Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Flemington: G1 Melbourne Cup, $8,410,000, 3200m
The first horse since the mighty mare Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm {USA}) to take out the G1 Caulfield/G1 Melbourne Cup double in the same year, Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) looked a happy horse as he strutted out onto the Flemington track.
Coping admirably with the warm weather and the big crowd, the tough and classy 7-year-old wrote his name into the history books with a stunning 23l turnaround on his well beaten 13th last year.
That was his first Australian run, and he has come along in leaps and bounds with the benefits of acclimatisation, this historic victory his four from six starts Down Under.
The third Melbourne Cup winner sired by former Darley shuttler Teofilo (Ire) - Twilight Payment (Ire) (2020) and Cross Counter (GB) (2018) the others, Without A Fight is the third recent Cup winner to descend from the acclaimed matriarch Lady Josephine (GB) (Sundridge {GB}) - Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) the others.
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 is one of 65 stakes winners and eight Group 1 winners for Dubawi (Ire) as a broodmare sire and one of 11 stakes winners and two Group 1 winners combining that stallion and Teofilo - Dubawi being the sire of the dual Group 1-winning filly Coroebus (Ire) out of a Teofilo mare.
G3 Maribyrnong Plate, $200,000, 1000m
The benefit of experience saw Dublin Down (Exceedance) record a smart victory at his third outing - holding off a late charge from his stablemate Blue Stratum (Blue Point {Ire}).
Bred by Ian Smith, he was sold by his Edinburgh Park to McEvoy Mitchell Racing and the Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $370,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the first runner for his Vinery Stud-based, G1 Coolmore Stud S.-winning sire, a son - as his name suggests - of Exceed And Excel.
Dublin Down is the second foal for the Listed Bright Shadow H. winner Dublin Lass (O'Reilly {NZ}) whose yet-to-race first foal Dublin Belle (So You Think {NZ}) was in the placings in a recent Warwick Farm trial for the Annabel Neasham stable.
Foaling a colt by Glenfiddich in mid-September, Dublin Lass produced a full sister to Dublin Down last spring having missed the previous year to Farnan.
Dublin Lass is one of the four winners (from as many to race) for the city winner Fashion Police (Elusive Quality {USA}), also dam of the stakes-placed Crafty Cop (Starcraft {NZ}).
Fashion Police's dam is the stakes-placed Crixia (Danzero), in turn daughter of the G2 Breeders' Plate winner Fine Recipe (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}) whose dam is the Listed McDougall S. winner Lady Lustre (NZ) (Imposing).
Ancestress of this family - one which also produced the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Midnight Fever (Luskin Star) is the acclaimed matriarch Lady Josephine (GB) (Sundridge {GB}).
G3 The Hong Kong Jockey Club S., $200,000, 1400m
Bringing her class over from her native land where she won the G1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings in early September, Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) was tough to the line having only her second Australian start.
One of the 135 stakes winners for her Waikato Stud-based, G1 WS Cox Plate-winning sire, she was part of a good day for that stalwart of New Zealand breeding - also the sire of the Listed Furphy Plate winner Forgot You (NZ) and the damsire of the Listed TAB Trophy winner Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree {USA}).
Skew Wiff is the first foal for the Listed Hazlett S. winner Starvoia (Starcraft {NZ}) who won another five races, also stakes placed on five occasions.
Served last spring by Noverre (NZ) after foaling a Super Seth filly, Starvoia - whose 3-year-old is a yet-to-be-named full brother to Skew Wiff - is a granddaughter of the G1 South Australia Oaks winner Dowry (NZ) (Bahhare {USA}).
Dowry is one of three stakes winners produced by Meant For Me (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}), also dam of the G2 International Trophy winner Fatal (NZ) (Bakharoff {USA}) and the Listed winner Richfield Destiny (NZ) (Bakharoff {USA}) - and grandam of the Listed Spring Classic winner Crystal Duke (NZ) (Bachelor Duke {USA}).
Skew Wiff is one Savabeel's 11 stakes winners and four Group 1 winners line bred to Zabeel's (NZ) damsire Nureyev (USA).
Listed Furphy Plate, $175,000, 1800m
In the winner's circle for the first time since taking out the G2 Bill Stutt S. two years ago, Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel) had been taking on some nice horses and it was a deserved success back from a tendon injury.
Bred by Garry Chittick, he is one of his Waikato-based sire's 135 stakes winners out of the city-placed winner Simply You (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) whose dam is the G1 Salinger S. and G1 Goodwood H. winner Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}).
Also able to boast the Group 1 winners Espiona (Extreme Choice), Vision And Power (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}) and Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) amongst his relations, the 2020 Inglis Ready2Race graduate (purchased by Busuttin Racing for $330,000) is one of the 27 stakes winners sired by Savabeel out of mares by O'Reilly (NZ).
Served last spring by Noverre (NZ), Simply You did not have much luck since producing Forgot You but she did foal a full brother to him last year.
Forgot You boasts a cross of the mighty mare Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}) who appears via her prolific sons Sir Gaylord (USA) and Secretariat (USA).
Listed TAB Trophy, $175,000, 1800m
Digging deep in a tight and exciting finish, Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) did a good job stepping up from a Mornington maiden win to secure a black-type victory at just his third start.
Bred by Kevin Hickman, he made his way through the sales ring on two occasions - sold by Valachi Downs to Prima Park and Bevan Bloodstock for $75,000 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale Book 2 and by Prima Park to S Kennedy for $165,000 at the 2022 NZB Ready to Run Sale.
The 24th stakes winner for his Inglewood Stud-based, G2 Vintage S.-winning sire, Warmonger is a half-brother to the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas placegetter Blue Solitaire (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}).
His two-time winning dam Princess Sapphire (NZ) (Savabeel) sadly died young having produced only three foals, the other being a 2021 born U S Navy Flag (USA) filly.
A half-sister to the dual Listed-winning sprinter Merion (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), Princess Sapphire is out of the Listed Timaru Cup winner Sapphire Belle (NZ) (Danske {NZ}) from the family of the multiple Group 1 winner Alibhai (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}).
Listed Desirable S., $175,000, 1400m
Doing a nice job straight up in class off a maiden win at Pakenham at just her third outing, progressive filly Roll On High (Shamus Award) charged home late to secure victory.
The 24th stakes winner for her Rosemont-based, G1 WS Cox Plate and G1 Australian Guineas-winning sire, a son of Redoute's Choice, Roll On High was bred by M Falvey out of the unraced All Highs On Me (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Producing Roll On High as her first foal, All Highs On Me - a daughter of the two-time winner Bathilda (NZ) (King's Chapel) - produced a Tagaloa filly in early September and an Alabama Express filly last year.
And her 2-year-old daughter Near Nelson (Cable Bay {Ire}) is also a member of the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman stable.
Roll On High hails from the same branch of the prolific Queen Mary (GB) (Gladiator {GB}) family as the big-race winners Monaco Consul (NZ), Interstellar (NZ), Nicconi, Niconero (Danzero), General Nediym, Military Plume (NZ), Laelia (NZ) (Oncidium {GB}), Sealegs (NZ) (Three Legs {GB}), Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs {GB}) and Brew (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) who won his major race at this meeting 23 years ago... he is the oldest surviving G1 Melbourne Cup winner.
Pukekohe: G3 Balmerino S., NZ$150,000, 2050m
A homebred for Cambridge Stud's Lindsay family, Aquacade (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) hit the lead with 100 metres to go and put the race to bed from the 50 metres, in doing so recording the seventh win of her 15-start career - and her second at Group level on the back of her G2 Avondale Cup success back in February.
One of the 25 stakes winners for her in-form Arrowfield Stud-based, multiple Group 1-winning sire, she is out of the unraced imported mare Forest Of Seas (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) whose dam Epping (GB) (Charnwood Forest {Ire}) has produced five winners - three of whom are stakes-placed - whilst one of her unraced daughters produced the Listed winner Washington Heights (GB) (Washington DC {Ire}).
Served last spring by King Of Comedy (Ire) having previously missed to Ribchester (Ire), Forest Of Seas has a yearling colt by Embellish (NZ).
Bred on a 3 X 5 cross of Sadler's Wells (USA), Aquacade also carries a strain of that high-achieving sire's three-quarter brother Nureyev (USA) - providing for crosses of the aptly named matriarch Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}).
Listed Karaka Classic S., NZ$110,000, 1500m
It has been a good few days for Widden Stud's Zoustar - siring his second G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner (Ozzmosis) on Saturday and today represented by a new stakes winner - the honest and talented Habana (Zoustar).
Unlucky when Group 3 placed at his previous start, the 5-year-old is a seven-time winner from 15 starts.
Bred by Aquis Farm, Rathosheen Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Kellie Avison and Ariel Arnott, Habana made his way through the sales ring on two occasions - sold by Rothwell Park to Lyndhurst Farm for $160,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, he was then passed in by Lyndhurst (reserve $200,000) at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Raced by Cambridge Stud's Lindsay family who also won the G3 Balmerino S. with Aquacade (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}), Habana is the 44th stakes winner for his sire.
He is the final foal produced by the triple Adelaide winner Jeter (Mossman) whose five foals have all raced, three being winners. Her dam is the dual Listed winner Zalinda (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) who also produced the G3 Gilgai S. winner Fast 'N' Famous.
Zalinda is a daughter of the G1 Railway H. winner Alynda (Nassau), dam of the G3 Eclipse S. winner Alinsky (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) and the Listed winners Capestad (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}) and Altrista (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) and grandam of the stakes winners Tuchel (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) and Unfair Dismissal (All Too Hard).
Boasting crosses of the lovely mares Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) and Magic Symbol (Makarpura {GB}), Habana is a member of the prolific Gleam (GB) (Galloper Light {GB}) family.
Ascot: Listed Burgess Queen S., $125,000, 1400m
Showing a nice turn of foot to put away the short-priced favourite Super Smink (Super One), Keshi Boom (Spirit Of Boom) was up in class off a Northam Class 1 victory - remaining undefeated after three starts.
Bred by Eureka Cambooya Thoroughbreds, Peter Mahony, Brian Mahony and Rex Lipp, the promising filly was sold by Eureka to Williams Racing for $120,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
The 23rd stakes winner for her Eureka-based sire, she is out of the winner Pearls For Me (Red Dazzler) whose first three foals are all winners.
Missing last year having sadly lost her two previous foals, Pearls For Me has not been a lucky broodmare, Keshi Boom her most recent live foal.
Pearls For Me is one of the seven winners (from as many to race) for the unraced Air's Precious (Air Express {Ire}), dam of the G2 Queensland Guineas winner Express Air (Piccolo {GB}) who is turn dam of the Listed Chief de Beers H. winner Simply Fly.
That horse is also by Spirit Of Boom as is Air's Precious' four-time winning grandson Prince Of Boom. As is the Listed Queen Adelaide S. winner Heaven's Deal also from this family.
A family which has enjoyed a great few years, also producing the 2021 G1 Caulfield Cup, G1 Makybe Diva S. and G1 Turnbull S. winner Incentivise (Shamus Award) who has three stakes-winning half-siblings - Ardrossan, Bergerac (Drumbeats) and Cheyenne Warrior (Not A Single Doubt).
Keshi Boom is the 11th Spirit Of Boom stakes winner line-bred to Danehill (USA), the fifth (from just 41 runners/29 winners) line-bred to Semipalatinsk (USA) and the fourth (15 runners/13 winners) line-bred to the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Never Too Late (USA) (Never Say Die {USA}) via her son Without Fear (Fr) and grandson Head Over Heels (Fr).
