Cover image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Hastings: G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate, NZ$400,000, 1600m
It was a second Group 1 win for the terrific mare Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) who has proven herself to be one of New Zealand's best miler/middle-distance horses.
Bred and raced by Windsor Park Stud out of a mare they paid just $5000 for at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Mustang Valley is one of the three stakes winners for her G1 Spring Champion S.-winning Encosta De Lago sire.
She is the first foal for the metropolitan maiden winner Cream Of The Crop (New Approach {Ire}) who was served last spring by Savabeel after foaling a filly by Hello Youmzain (Fr) with her previous foal being a filly by Darci Brahma (NZ).
Cream Of The Crop is a half-sister to the Group 3-placed Balmaurice (Maurice {Jpn}) from the family that provided one of Australia’s best in Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Also from her immediate family are the Group 1 winners Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Mosheen (Fastnet Rock).
Mustang Valley boasts an exciting pedigree with multiple strains of his own ancestress, the famed matriarch Selene (GB) (Chaucer {GB}), also ancestress of Star Way (GB), Lucky Owners and Sir Tristram (Ire) who all feature in Vanbrugh’s pedigree with the latter two both descending from Selene’s wonderful daughter All Moonshine (GB) (Bobsleigh {GB}) - Mustang Valley’s eighth dam. And his fourth dam - Might And Power’s dam Benediction (Ire) (Day Is Done {Ire}) - is Lucky Owners’ grandam.
G2 Hawke's Bay Guineas, NZ$175,000, 1400m
It was not the result expected for Satono Aladdin (Jpn) with his son Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) out of the placings as an odds-on favourite but there were cheers at Rich Hill Stud with the exciting young stallion still represented in the winner's circle.
As Tokyo Tycoon held his ground in the run home, Lantern Way (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) was finding the line in determined fashion - choosing a very nice race to break his maiden in!
Second in Group 3 company at two, Lantern Way had resumed with a strong-finishing second in the Listed Wanganui Guineas so whilst he was double-figure odds, it was no real surprise to see him fare so well.
Bred by Rich Hill and sold by them to Lisa Latta Racing for NZ$40,000 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 2), Lantern Way is the second foal produced by the unraced No More Doubt (Redoute's Choice) whose dam is the G1 Thorndon Mile winner Say No More (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
Say No More's five foals to race were all winners with her best being the Group 3-placed, city winner I Say Hello (NZ) (Iffraaj GB}) who is in Australia - missing last season having produced a Pierro colt last spring.
Say No More, meanwhile, paid a return visit to Satono Aladdin last spring, last October foaling a colt by Vadamos (Fr) who is also the sire of her previous colt.
Lantern Way is his G1 Yasuda Kinen-winning sire's fifth stakes winner and he is Redoute's Choice's 148th stakes winner as a broodmare sire.
Mornington: Listed RM Ansett Classic, $175,000, 2400m
Relishing the step up to 2400 metres, imported galloper Born A King (GB) (Frankel {GB}) raced in the style of a true stayer and he got his nose in front of the dual Group 1 winner Regal Power (Pierro).
The 132nd stakes winner for his Juddmonte-based superstar sire, Born A King was bred by Faisal Meshrd Alqahtan and purchased by Chris Waller for 120,000gns (AU$225,800) at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.
His dam is the winner Fairwater (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}), a half-sister to the stakes-placed Dancetrack (USA) (First Defence {USA}) out of a half-sister to the G1 Malibu S.-winning, high-class stallion Mizzen Mast (USA).
Hailing from the same family as the Group 1 gallopers Shareef Dancer (USA), Slew The Moon (Arg) (Kitwood {USA}), Slew Of Reality (Arg) (Political Ambition {USA}), Sexy Reasons (Arg) (Jump Start {USA}), First Thing (Brz) (First American {USA}) and the champion Zenyatta (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}), Born A King is bred on a 6 X 5 cross of the lovely mare Flower Bowl (USA) (Alibhai {GB}) via her sons His Majesty (USA) and Graustark (USA).
Belmont: Listed Black Heart Bart S., $125,000, 1200m
Not having a great deal of room in the run home when resuming, Baby Paris (Playing God) did a good job bouncing back at only her second run for the campaign - recording her first win at stakes level and her sixth overall from just 11 starts.
Last year's G2 Karrakatta Plate runner-up is a homebred for G.J Bowen by Darling View Thoroughbreds' two-time G1 Kingston Town S. winner, a son of the late Blackfriars who did such a good job in Western Australia.
And that G1 VRC Derby winner sired the six-time Group 1 winner Black Heart Bart after whom this race is named.
A descendant of the famed matriarch Chelandry (GB) (Goldfinch {GB}), Baby Paris is the only foal produced by the city-placed, four-time winner War In Paris (War Chant {USA}) whose Listed Ngawyni S.-winning dam Paris Moon (Metal Storm {Fr}) produced another four winners including the stakes-placed Centrum (Danetime {Ire}).
Also dam of the city winners Moonlight Drive (Helenus) and Deep Cover (War Chant {USA}), Paris Moon is a half-sister to the G2 Western Australian Guineas winner Dr John (Dr Johnson {USA}).
