Vow roars back into form
Danny O’Brien was thrilled with the run of his Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) when he placed in Saturday’s G1 Might And Power S. behind Alligator Blood (All Too Hard).
O’Brien confirmed the star stayer would head towards the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup on October 27, which will determine if he competes in a fourth Melbourne Cup.
Vow And Declare
“We only want to get him and run him in a Melbourne Cup if he’s a genuine top-six chance,” O’Brien told Racing.com.
“Today (Saturday) certainly ticks that box, but he’ll go to the Moonee Valley Cup now. Here he is at 8-years-old running second in a Group 1 at weight-for-age, it was a proper stamina test and it suited him.”
Double for Justify
The Champion First Season Sire Justify (USA) enjoyed a productive Saturday. His Group 3-winning son Air Assault, found his best form to add the Listed Hill Smith S. at Morphettville. While at Newcastle, the Richard and Will Freedman-trained Just In Time became the sires’ latest winner over 1200 metres.
Just In Time was a $220,000 purchase for Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Saturday also proved an exceptional day for Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock (FBAA) with their other yearling purchase, I Am Me (I Am Invincible) who won the $2 million G3 Sydney S.
Justify (USA) | Standing At Coolmore
Party For Two salutes
Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted did not have their desired result in the G2 Schillaci S. at Caulfield with stable star Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}). However, they would have been pleased to see the smart filly Party For Two return to the winner's circle at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The daughter of Sidestep was winning for the third time. As a juvenile, she was placed in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies).
Moody already looking for take two
Peter Moody is already planning I Wish I Win’s (NZ) (Savabeel) assault on the 2024 The Everest, after the gelding ran a courageous second to Think About It (So You Think {NZ}).
“He’s a lightly raced 5-year-old, and like Luke Nolen said, Nature Strip was competing for this as a 9-year-old, so we’ve got four more shots at it,” Moody told Punters.
“If you told me 18 months ago that we would have been running second in The Everest, I think the only mistake I made was not having him here last year.
“I ran fifth in a Toorak, maybe I could have won it last year. He was terrific. The draw (1) probably did us no favours.”
Cannon Hill wins again
The Tony Pike-trained Cannon Hill (NZ) made it consecutive wins on Saturday at Hastings over 1300 metres.
The 3-year-old colt is a son of Waikato Stud’s second-season sire Ardrossan, and was a NZ$150,0000 purchase by Pike Racing from Waikato Stud at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Cannon Hill is from the family of the G1 Kingston Town Classic winner Stratum Star.
Classy mare back in style
The James Cummings-trained and Godolphin-owned Sequestered (Pierro) has always been highly regarded by the camp, illustrated when she started favourite in the G3 Adrian Knox S. as a 3-year-old, albeit unplaced on that occasion.
With the benefit of patience, the now 4-year-old daughter of Pierro has put back-to-back city victories together.
Ridden by young gun Zac Lloyd Sequestered stormed down the Randwick straight on Saturday to defeat Body Bob (Written Tycoon) over 1400 metres.
Ashburton meeting moved to Monday
Saturday’s Ashburton meeting, which included the G3 Barneswood Farm S., was abandoned after Race 3 due to extremely high winds and consequential safety concerns.
Love Racing NZ reported the NZTR, and the Club will look to run the remainder of the card on Monday, October 16.
Embellish keeps the winners coming
Cambridge Stud’s second-season sire Embellish (NZ) has been on a roll. His 3-year-old filly Quintabella (NZ) broke through at start three at Ashburton on Saturday to become Embellish’s latest winner.
The filly trained by Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong was a NZ$25,00 purchase by RC Dennis from the draft of Epona Park at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale. Quintabella is a half-sister to Dionysus (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), who won the G3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Embellish (NZ) | Standing at Cambridge Stud
Land Legend peerless in Australian debut
It was some Australian debut for the James Ferguson-trained Land Legend (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) on Saturday at Randwick.
The son of Galileo (Ire) showed his staying prowess with Tyler Schiller aboard, winning by 2.71l from Cleveland (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the St Leger S. over 2600 metres in track record time.
The 3-year-old gelding carries the colours of Bon Ho’s Legend Racing.
Progressive import gets the job done
Simon Zahra’s progressive import Maktoob (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}) took out the opener at Caulfield over 1700 metres on Saturday.
It was the fourth victory from nine starts for the 4-year-old, who scored by 1.25l from Our Empress Zoe (Fastnet Rock) and Red Sun Sensation (Awesome Rock).
Maktoob comes from the family of the late G1 Sydney Cup winner Shraaoh (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the G2 Chairman’s H. victor Raheen House (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).
Echo Zulu fractures sesamoids in Santa Anita workout; surgery scheduled
Echo Zulu (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) sustained two broken left front sesamoids Friday morning as she was working in company with Gunite (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}), confirmed David Fiske, racing manager for owner Ron Winchell.
“Echo Zulu sustained a biaxial sesamoid bone fracture of the left front fetlock during training this morning at Santa Anita,” Fiske texted the TDN. “She has been stabilized in a kimzey splint and will undergo surgery for a fetlock arthrodesis tomorrow.”
Gun Runner becomes third stallion to stand for US$250,000 in 2024
Gun Runner (USA) has joined Into Mischief (USA) and Curlin (USA) on top of the roster of 2024 stallions with a US$250,000 fee (AU$395,800), Three Chimneys announced Friday morning.
He is the first sire in history to have sired nine individual millionaires with just two full crops.
Gun Runner (USA) | Standing at Three Chimneys Farm
Inquisitively first Group winner for Ten Sovereigns
Wee Sean Gan's Inquisitively (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) fresh off a breakthrough score in York's Listed Roses S., continued on the upgrade with a pillar-to-post victory in Friday's Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis S. at Newmarket, becoming the first Pattern-race winner for his freshman sire by No Nay Never (USA).
Dance Sequence pounces late for Oh So Sharp triumph
Charlie Appleby had yet to taste success in Newmarket's G3 Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp S., but made a first dent on the seven-furlong contest when Godolphin's hitherto undefeated homebred Dance Sequence (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) pounced late to maintain her perfect record.
“She was impressive on her debut, and William (Buick) has had confidence going into both races,” explained Appleby. “He planned to drop her in, but I told him to be careful as there is a tailwind and don't let them get free on the front end. I thought, at one stage, he might not be happy with the position he was in, but she answers every question. He looked after her through the dip and up the hill, but she picks up well when she does it.
We purposely gave her a gap between races as she is a big, scopey filly. We've given her time to come here and get this assignment done. We'll put her away for the winter and dream about running her in some Guineas trials next year. She has a bit more to go before we look at her as a serious 1000 Guineas contender, but she is on the right path, and she will most definitely get further.”
In-form Matilda Picotte joins Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale catalogue
Friday's G2 Challenge S. heroine Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}), who was Classic placed earlier this year, will be offered by Clonanny Bloodstock at the upcoming Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale from November 24-25. The multiple- group winner will sell on Saturday, November 24, the opening day of the sale.
Frankel's Ylang Ylang on top in Fillies' Mile
Friday's G1 Fillies' Mile became a test of stamina and character and there was no shirking of the issue from TDN Rising Star Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as she provided Aidan O'Brien with a record-equalling sixth renewal of the Newmarket feature.
“It all went a little bit pear-shaped in mid-season, and it's hard to come back like that, but she's classy and very brave,” O'Brien said. “She's very exciting for next year and I'd imagine the lads will want her to start in the Guineas, but she'll have no problem going further and could get the Oaks trip.”
Full brother to Ghaiyyath to be offered at Goffs November Foal Sale
A full brother to multiple Group 1 winner and young sire Ghaiyyath (Ire), a son of Dubawi (Ire), will be offered during the Goffs November Foal Sale at Kildare Paddocks from Wednesday, November 20 to Thursday, November 23.
One of 1,041 foals catalogued, the colt will sell as Lot 767. There is also a Dark Angel (Ire) half-brother to multiple Group winner and Classic-placed Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) (Lot 768); a colt by Hello Youmzain (Fr) who is a half-brother to G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) (Lot 667); and a Starspangledbanner full brother to Group 1 performer Flotus (Ire) (Lot 686).
