant Dame. She was a winner of the Listed Gimcrack S. and is from the family of the Group 1 winner Red Tracer (Dane Shadow).
The 2-year-old gelding was a $100,000 yearling purchase by Kendrick Racing and Archer Park Racing from the draft of Eureka Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Spirit Of Boom will stand the 2023 breeding season for $38,500 (inc GST).
Rope Them In wins again
The smart West Australian-based juveniles Rope Them In (Playing God) and Paris Calling (Ducimus) faced off on Saturday in a 1400-metre event at Belmont. However, the Steve Wolfe-trained 2-year-old gelding Rope Them In prevailed over the Trevor Andrews-trained 2-year-old filly Paris Calling.
Rope Them In was winning for the second time, having previously scored at Belmont over 1000 metres.
The gelding is from the Real Jester mare Lead Rope. She was a six-time winner and ran fourth in the G3 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic.
Rope Them In was a $60,000 yearling purchase by Commercial Bloodstock Services (FBAA) from the draft of Willaview Park at the 2022 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
Playing God will stand the 2023 breeding season at Darling View Thoroughbreds for $33,000 (inc GST).
Zoumon to tough in Caloundra Cup
On Saturday, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Zoumon (Zoustar) scored back-to-back victories in the Listed Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast.
With in-form Tim Clark in the saddle, the 4-year-old gelding won by 1l from Bois D’Argent (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) and Tappy’s Lad (NZ) (Proisir) running into third.
Zoumon makes it back to back stakes wins | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
It was the second stakes success for Zoumon in a row, having claimed the Listed WJ McKell Cup at Rosehill last start.
Zoumon was a $360,000 yearling purchase by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Mt Hallowell Stud from the draft of Element Hill at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Irish Songs surprises in Glasshouse
The Louise White-trained Irish Songs (Shamus Award) showed he had lost none of his zest for racing when claiming Saturday’s Listed Glasshouse H.
Larry Cassidy rode the 7-year-old gelding to win by 0.80l Cepheus (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Aureus Angel (Turffontein) in third.
It was the ninth win for Irish Songs and his second at the stakes level. The gelding was a $140,000 yearling purchase by Kurt Goldman from the draft of Attunga Stud from the 2017 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
Riddle Me That turns back the clock
The Matt Lauire-trained Riddle Me That (Deep Field) turned the clock back to claim the Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final over 1600 metres on Saturday at Flemington.
Riddle Me That storms back to form in the Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The 6-year-old had not greeted the winners' circle for over a year, but he's found his best form with Jye McNeil in the saddle scored by 1.25l from Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) and Frankie Pinot (Your Song) in third.
It was the third stakes victory for Riddle Me That, having claimed the Listed Paris Lane S. and the Listed Bendigo Guineas earlier in his career.
Mogo Magic remains unbeaten
The Scott Collings-trained Mogo Magic (Duporth) kept his unbeaten record intact on Saturday at Rosehill. Sent out the hot favourite with Nick Heywood aboard in a 1100-metre handicap, the 3-year-old gelding won by 1.16l from Salire (Dream Ahead {USA}). The success took Mogo Magic’s unbeaten run to four.
Capitalist sires five winners
It was a super Saturday for the Newgate Farm-based Capitalist when he sired five winners across Australia.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Kadall scored at start two at Kembla Grange over 1400 metres, and the Damien Lane-trained Oakfield Mahogany followed him in Race 6 at the track. Capitalist was then represented by the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained Connelly on the Gold Coast Poly and the Paul Wallace-trained Capitan De Seda at Toowoomba.
Capitalist | Standing at Newgate Farm
Rounding out the day for Capitalist was Private Sector at Oak Park.
Capitalist will stand the 2023 breeding season $77,000 (inc GST).
In form Seonee continues winning run
The Patrick Payne-trained Seonee (Winning Rupert) continued her winning run, making it three wins in a row and back-to-back wins at Flemington.
The 4-year-old mare was ridden by Billy Egan and held Good And Proper (Shooting To Win) by 1.25l.
The victory did not come without its share of drama when Egan weighed 0.4kg under his declared weight of 60kg for Seonee, which was within 100 grams of being disqualified from the success.
Under The Australian Rules of Racing, rule AR 209 (2) (a) stipulates that a rider is permitted to weigh up to 0.5kg under his/her declared weight.
Reportedly, Egan could not explain how he weighed back in 59.6kg and was reprimanded by Racing Victoria stewards.
Resonator proves worth with victory at Rosehill
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Resonator (Brazen Beau) won at Rosehill on Saturday over 1500 metres. The 3-year-old gelding was the recipient of a bold front-running ride from Zac Lloyd to score by 0.75l from Gracillistyla (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}). The China Horse Club, Newgate and partners offered the Resonator in last week’s Inglis Digital Sale but failed to meet his $150,000 reserve.
Maher and Eustace train a treble at Rosehill
The powerful Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable enjoyed a double at Rosehill on Saturday.
Sending out the imported 3-year-old gelding Chorlton Lane (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in the opening event over 1300 metres, with Jason Collett in the saddle, the gelding scored narrowly from Plundering (Shooting To Win) and Amor Victorious (Caravaggio {USA}) in third.
Maher and Eustace then were represented by the hot favourite Semana (Winning Rupert) in Race 2 over 1400 metres, with Dylan Gibbons aboard the mare ran out a dominant winner by 2.65l from Fearnought (I Am Invincible) and Sweet Mercy (Capitalist) in third. The partnership then combined with Collett again to take out the last Rosehill Windshadow (Redoute’s Choice).
Big milestone for Marsh
New Zealand-based horseman, Stephen Marsh of Marsh Racing, brought up a fantastic milestone at Ruakaka on Saturday when Arrowette (NZ) (Zoustar) provided the trainer with his 1000th winner in New Zealand.
Stephen Marsh | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Auguste Rodin faces eight in Irish Derby
Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will have eight peers to overcome on Sunday in his bid to become the fifth Derby winner for Aidan O'Brien to double up in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. Among them are the Derby third White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) and fourth Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the only runners not representing the O'Brien family with the Donnacha-trained Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Joseph-trained Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) the others taking on a Ballydoyle quintet. Auguste Rodin is drawn next to the rail in one, with the habitual slow-starter White Birch widest of all in eight.
Incredibly, Ryan Moore is looking for a first renewal of this Classic and said in his Betfair blog, “If he runs up to the level of his form at Epsom, something is going to have improve markedly to beat him. I am sure the connections of White Birch and Sprewell will fancy their chances of at least getting closer to us on this more conventional track. And who is to say they won't. Different day, different course, different result maybe. But everyone saw the real Auguste Rodin in the Derby, stepped up to a trip more in keeping with his superb pedigree and everyone has seen how strong the form is with King Of Steel and Waipiro coming out and winning at Ascot.”
Dubawi's Al Husn registers Hoppings triumph, Nashwa collared late
Last term's G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Nassau S. heroine Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) attempted to make all in Friday evening's G3 JenningsBet In Shiremoor Hoppings Fillies' S. at Newcastle, but was collared by Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) nearing the line in the extended 10-furlong distaffers' test.
Shadwell's homebred Roger Varian trainee settled into a smooth rhythm behind Nashwa's moderate tempo and tracked the leaders in fourth until slipping one spot on the home turn. Urged closer with three furlongs remaining, the 3-1 chance went second entering the final furlong and kept on relentlessly under continued urging to deny the faltering odds-on favourite by a half-length in the dying strides. Al Husn has won six of her last seven outings and backed up a second in the Rowley Mile's May 7 G2 Dahlia S. on seasonal return with a breakthrough success in Ayr's May 24 Listed Rothesay S. when last seen.
Racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe admitted Nashwa's effort fell below expectations and said, “I thought it was disappointing. We expected a really good run for her, as she needed the race in France, but she's been straightforward at home since. Hollie (Doyle) was really happy apart from the last bit, so we obviously have a little bit of thinking to do to see what the best plan might be. In France I knew we were in a bit more trouble, but here I was pretty confident. We'll still think about the Nassau, but we have to give it some good consideration.”
