Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Race-Day Recap
Having put the writing firmly on the wall in her first start when second in the G3 Ottawa S. at Flemington in early November, Eneeza (Exceed And Excel) capitalised on her talent to win the Listed Merson Cooper S. at Caulfield in dominant fashion.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Storm Boy (Justify {USA}), was an impressive 2.3l winner over Godolphin’s Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Les Ross-trained Mishani Aloha (Kobayashi) took her earnings over $150,000 from early three starts at Doomben on Saturday.
Expensive filly coasts to victory in Merson Cooper
Having put the writing firmly on the wall in her first start in the G3 Ottawa S. at Flemington in early November, Eneeza (Exceed And Excel) capitalised on her talent to win the Listed Merson Cooper S. at Caulfield in dominant fashion.
In dreary conditions for the first Saturday meeting of the summer, jockey Damian Lane found the right run in transit, and as soon as the opportunity to put the race to bed presented, he grabbed it with both hands.
“She’s a lovely filly, very professional, (she) does things right,” Lane told Racing.com in the immediate aftermath.
“She just was probably not at her best down the straight because she had a horse on her outside laying in on her, and (she was) just not completely sure whereas today around the bend she just travelled so sweetly, switched legs and just wanted to career away.
“She’s done it with a fair bit in hand, she floated a bit once she got in front, so she’s exciting going forward.”
“She’s (Eneeza) done it with a fair bit in hand, she floated a bit once she got in front, so she’s exciting going forward.” - Damian Lane
The near-immediate success of this filly is a valuable one, with Kia Ora Stud having parted with $1,100,000 to secure her from the draft of Silverdale Farm at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
By a proven producer of early types Exceed And Excel, Eneeza is out of G2 Euclase S. and Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. winner Sweet Sherry (Bel Esprit). Winning four races in totality, she was a dashing runner over sprinting distances, and looks to have passed that attribute down to her second live foal.
Eneeza is the 214th stakes winner for Darley's Exceed And Excel.
Eneeza as a yearling | Image coyrtesy of Magic Millions
There was some good runs behind the winner, most notably Flattered (Yes Yes Yes), who was taking good late ground under the steering of Billy Egan. She has shown some good potential as an early flagbearer for first-season sire Yes Yes Yes, with a deep pedigree. Her dam, Zizzis (Sizzling) is a half-sister to Rubisaki (Rubick), also trained by Patrick Payne, both of whom won as 2-year-olds.
Flattered was a $130,000 purchase from the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Weanling Sale. Express Yo’self (Alabama Express) ran third, while Media World (Written Tycoon) was a noted drifter on official prices, doubling his quote from 9am of race morning, and plugged away to finish 4l adrift of the winner.
Storm Boy brings trial form to raceday
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Storm Boy, a son of Justify (USA) had been trialling up a storm before his raceday debut at Rosehill on Saturday.
Storm Boy showed the stables typical toe, bouncing from the barriers cleanly and quickly into stride, ridden by Tim Clark, controlled the 1100-metre trip and upon entering the straight found another gear to bound home an impressive 2.3l winner over Godolphin’s Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}), who finished strongly after being dispatched at the rear of the field in the early stages.
Clark was impressed with the colt telling Sky Racing post-race, “He had shown everybody at the trials what sort of potential he has but you’ve still got to come to the races and do it under pressure.
“Storm Boy jumped well and had the race under control, he pricked his ears and was waiting for company throughout the run but picked up well when I was asked him. He’s a big gross colt and even when you ride him, he still feels heavy, so a run or two will really refine him and bring him on.
“I think he’s doing it now because he’s got so much talent but he will train on.”
“He’s (Storm Boy) a big gross colt and even when you ride him, he still feels heavy, so a run or two will really refine him and bring him on. I think he’s doing it now because he’s got so much talent but he will train on.” - Tim Clark
Running into third was the Star Thoroughbreds-raced Canara (I Am Invincible). Storm Boy’s victory continues the emerging Justify/Fastnet Rock cross that has produced the star juvenile Learning To Fly, the North American stakes winner Just Steel (USA) and the Kiwi Group 3 victress Star Of Justice.
His dam Pelican (NZ) (Fastnet Rock) won twice before retirement after nine starts. Storm Boy is her first foal and she is a daughter of the grand Kiwi mare Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Twice crowned the New Zealand Horse of the Year in her illustrious career that gathered 14 wins and races the calibre of the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and the G1 Telegraph H.
Storm Boy was a $460,000 purchase by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the draft of Coolmore Stud (as agent for Morning Rise) at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Storm Boy as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The second-placed Traffic Warden comes from a family known for producing stakes winners for the Godolphin operation. He is the second foal from the Exceed And Excel mare Efficiently, a half-sister to the G1 Kennedy Oaks victress Willowy (Kermadec {NZ}) and stakes winners Skilled and Ambidexter.
Kobayashi filly waves Aloha to rivals
Mishani Aloha (Kobayashi) has been one of the standouts from the early juvenile races in Queensland. Trained by Les Ross, the daughter of Kobayashi was fourth on debut behind the smart prospect Devine Force (Cosmic Force) at Eagle Farm, before breaking her maiden at Doomben over 1200 metres beating Head Honcho (Headwater).
Lining up for start three back at Doomben, the filly once again proved her superiority over that rival with an increased winning margin of 1.3l, while her stablemate Mishani Express (Sidestep) finished third.
The success brought Mishani Aloha’s earnings to $150,550 from only three starts, a vast increase of her $4000 purchase price by Mishani Enterprises when offered by KBL Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale.
Mishani Aloha is the fourth foal from the Refuse To Bend (Ire) mare Hawaiian Princess. She won twice from 1200 to 1600 metres and is from the family of the G2 Wakeful S. victress Quays (Royal Academy {USA}), who was also placed in the G1 Australian Oaks, the G1 Arrowfield Stud S. and the G1 Queensland Oaks.
Furthermore, Mishani Aloha is from the family of the talented Charlie Boy (Myboycharlie {Ire}), a winner of the G2 Danehill S. and placed in the G1 Doomben 10,000 twice.
Mishani Aloha claims back-to-back wins at Doomben | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Mishani Aloha is eligible for the 2024 R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. However, it hasn’t been declared the filly will target the valuable feature. The acceptances for the $3 million feature will close on Monday, December 11.
Seventh winner for Ardrossan
Waikato Stud’s young sire Ardrossan scored his seventh individual winner courtesy of the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Maracatu (NZ) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The 2-year-old gelding, ridden by Warren Kennedy, won from Montana Bay (NZ) (Thunder Down Under) and Sister Ping (NZ) (Street Boss {USA}).
Maracatu is from the Sepoy mare Cortado (NZ), who placed in the Listed Levin RC Ryder S. and is from the family of the G1 New Zealand Oaks victress Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}).
The gelding was a NZ$190,000 purchase by Te Akau Racing’s principal David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) from the draft of Mapperley Stud at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
