Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Race-Day Recap
Dragon Leap (Pierro) put consecutive victories together in this preparation with an outstanding win denying the smart mare Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G2 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa.
On Saturday, the Western Australian raider Acromantula (Written Tycoon) showed his love for the 1000 metres and scored his first stakes success in the Listed Carlyon S. at Moonee Valley.
Seonee (Winning Rupert) was successful in the Listed Leon Macdonald S. at Morphettville Parks on Saturday. The consistent mare won her eighth race, downing the well-regarded See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet) and Savatoxl (Kuroshio).
Listed Idyllic Prince S. at Belmont was won by the Simon Miller-trained Valour Road (Frost Giant {USA}). The 8-year-old gelding was winning his 10th overall race and eighth at stakes level.
Dragon Leap denies Skew Wiff
The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Dragon Leap (Pierro) justified his trainer’s confidence when denied Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) in Saturday’s G2 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa.
The son of Pierro, ridden by Warren Kennedy, was slow to begin and settled towards the rear of the field before Kennedy skillfully directed a path to the outside, where he set Dragon Leap alight to range up to Skew Wiff, who had hit the front and ultimately deny the mare, while Jodelin Gal (NZ) (Swiss Ace) finished third.
Despite being a 7-year-old, Dragon Leap has only journeyed to the races 20 times, where he has won six races, including the Avondale Guineas and Auckland Guineas at Group 2 level.
Dragon Leap is the fourth foal from the Redoute’s Choice mare Pontiana. She was placed in the G2 Dane Ripper S. and has proven to be a gem of a broodmare, producing three individual stakes winners, including the G1 Randwick Guineas winner Inference.
Furthermore, this is the family of the recently retired dual Group 1 winner Jacquinot.
Dragon Leap was a $1.05 million purchase by Hermitage Thoroughbreds, Wexford Stables and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Acromantula dictates Carlyon
The Western Australian raider Acromantula (Written Tycoon) from the stable of Daniel and Ben Pearce brought form around the star mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) into Saturday’s Listed Carlyon S. at Moonee Valley.
The 6-year-old gelding ridden by Craig Williams was sent straight to the front and, in a strong performance, held Hypothetical (Pride Of Dubai) at bay, followed by Ashford Street (Moshe).
The victory made it consecutive victories in the Carlyon for Williams, having ridden the Group 1-winning Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) to success last year.
“He’s pure speed. Credit to his trainers (Daniel and Ben Pearce). They brought him to Victoria, and he was excellent first-up, and his trainers thought he had improvement in him, and they were spot-on,” Williams said.
“I was very fortunate as I picked the ride up from Damian Lane, and he gave me a rundown on Acromantula.
“If he held his form, they couldn’t beat him, and so it proved. He’s just a really fast and effective galloper. The connections are going to have some exciting options with him.”
“He’s (Acromantula) pure speed. He’s just a really fast and effective galloper. The connections are going to have some exciting options with him.” - Craig Williams
Acromantula is the fifth foal from the Bletchley Park (Ire) mare For You Eyes Only. She won 10 races, including the Listed Gimcrack S.
Acromantula has won eight races at 1000 metres, with Carlyon S. being his first black-type success. Although the son of Written Tycoon was placed in the G3 Roma Cup
He becomes the 52nd stakes winner for his Champion Sire Written Tycoon, who stands at Yulong.
Craig Williams guides Acromantula to the line to win the Listed Carlyon S. at Moonee Valley | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Seonee upsets ‘big guns’ in Leon Macdonald
The Patrick Payne-trained Seonee (Winning Rupert) caused an upset in the Listed Leon Macdonald S. at Morphettville Parks on Saturday.
When the classy See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet) and the Group 1 victor Savatoxl (Kuroshio) hit the front and started pulling away from the remainder of the field, it was expected that one of the two would eventually gain the upper hand to defeat the other. However, the gutsy Seonee, with Jake Noonan in the saddle, gave chase to her well-performed rivals; inching closer and closer, she eventually collared See You In Heaven and ran by 0.30l to score her first stakes success.
She has now won eight races from 1200 to 1600 metres, underlining her versatility. Seonee is the second foal from the Not A Single Doubt mare Mowgli. She never won a race but was placed and finished fourth in the G2 Sweet Embrace S.
Mowgli is a half-sister to Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook), who was crowned the Champion Sprinter in Hong Kong in 2018/19 and 2019/20.
Beat The Clock won the G1 Centenary Spring Cup twice and the G1 Longines Hong Kong Spring and G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize.
Seonee was a $80,000 purchase by Prime Thoroughbreds from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Seonee storms home to win the Listed Leon Macdonald S. at Morphettville | Image courtesy of Magic Millions/Makoto Kaneko
She is the second stakes winner for Winning Rupert, who will stand the 2023 breeding season at Grandview Stud, Queensland, for $7700 (inc GST).
Valour Road wins Idyllic Prince
The winning run of Chris and Michael Gangemi’s Phanta (Gingerbread Man) was brought to an end on Saturday in the Listed Idyllic Prince S. at Belmont.
It was the Simon Miller-trained 8-year-old gelding Valour Road (Frost Giant {USA}) who defeated Nerodio (Playing God), while Phanta finished third.
Valour Road comes out on top to win the Listed Idyllic Prince S. at Belmont | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Valour Road, a $60,000 purchase by Aquanita Racing from the draft of Yarradale Stud at the 2017 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale has proved a fantastic money spinner.
He’s won 10 races with eight of them coming at stakes level, including victories in the G2 Euclase S. in South Australia.
