Widden Stud purchase I Am Unstoppable
Mat Becker’s Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) has brokered a deal with Antony Thompson’s historic Widden Stud for the Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans-trained I Am Unstoppable, a son of Australia’s reigning Champion Sire I Am Invincible.
I Am Unstoppable won the Listed Redoute’s Choice S. as a juvenile and was placed in the sire making G1 Coolmore Stud S. and the G2 Danehill S. during the spring.
I Am Unstoppable | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Thompson said in a press release, “I Am Unstoppable was a fast, unbeaten stakes-winner at two that has trained on at three and has all the attributes we like to see in a stallion prospect, and I was blown away when I saw him last week.”
Reportedly, the colt has returned to pre-training and will be aimed at races such as the G1 Lightning S. and the G1 Newmarket H.
Strong nominations for Magic Millions 2YO Classic
Racing Queensland released the top 30 horses in the order of entry for the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic on Tuesday, with a number of exciting prospects currently well-positioned to feature at the summer spectacular.
Heading the first release of the order of entry is Eneeza (Exceed And Excel), a dominant winner of the Listed Merson Cooper S. at Caulfield on Saturday. Second in the order is Dublin Down (Exceedance), who could give an enormous boost to his freshman sire's reputation by taking out the $2 million feature.
Impressive colt Bodyguard (I Am Invincible) occupies fourth spot off the back of his win in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. in early October, while impressive Saturday winner Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) occupies position number nine.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott also have Straight Charge (Written By) in the mix, the G3 Breeders’ Plate runner-up sits 16th in the current order of entry.
Also in the mix is exciting Tassort filly Astapor, who could give Rockhampton-based trainer Clinton Taylor a career highlight under the Gold Coast sun. She currently occupies 10th place, meaning she will likely need at least one more start to assure her security in the field.
Snowdens prepare assault on Magic Millions 3YO Guineas
Powerful training partnership Peter and Paul Snowden are set to play a strong hand in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in January, with five horses in the top 15 spots of the current order of entry.
Chief among them is Empire Of Japan (Snitzel), who hasn’t been seen since running fourth in the G2 Champagne Classic at Doomben in May. Also occupying order of entry positions sufficient to gain starts for the Snowdens are Sovereign Fund (Capitalist), Godfather (I Am Invincible), Snapback (Snitzel) and Heman (I Am Invincible).
Cifrado (Encryption) sits atop the current order, having accrued over $850,000 in prizemoney to date.
Chris Waller-trained Chrysaor (Better Than Ready), who last start won the G2 Callandar-Presnell S. at Randwick, also features prominently as a leading contender for the $3 million in riches available.
Highfield Princess ready to fire in Hong Kong
John Quinn is hopeful his star sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) can give Great Britain a first win in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint.
The daughter of Night Of Thunder (Ire) missed the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in North America in favour for Hong Kong’s premier sprint.
John Quinn | Image courtesy of Ian Hodgson
“It was a difficult decision but we purposely skipped it in the hope we could give her the best chance to get to Hong Kong in top form,” Quinn told Punters.
“We were always thinking this year would be a lighter campaign. Her first run was in May and she turned up at every big gig all year and ran brilliantly.”
Freedman eyes Plate
Sam Freedman, co-trainer of the 2023 Melbourne and Caulfield Cup winner Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) revealed the gelding has Cox Plate aspirations.
Freedman recently visited Without A Fight’s owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid to deliver the Cups, “We had discussions in Dubai and we would love to win all three,” he told Racing.com.
“Without A Fight has the speed to do that he has shown fresh in a campaign he can do that.”
Sam Freedman with Without A Fight (Ire) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
The Freedmans currently train Without A Fight, Legend Of Dubai (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Dubai Poet (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) for Mohammed Obaid along with several unraced horses. However, Freedman said they are open to accepting more, “Sheikh Mohammed Obaid owns 80-100 horses over in the UK, regally bred horses, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t watching every single one of them run and push for certain ones to come out to Australia.”
Spywire Phelan Ready for Queensland campaign
Exciting colt Spywire (Trapeze Artist) will look to solidify his case as a leading R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic hope on Saturday, when he contests the Listed Phelan Ready S.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained 2-year-old was an impressive debut winner at Rosehill in November, roaring away under Tyler Schiller to record a 2.3l victory.
Chris Waller has nominated Too Darn Hot (GB) colt Aboveforty for the Phelan Ready, while Mishani Explorer (Top Echelon) will look to string together successive wins after breaking through on debut at the Sunshine Coast.
Don’t forget about Young’s charge
Co-trainer Natalie Young expects sharp improvement from Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G1 Northerly S. at Ascot on Saturday, after finishing down the track in the G1 Railway S.
Speaking about the run, Young told The Races WA, “On face value it was a little disappointing, but then he floated to Sydney, had a plane trip to Perth and then with the heat, it all just flattened him a little bit.”
Forgot You (NZ) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Veteran jockey Paul Harvey, who can boast four wins in the 1800-metre Group 1, has taken the ride, replacing Daniel Moor, giving Young some local expertise around an often tricky Ascot circuit.
“He’s a great rider and a nice good strong rider too,” Young said of Harvey, “It’s what you want for this type of horse and he knows the track well.”
French stakes winner for Shalaa
The Woodside Park Stud boys are firing on all cylinders. Resident stallions Vancouver and Rich Enuff sired the first two home in Saturday’s G1 Winterbottom S. However, eager not to be left out of the action was Shalaa (Ire), whose 4-year-old son Siam Paragon (Fr) won the Listed Prix Luthier S. over the weekend. It was the second stakes victory for the entire, having earlier claimed the Listed Prix de Pontarme.
Yonce on the comeback
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Yonce (NZ) (Proisir) has taken further steps towards her comeback to racing on Monday with a jump-out.
Yonce was last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Queen of the Turf in 2022. However, Maher was happy with the daughter of Proisir’s latest jump-out effort.
“She’s trialled well, but she just wanted to overdo it a fraction early and it took a little bit out of her finish,” Maher said.
“Yonce is still getting there. It’s her third jump-out and just getting her back is the main thing.
“She did a super job and went to Group 1 company and ran well, so she’s that sort of quality.”
Defibrillate retired
The G1 Zabeel Classic winner Defibrillate (NZ) (Shocking) has been retired. The multiple stakes winner was trained in Australia by Patrick Payne, and started his career under his breeder Graham Richardson in New Zealand.
“He won three Listed races over there, sadly we couldn’t get over there much due to COVID at the time, but I managed to get one of his races when he won at Flemington,” Richardson told Racing.com.
Defibrillate (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We’ve retired Defibrillate, he’s had a couple of bad incidents in his races and hasn’t been the same since, but he’s certainly earned his way.
“He’s been a great horse and I want to look after him.”
Brown’s Capacity surges to Matriarch victory
The Chad Brown-trained Surge Capacity (USA) (Flintshire {GB}) proved best of Brown’s four entries in the G1 Matriarch S. at Del Mar.
The 3-year-old daughter of Flintshire (GB) took a lucky gap to nab stablemate Fluffy Socks (USA) (Slumber {GB}).
Surge Capacity (USA) | Image courtesy of Benoit
Surge Capacity, already a dual Group 3 victress, becomes the first Group 1 winner for the Champion Turf horse and son of Dansili (GB).
Surge Capacity is from the Listed-winning Warrior’s Reward (USA) mare Strong Incentive (USA), and is a half-sister to the G3 Monmouth Cup victor Highly Motivated (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).
Kay Army is something special
Kay Army (Chi) (Katmai {Chi}) has been making a splash in his native Chile and after winning Saturday’s St Leger by 6l looks set to take out the Chilean Triple Crown. Kay Army’s had already won the El Ensayo (Chilean version of the Guineas).
Kay Army is a son of Katmai (Chi), a son of Scat Daddy (USA) was unbeaten in all five starts as a 2-year-old and won all four of his starts as a 3-year-old, all being Group 1s. In total Kay Army’s has beaten his competition by 44.25l.
Stay Hot rebounds
Stay Hot (USA) (Summer Front {USA}) rebounded from an unplaced effort in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf with a late-flying victory in the G3 Cecil B. DeMille S. at Del Mar on Sunday.
The ridgling is the 18th stakes winner for the Airdrie Stud-based Summer Front (USA), a son of the Champion Sire War Front (USA). Stay Hot is a half-sister to the G2 Wonder Again S. victress Prerequisite (USA) (Upstart {USA}).
Vale Sun King
Multiple graded stakes winner Sun King (USA) (Charismatic {USA}), a retiree at Old Friends since 2017, was euthanised Saturday at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital due to inoperable cancer, the Georgetown retirement facility reported Sunday. He was 21.
Sun King (USA) | Image courtesy of Laura Battles
Campaigned by Tracy Farmer and trained by Nick Zito, Sun King won the G3 Pennsylvania Derby, G3 Tampa Bay Derby and G3 Leonard Richards S. in 2005 and added the G2 Commonwealth Breeders' Cup S. in 2006.
He hit the board in eight Grade I events, including third place finishes in the 2004 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and GI Champagne S. and runner-up efforts in the 2005 GI Haskell S., 2006 GI Whitney S. and GI Metropolitan H., as well as the 2007 GI Woodward S.
