Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
G3 Coongy Cup, $200,000, 2000m
A couple of operations (gelding and wind) have seen the talented Muramasa (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in fine form, the 4-year-old resuming with a gutsy Flemington win at BM78 level late last month and going right on with it stepping up in class at Caulfield on Wednesday.
This time 12 months ago the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained bay was second in the G3 Norman Robinson S. en route to a G1 VRC Derby fifth behind Manzoice (Almanzor {Fr}) before an unsuccessful and brief summer/autumn campaign.
A $500,000 graduate of the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale, Muramasa was bred by Arrowfield Stud and GSA Bloodstock and sold through the Arrowfield draft to Busuttin Racing.
He is the 199th stakes winner for his late sire, a legend of Japanese racing, and he is the first foal for the G2 Silver Shadow S.-winning, G1 Golden Rose runner-up Omei Sword (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Missing last spring to Snitzel, she foaled a colt by that stallion last October with her previous foal being an I Am Invincible colt who Busuttin Racing bought for $260,000 at this year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Her 2-year-old Yayoi (I Am Invincible) also sold well, purchased by Kia Ora for $800,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2022 and she was second, for the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes stable, in a Warwick Farm jump-out in mid-September.
Omei Sword is a daughter of the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Irish Lights (Fastnet Rock) who also produced the Listed Doncaster S. winner Lipizzaner (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}).
Muramasa's fourth dam River Crossing (USA) (Affirmed {USA}) is a half-sister to the star broodmare Fall Aspen (USA) (Pretense {USA}).
Listed Debutant S., $175,000, 1000m
Yulong's G1 All Aged S. winner Pierata is off and running with his first winner (his third runner) from his debut crop, Coleman showing a tidy turn of foot over the final stages.
What a sireline this has been for Australasian racing - Pierata, Pierro, Lonhro, Octagonal (NZ), Zabeel (NZ) - one which we hope can continue to thrive!
Bred by Kulani Park, Coleman was sold by them to Matt Laurie Racing and Justin Bahen for $550,000 at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the third winner for the city-placed mare Sboog (Redoute's Choice), also dam of the dual Listed winner Liwa (Mulaazem) and the nine-time winner Exdream (Dream Ahead {USA}).
Missing last spring to So You Think (NZ), Sboog foaled a Flying Artie filly in September last year.
She hails from a high-quality local speed family, her dam Schiaparelli (Woodman {USA}) producing the stakes-winning stallions Rothesay (Lyndhurst Stud) and Sensei (Ashmore Downs) as well as the dam of the Listed Mitchell McKenzie S. winner Fast Witness (Star Witness).
Schiapparelli's dam is the triple Group 1-winning sprinter/miler Canny Lass (Bletchingly) - dam of the stakes winners Causeway Lass (Giant's Causeway {USA}) and Astute Angel (Godswalk {USA}) and full sister to the G1 Golden Slipper-winning, high-class stallion Canny Lad.
Coleman is bred on a 4 X 3 cross of Danehill (USA) via Flying Spur and Redoute's Choice (son of a Canny Lad mare).
