Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Caulfield: G1 Memsie S., $750,000, 1400m
It is some record Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) has built, his gritty performance today seeing him win his third Group 1 race and his 13th overall from 25 starts - increasing his prizemoney tally to beyond $8.8 million.
Bred by R.I and Est Late M.A.G Johnson and purchased by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) for NZ$22,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka May Weanling Sale - later passed in with a reserve of NZ$50,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Ready to Run Sale - Mr Brightside is one of the three stakes winners for his Orange Court-based, G3 CS Hayes S.-winning sire.
He is out of the unraced Lilahjay (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who has also produced the Hong Kong-based, eight-time winner Will Power (NZ) (Power {GB}) and a couple of winners in New Zealand.
Not served last spring having foaled a Darci Brahma (NZ) filly in November, Lilahjay also has a yet to be named 2-year-old filly by that same stallion. Her 3-year-old Betterbeyou (NZ) (What's The Story {NZ}) is a yet to race member of the Gavin Sharrock stable in New Zealand.
Lilahjay is a granddaughter of the classy broodmare Delia’s Choice (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) whose six winners include the Group 1 winners Foxwood (NZ) (Centaine) and Celtic Tiger (NZ) (Jetball) - the former going on to produce the G3 Frank Packer Plate winner Rockwood (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).
Also third dam of the Singapore-based, multiple Group 1 winner Mr Clint (NZ) (Power {GB}), Delia’s Choice is a full sister to the multiple Group 1 winners Sovereign Red (NZ) and Gurner’s Lane (Sir Tristram {Ire}.
Boasting Sadler’s Wells (USA), Sir Ivor (USA) and Secretariat (USA) crosses, Mr Brightside is also line-bred to the outstanding mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}), Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Flower Bowl (USA) (Alibhai {GB}).
G3 McNeil S., $200,000, 1200m
One of Victoria's best 2-year-olds of last season, Veight (Grunt {NZ}) showed that he is a spring force to be reckoned with with this smart first-up victory.
Bred by Yulong Stud (home to his G1 Australian Guineas and G1 Makybe Diva S.-winning sire), he was sold by them to Sledmere Stud and Cangon Pty Ltd for $100,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale.
Sledmere then sold him onto McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) for $220,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Hailing from his sire's debut crop (his first winner and first stakes winner), Veight is a son of the dual Group 3 winner Neena Rock (Fastnet Rock) whose dam is a half-sister to the Group 1-winning stallion Quiet American (USA).
A descendant of the famed matriarch Plucky Liege (GB) (Spearmint {GB}), Neena Rock was served last spring by Tagaloa having missed to him the previous season. She has a yet to be named 2-year-old full sister to Veight.
Veight boasts duplications of three influential mares within seven generations - Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Crimson Saint (USA) (Crimson Satan {USA}).
G3 The McCafe, $200,000, 1100m
Competitive in each of the Group 1 races she contested earlier in the year, Asfoora (Flying Artie) was strong to the line saluting first-up - recording the seventh win of her 12-start career and her third in Group company.
A homebred for Noor Elaine Farm who took her home from the 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale where she was passed in for $24,000, Asfoora is one of the seven stakes winners for her G1 Coolmore Stud S.-winning, Blue Gum Farm-based sire.
She was part of a great black-type day for her damsire I Am Invincible who also enjoyed stakes success as a sire (Tiz Invincible) and as a grandsire (Benedetta).
Asfoora is the first foal produced by the lightly raced Mornington placegetter Golden Child whose multiple city-winning dam Predestined (King's Best {USA}) is a half-sister to the stakes winners Big Chill (Artie Schiller {USA}), Hard Stride (Street Sense {USA}) and Utah Saints (God's Own).
Last spring foaling a Dirty work colt, Golden Child has a yet to be named 2021 colt by Ilovethiscity whilst her yet to race 3-year-old Moaksun (Akeed Mofeed {GB}) trialled a couple of weeks ago for the Henry Dwyer stable.
Asfoora is bred on a 6 X 7 cross of the great mare Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) via her grandson Sadler's Wells (USA) and son Nureyev (USA).
G3 Cockram S., $200,000, 1200m
It was an exciting finish to this fillies feature with two talented mares fighting it out - over the final stages Benedetta (Hellbent) getting the better of Parisal (Astern).
It was win number five from seven starts for the exciting 4-year-old who is yet to finish out of the placings and her first success at stakes level.
Bred by the Parker family and sold by Mill Park Stud to Eales Racing Syndications for $75,000 at the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Benedetta is the third foal for the Group 2-placed, multiple city winner Whatalovelyday (Domesday).
Also dam of the Group 2-placed Whatafox (Foxwedge), she is out of the Elvstroem mare Krysia whose dam Leica Or Not (Kendor {Fr}) did a great job producing three stakes winners - the G1 New Zealand Derby winner Leica Guv (NZ) (Deputy Governor {USA}), the G1 Australian Guineas winner Light Fantastic (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the G3 The Jansz S. winner Lectrice (Encosta De Lago).
Missing last year to Wild Ruler, Whatalovelyday foaled a King's Legacy colt the previous spring. Her 2-year-old is a yet to be named colt by Rubick whilst her 3-year-old is the yet to race Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained filly Sunset Dreaming (Impending).
Hailing from the same branch of the prolific 'Leica' family as the big-race winners Redding (NZ) and Pharaoh (NZ) (Sackford {USA}), Benedetta is the third stakes winner for her Yarraman Park-based, G1 William Reid S.-winning sire, a son of I Am Invincible who also had a good day.
Listed Heatherlie S., $175,000, 1700m
Charging through late to record a smart first-up victory, the Cups-bound Soulcombe (GB) (Frankel {GB}) recorded his second stakes win on the back of his G3 Queen's Cup success last spring.
Bred by Pursuit Of Success, he is one of the 127 stakes winners for his superstar Juddmonte-based sire and the third foal and first winner (the other two are placed) for the G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Ribbons (GB) (Manduro {Ger}).
His classy dam is a half-sister to the Group 2-placed, three-time winner Tribute Act (GB) (Exceed And Excel) whilst his grandam Sister Act (GB) (Marju {Ire}) is a full sister to the outstanding mare Soviet Song (Ire) whose many accolades include European Champion Older Horse.
Also able to count amongst his relations the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Soulcombe is bred on a 5 X 6 cross of Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) via her grandson Sadler's Wells (USA) and son Nureyev (USA).
Randwick: G3 Concorde S., $1,000,000, 1000m
Standing calmly as he had a plate replaced behind the barriers, the handsome Remarque (Snitzel) certainly caught the eye and he lived up to his looks and demeanor with this tough performance off a wide run.
Raced by his breeders Arrowfield and Katsumi Yoshida, he is the 136th stakes winner for his Arrowfield-based, four-time Australian Champion Sire.
And he is the second Group winner for his G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. and G1 Robert Sangster S.-winning dam Response (Charge Forward), also dam of the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Estijaab (Snitzel).
Still owned by Arrowfield, Response paid a return visit to Snitzel last year having foaled a colt by The Autumn Sun last spring and a colt by Snitzel the previous year. Her latest named foal is the Chris Waller-trained 3-year-old Congregation (Snitzel) who won two of his three 2-year-old starts.
Also dam of the stakes-placed Alter Call (Fastnet Rock) and the Bombora Downs-based stallion De Gaulle, Response is out of the stakes-placed Live It Up (Match Winner {Fr}), grandam of the G3 Queen of the South S. winner Returntosender (Elusive City {USA}).
Remarque is the sixth stakes winner (from 37 winners/57 runners) combining Snitzel and Charge Forward noting that the former's fifth dam Scotch Verdict (USA) (Alsab {USA}) is the grandam of the latter's second damsire Valid Appeal (USA).
G2 Furious S., $300,000, 1200m
Again too strong having taken out the Listed The Rosebud when resuming, Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible) is stamping herself as one of Sydney's best sprinting 3-year-old fillies.
One of the 98 stakes winners for her Yarraman Park-based twice Champion Sire, she was bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds and sold through the Segenhoe Thoroughbreds draft for $550,000 to Bahen Bloodstock, Ciaron Maher Racing and Eric Lucas at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
She is the second foal (the first to race) produced by Amuletum (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), a half-sister to the recently retired star Anamoe out of the Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner Anamato (Redoute's Choice).
Also the dam of Royal Mule, a yet to race Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 4-year-old son of Kingman (GB), Amuletum raced seven times for the Peter Chapple-Hyam stable. Raced by the late Paul Makin, she was an odds-on favourite when claiming her only victory - a Leicester Class 5 contest in which she put 10l on her rivals.
Arriving in Australian in 2018, she has had two colts since producing Tiz Invincible - a yet to be named 2-year-old colt by Pierata (a $200,000 Magic Millions purchase this year for Justin Fang and Aquis Stallions) and a yearling colt by I Am Invincible. She was served last spring by Aclaim (Ire).
Amuletum is one of the four winners produced by Anamato whose daughter Anamba (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) is a Listed winner in Ireland. Still at stud at Godolphin, Anamato was served by Street Boss (USA) last spring having missed to him the previous season. Her most recent foal is the 2-year-old Blue Willow (Blue Point {Ire}).
Tiz Invincible is one of the 11th I Am Invincible stakes winners line-bred to Canny Lad of whom she boasts a 3 X 5 cross. She also carries duplications of the outstanding mares Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}), Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Relance (Fr) (Relic {USA}).
G2 Chelmsford S., $300,000, 1600m
An upset result with the outsider of the field finding the line best, Navajo Peak (Territories {Ire}) upstaging Group 1 rivals with this, his first success at stakes level.
The twice stakes-placed, three-time city winner did his best work late when resuming in the G1 Winx S. but was not found by punters who sent out the 5-year-old's former stablemate Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) favourite.
A homebred for John Thompson who also bred his dam and grandam whose G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Rosehill Guineas-winning sire Diatribe he raced, Navajo Peak is the 11th stakes winner for his sire, a G1 Jean Prat-winning former Darley shuttler.
He is the second of sadly only two foals produced by Ship Rock (Authorized {Ire}) who died three years ago. Her grandam is the Listed Christmas Cup winner Lahar (Kenmare {Fr}) whose grandson Pounamu (Authorized {Ire}) won the G1 Kingston Town Classic.
He is the 16th stakes winner combining Warning (GB) and Rainbow Quest (USA) who share the same grandam - the G3 Musidora S. winner Where You Lead (USA) (Raise A Native {USA}) and he is 5 X 4 Sadler's Wells (USA).
G2 Tramway S., $300,000, 1400m
Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) has come up extra well, the 4-year-old following on from his first-up Rosehill success with this win, his second at stakes level on the back of his success in the G2 Autumn Classic in February.
One of his Darley Victoria-based sire's 63 stakes winners, Pericles is one of the five stakes winners for his high-achieving unraced dam Accessories (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) - also dam of the triple Group 1 winner Helmet, the dual Group 1 winner Epaulette, the triple Group winner Pearls (Exceed And Excel) and the G3 CS Hayes S. winner Bullbars.
And the latter also made his mark today as sire of the G1 Memsie S. winner.
Hailing from the same family as the G1 Epsom Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and last spring's G1 Toorak H. winner Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}), Accessories was served last spring by Ghaiyyath (Ire) having missed the previous spring to Bivouac.
Her Microphone 2-year-old son has been named Lavalier.
Listed CTC Cup, $200,000, 2400m
Some imports take a bit longer to acclimatize and find local form and that seems to be the case with Athabascan (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) whose win in this race was a dominant one.
Three times stakes-placed in France, the 5-year-old was third in the Listed Canberra Cup in March - his sole Australian placing from six starts.
But he put that mixed form behind him as he raced clear from early in the straight to defeat the 2020 G1 Epsom Derby winner Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Bred by Ecurie Peregrine, Athabascan is the 10th stakes winner (the fourth in the Southern Hemisphere) for his multiple Group 1-winning, Cambridge Stud shuttling sire.
His Listed Prix Dahlia S.-winning dam Alzubra (GB) (Dansili {GB}) boasts a 100 per cent black-type producing record - all three of her foals to race being stakes winners - the others being the G1 Tancred S. winner Arapaho (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and the Listed Prix Dahlia winner Alula Borealis (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}).
Alzubra is a granddaughter of the Listed winner Danella (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}).
Eagle Farm: Listed Tattersall's Members Cup, $160,000, 1400m
What great form Irish Songs (Shamus Award) is in, in early July winning the Listed Glasshouse H. at the Sunshine Coast and today enhancing his impressive resume with success in another Listed event.
A triple stakes winner who also won last year's Listed National Sprint at Canberra, Irish Songs was bred by Attunga Stud and purchased by his original trainer Kurt Goldman for $140,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale.
He changed hands late last year, his current owner Lex Nichols paying $30,000 for him from an Inglis digital sale in December.
One of the 21 stakes winners for his Rosemont Stud-based, G1 WS Cox Plate and Australian Guineas-winning sire, he is the first live foal produced by the more than handy Queensland race mare Lucky Songs (NZ) (Johar {USA}), winner of eight races - three of those at metropolitan level.
A descendant of the acclaimed matriarch Chelandry (GB) (Goldfinch {GB}), Lucky Songs is a half-sister to the G2 Challenge S. winner Captain Fantastic (NZ) (Fantastic Light {USA}) from the immediate family of the Listed winners Wings Bash (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}), Ehtfaal (Ire) (Soviet Star {USA}) and Banner Headline (Danehill {USA}).
Wanganui: Listed Wanganui Guineas, NZ$80,000, 1200m
Kept fresh off her Listed Castletown S. in early June, Chantilly Lace (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) went to the paddock a 2-year-old stakes winner, returning at three as one.
The second stakes winner in two days bred by Kevin Hickman (the Listed Wyong Cup winner Benaud {Reliable Man {GB}} the other), Chantilly Lace is one of the three stakes winners for her sire, a multiple Group 1-winning The Oaks Stud shuttler.
Her placed dam On The Move (More Than Ready {USA}) is also dam of last weekend's Rosehill winner Elettrica (NZ) (Vespa {NZ}). Served last spring by Satono Aladdin (Jpn) having produced a filly by Almanzor (Fr) and a colt by Vespa since producing Chantilly Lace, she is a daughter of the G1 Winter S. winner Russeting (Commands).
Chantilly Lace can boast amongst her relations the star sprinter Schillaci (Salieri {USA}).
