Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Caulfield: G1 Caulfield Cup, $5,000,000, 2400m
Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) actually does like a fight as he showed with this determined victory holding off a challenge from his former stablemate West Wind Blows (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) to provide an exciting finish to one of Australia's premier staying races.
It was a great moment for his former shuttling sire providing the quinella - adding to his stellar record in Australian stakes winners... Teofilo (Ire) also the sire of two G1 Melbourne Cup winners in Cross Counter (GB) and Twilight Payment (Ire).
A dual Group 1 winner over 1400 metres, Teofilo - who last shuttled in 2017 - calls Kildangan Stud home.
A homebred for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, Without A Fight was successful at Group 3 level and twice in Listed company in the UK. One of Teofilo's 112 stakes winners, he is out of the talented race mare Khor Sheed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a Group 3 and dual Listed winner.
Another three of her foals are winners and she is the grandam of the G2 John C. Mabee S. winner Avenue De France (Fr) (Cityscape {GB}).
Now owned by Yulong - in foal to Lucky Vega (Ire) - Khor Sheed is one of the nine winners produced by Princess Manila (USA) (Manila {USA}) whose son Prince Kirk (Fr) (Selkirk {USA}) won the G1 Prix d'Ispahan.
Princess Manila's dam is the dual Listed winner Halo's Princess (Can) (Halo {USA}) whose son Hailsham (Can) (Riverman {USA}) won the G1 Italian Derby.
Line-bred to the wonderful mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Victoriana (USA) (Windfields {USA}), Without A Fight was one of the two descendants of the great mare Lady Josephine (GB) (Sundridge {GB}) in the winner's circle at Caulfield, the G2 Tristarc S. winner Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) the other.
He is the eighth Group 1 winner for Dubawi (Ire) as a broodmare sire and one of 11 combining that stallion and Teofilo - Dubawi being the sire of the dual Group 1-winning filly Coroebus (Ire) out of a Teofilo mare.
G2 Caulfield Sprint, $300,000, 1000m
Digging deep when challenged late by the favourite Spacewalk (Exosphere), Doull (Snitzel) was the second outsider of the small field.
Enjoying a nice weight drop second-up having been close up when resuming, the 4-year-old was competitive in stakes races last spring; all the more mature now.
The 137th stakes winner for his Arrowfield Stud-based Champion Sire, Doull is the second stakes winner for the Listed Merson Cooper S. winner Bulbula (Shamardal {USA}) whose daughter Aryaaf (Epaulette) won the G3 Ottawa S. before being sold as a broodmare - to Doull's managing owner Rosemont Stud - for $800,000 two years ago.
A daughter of the dual Listed winner Taameer (NZ) (General Nediym) - also dam of the G3 VRC Thoroughbred Breeders' S. winner Kuhlaasa (Epaulette) - Bulbula was not served last year having foaled a full brother to Doull.
Bred by Shadwell Stud, Doull was an attention grabber at the 2021 Inglis Easter Australian Yearling Sale where he was sold by Yarraman Park Stud to Rosemont Victorian Alliance, Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and David Redvers Bloodstock for $1.2 million.
He is the ninth stakes winner bred on a Snitzel/General Nediym cross, one which provides for strong Mumtaz Mahal (GB) (The Tetrarch {GB}) family line-breeding.
G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude, $300,000, 1400m
Proving her G3 Champagne S. victory no fluke, Coeur Volante (NZ) (Proisir) further enhanced her record with this dominant win, her third from just four starts.
A NZ$90,000 graduate of the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale where she was sold by Prima Park to Paul Moroney Bloodstock & Ballymore Stables, she is one of the 14 stakes winners for her Rich Hill Stud-based sire.
She is the second foal and second stakes performer for the city placed five-time winner Shanina (Testa Rossa) whose first foal is the retired stakes-placed winner Hasstobemagic (NZ) (Scissor Kick) who is at stud - served last year by Sweynesse.
Shanina meanwhile was served last spring by Noverre (NZ) having foaled a Per Incanto (USA) colt in October. She missed (to Proisir) the previous season and her foal before that is a yet to be named 2-year-old by Time Test (GB).
A half-sister to the stakes-placed eight-time winner Maid Of Ore (Duporth), Shanina has as her grandam the dual Group winner Rose O'War (Danehill {USA}) who boasts the distinction of being the first horse to beat the mighty Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB})... in the 1999 G3 Angus Armanasco S.
Coeur Volante is bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Danehill (USA) as well as a 6 X 5 cross of the speed influence Vain - as well as a 5 X 4 cross of the terrific mare Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}) via her sons Fairy King (USA) and Perugino (USA).
G2 Tristarc S., $300,000, 1400m
Honest and classy, Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) just kept going strongly to record her fifth win from 15 starts and her second at Group level.
Bred by NM Bishop, she is one of the two stakes winners for her sire, a Highview-based G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile-winning a son of High Chaparral (Ire).
She is the first of three foals for Galloping Gerte (NZ) (Align), a metropolitan winner who paid a return visit to Wrote (Ire) last spring having foaled another filly by him.
There is no other black type within three generations of Wrote To Arataki's pedigree but there are diamonds further back - her sixth dam being the great Eight Carat's (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) G1 Railway H. winner Diamond Lover (Sticks And Stones).
Boasting three strains of the wonderful mare Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) - Wrote's fourth dam - Wrote To Arataki is one of Diamond Lover's 24 stakes-winning descendants and one of 67 for Eight Carat.
G3 Moonga S., $200,000, 1400m
Racing in great form at eight, Buffalo River (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) became the first dual winner of this race which he also won two years ago.
One of the 12 stakes winners for his well travelled (now based at Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan) triple Group 1-winning sire - a full brother to Frankel (GB), Buffalo River was passed in at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and purchased for 180,000gns (AU$364,100) by Paul Moroney at the 2018 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.
He is one of the three winners produced by the two-time winner Fashion Insider (USA) (Indian Charlie {USA}) whose dam Shahalo (USA) (Halo {USA}) did a great job with three stakes winners - Bwana Charlie (USA) (Indian Charlie {USA}), My Pal Charlie (USA) (Indian Charlie {USA}) and Bwana Bull (USA) (Holy Bull {USA}).
Grandam of another three stakes winners, Shahalo is out of the Group 3 mare White Mischief (GB) (Dance In Time {Can}) and she is a descendant of the influential Marchetta (GB) (Marco {GB}).
G3 Ethereal S., $200,000, 2000m
Showing good heart wearing down the favourite Tropical Squall (Prized Icon), Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun) got herself out of trouble recording the second win of her five start career.
Bred by Arrowfield and Jungle Pocket, she was sold by Arrowfield to Dalziel Bloodstock & Moody Racing for $230,000 at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
The G1 VRC Oaks-bound filly is the third stakes winner for her Arrowfield-based five-time Group 1-winning sire.
Her dam is the G3 Lord Mayor's Cup winner Angel Of Mercy (Hussonet {USA}) whose dam Pieta (Clay Hero) is a city winning half-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner Divine Madonna (Hurricane Sky) and the G3 Standish H. winner Blessum (Umatilla {NZ}).
The dam of another two winners, Angel Of Mercy was served last spring by Maurice (Jpn) having foaled full sisters to Autumn Angel at her two previous years at stud.
G2 Caulfield Classic, $200,000, 2000m
Appreciating the step up to 2000 metres as he heads towards the G1 VRC Derby, Sunsets (Dundeel {NZ}) proved too strong for the hot favourite Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) over the final stages.
The 25th stakes winner for his Arrowfield Stud-based multiple Group 1-winning sire, Sunsets was bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds - sold by Segenhoe Stud to DJM Bloodstock for $34,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale and by Newhaven Park to Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) & Busuttin Racing for $150,000 at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Sunsets is out of the G2 Edward Manifold S. placegetter Waterloo Sunset (Fastnet Rock), daughter of the G1 Flight S. winner Unearthly (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) - also dam of the G1 Australasian Oaks heroine Invest (Dehere {USA}).
Served last spring by Farnan after foaling a colt by that same stallion, Waterloo Sunset missed the previous season.
Sunsets' third dam is the Listed McDougall S. winner Snippets' Crown (Snippets) whose dam is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Innocent King (Tolomeo {Ire}) and the G2 Sandown Cup winner Royal Snack (Lunchtime {GB}).
Also from this family are the stakes winners Viking Hero (Elvstroem), Festivity (I Am Invincible) and Invincible Star (I Am Invincible).
Sunsets is the first Dundeel (NZ) stakes winner line-bred to Zabeel (NZ) of whom he carries a 3 X 3 cross. He is a descendant of the famed matriarch Chelandry (GB) (Goldfinch {GB}) as is Dundeel's sire High Chaparral (Ire) - as is Dundeel's second dam sire Fiesta Star.
Listed Alinghi S., $175,000, 1100m
Charging home from the rear to record one of the day's most exciting wins, Lempicka (Rich Enuff) did a great job remaining undefeated this time in - winning her first two spring outings at BM70 level.
It was an exciting success for the Keys stable who also bred, raced and trained her Woodside Park-winning sire, a dual Group-winning son of Written Tycoon.
Lempicka is the first live foal for the Taree maiden winner Hot Art (Excellent Art {GB}) who foaled another Rich Enuff filly a few weeks ago. She missed to the same horse last year whilst her yearling colt is by another Keys-trained stallion in Soul Patch.
Hot Art is a half-sister to the dual Group 1-winning sprinter In Her Time (Time Thief) whilst her dam Hell It's Hot (Zeditave) is a city-placed, winning half-sister to the Group 3 The Shorts winner Hot As Hell (County), the Listed Carrington S. winner Flaming Hot (County) and the Hong Kong-based Listed winner Craig's Dragon (Catbird).
Also from this family is Coolmore Stud's G2 Todman S. and Everest winner Yes Yes Yes.
Listed Gothic S., $175,000, 1200m
Surviving a protest to record his second stakes victory at just his sixt start, Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}) was tough to the line.
Bred by Philippa Duncan Bloodstock, he was sold by Sledmere Stud to Lindsay Park Bloodstock for $190,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
He is one of nine (three in Australia) for his sire, a dual Group 1 winning Darley shuttler. And he is the the sixth foal and one of five winners for the city-placed winner Florabella (Exceed And Excel) whose dam is the record breaking G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Shindig (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}) whose son Shinzig won the G1 CF Orr S.
Florabella foaled a full brother to Arkansaw Kid last spring and her yet to be named 2-year-old filly is also by Harry Angel (Ire). She produced a Too Darn Hot (GB) colt in early October.
Other members of this family include the stakes winners Strada, Flying Crazy (Flying Artie), Beauty Legacy (Fiorente {Ire}), Power Scheme (Fiorente {Ire}), Money Matters (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), Garibaldi (I Am Invincible) and Alfolk (Lonhro).
Randwick: Five Diamonds Prelude, $1,000,000, 1500m
Not a stakes race but a rich one, it was taken out by a horse who is proven at stakes level - the dual Listed winner Palmetto (NZ) by Ghibellines, a sire-son of Shamardal (USA).
One of the six stakes winners sired by his White Robe Lodge-based G2 Todman S.-winning sire, Palmetto was bred by CR & MN Smith, MC Stokes and the estate of the late LJ Howard.
He is the second foal (and first named) of only three foals for Carolina Island (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), an Ashburton 2100-metre maiden winner who died young with her unraced final foal being the 4-year-old King Palm (NZ) (El Doute).
Carolina Island is a half-sister to the Group 3 placed Flemington winner Kansas Sunflower (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and the Hong Kong winner Kinda Cool (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).
Carolina Island is a granddaughter of the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Bellarida (Fr) (Bellypha {Ire}) whose G3 Prix de Flore-winning daughter In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) produced the Group 1 winners Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}), We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
Hong Kong's Champion Stayer Dominant (Ire) (Cacique {Ire}) also hails from this branch of the prolific Simon's Shoes (GB) (Simon Square {GB}) family.
Palmetto's sire is bred on a Riverman (USA)/Danehill (USA) cross whilst his dam is bred on the opposite.
