Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Race-Day Recap
Odinson (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) provided his 2024 Magic Millions bound Zoustar half-brother a timely update with a courageous victory in the R. Listed Inglis Nursery at Randwick on Saturday.
Darley’s Too Darn Hot (GB) has made a sizzling start with his first Southern Hemisphere runners. The son of Dubawi (Ire) was represented by his first winner earlier in the week and his stakes-performed daughter Arabian Summer proved a cut above her rivals in the valuable Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic.
Barbie’s Sister (Spirit Of Boom) emulated her full sister Outback Barbie’s deeds by winning the Listed Calaway Gal S. at Eagle Farm on Saturday. It was also a productive Saturday for her sire, Spirit Of Boom, who sired three stakes winners.
Captured By Love proved a dominant victress of Saturday’s G2 Challenge S. at Trentham, providing her Champion Sire Written Tycoon a 59th stakes winner.
Travelling to the City of Churches after a brave performance down the Flemington straight in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S., Wolfgang (Exceed And Excel) broke through with an impressive display at Morphettville.
Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan) took the entire straight of Eagle Farm to claim the Listed Pehlan Ready S. earning a spot in next month’s R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast.
Given a patient ride by Shaun McGruddy, Ducimus filly Define Beautiful was able to storm over the top of Sinful Living (Safeguard) to collect the opening race at Ascot on Saturday.
Odinson provides timely update for half-brother
Night Of Thunder’s (Ire) exciting juvenile and R. Listed Inglis Nursery victor Odinson provided his already impressive pedigree page a further update and a timely one for his Zoustar half-brother, who is set to be offered by Widden Stud as Lot 722, at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The Neil Osbourne-trained Beer Baron (Cosmic Force) looked to have the $500,000 feature for the taking, however, ridden by Tyler Schiller, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Odinson wore down the other colt to claim a narrow albeit strong success. Running into third for Stephen O’Halloran was Nymphadora, a daughter of the first-season sire Yes Yes Yes.
Beer Baron scored the $200,000 Inglis Pink Bonus for being the first eligible runner home in the Inglis Nursery. The colt's majority owner is Denise Osborne.
Odinson’s dam Good Vibes (GB), a daughter of Due Diligence (USA), was bred by Whitsbury Stud and won three races as a juvenile including the G3 Cornwallis S. at Newmarket and the Listed Marygate S. at York.
She was offered at the 2019 Tattersalls December Mares Sale where David Redvers Bloodstock paid 390,000gns (AU$780,900). Odinson, bred by Qatar Bloodstock, is Good Vibe’s first foal, while she has two colts by Zoustar including the half-brother to be offered in January.
Odinson as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Good Vibes is a half-sister to Yakushima (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), a Listed winner in Tokyo. Odinson is the 43rd overall and seventh Australia stakes winner for Night Of Thunder, who stood one season at Darley, Victoria.
Odinson, a 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate consigned by Widden Stud was purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $320,000.
Arabian Summer a dominant winner of the Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic
In conditions reflecting the antithesis of her name, Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot {GB}) enjoyed the gloomy conditions at Ballarat, running away with the Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic.
Taken straight to the front by Harry Coffey, who is enjoying a strike rate of almost 20 per cent when partnering with trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy, the filly spun the corner with plenty in the locker, and was able to accelerate away to record a 3.5l win.
Filling the placings behind Arabian Summer, was Godolphin's $600,000 yearling purchase Parkour (Extreme Choice) and Vianarra (Shalaa {Ire}).
Her time of 56.70s pushed the track record, which has stood for 18 years, an almighty effort for a 2-year-old having her third career start on a rain-affected surface.
“It (the track) didn’t feel soft, that’s what it felt like, she was very quick and moved well throughout,” Coffey said after the race, the second leg of a treble to commence the program, all in collaboration with the McEvoys.
“She really let down nicely, she got to the front easily and controlled it, so you’d expect her to quicken well, but she moved well in those soft conditions.”
“She (Arabian Summer) really let down nicely, she got to the front easily and controlled it, so you’d expect her to quicken well, but she moved well in those soft conditions.” - Harry Coffey
The second winner in three days for shuttle stallion Too Darn Hot (GB), the filly may head north for the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January. She is her sires 28th winner overall, out of a winning daughter of Street Cry (Ire), Maraam. Purchased for $220,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Coolmore Stud, she has finished in the placings at all three of her career starts to date.
Coolmore offers a Wootton Bassett (GB) half-sister to Arabian Summer at the Magic Millions in January (Lot 914).
Too Darn Hot (GB) | Standing at Darley
Sister lives up to name
The debut of Barbie’s Sister (Spirit Of Boom) at the Sunshine Coast in November created plenty of hype given she is a full sister to the talented and tough Outback Barbie.
The Tony Gollan-trained 2-year-old was denied on that occasion by Poster Girl (Alabama Express). Taking plenty of experience from that occasion Barbie’s Sister put it to good use on Saturday running out a dominant winner of the Listed Calaway Gal S. at Eagle Farm.
The victory gives Barbie’s Sister a spot in January’s $3 million R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast and emulated her sister's success in the Calaway Gal in 2017.
Despite still showing inexperience towards the end of the race, Barbie’s Sister under James Orman, had plenty in hand to hold El Morzillo (Star Witness) and Satin Stiletto (Written Tycoon).
Outback Barbie, trained by Gollan, was an outstanding performer over several campaigns. Retiring a winner of five races and placings in the races the quality G2 Silver Shadow S. and was placed in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and R. Listed Magic Millions Guineas.
Barbie's Sister as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Barbie’s Sister is the second individual stakes winner from six foals for the General Nediym mare Pure Purrfection, a winner of the Listed Bribie H.
Harvey Black paid $300,000 to secure Barbie’s Sister from the draft of Eureka Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Eureka Stud stands the brilliant Spirit Of Boom, sired an incredible three stakes winners with his 5-year-old daughter Chatty Lady winning the Listed Just Now S. and his son All That Pizzazz also claiming a Listed race.
The triple brings Spirt Of Boom's stakes tally to 25.
Spirit Of Boom | Standing at Eureka Stud
Challenge Stakes no obstacle for Captured By Love
Opie Bossom was able to make the 55kg to ride Captured By Love (Written Tycoon), and the effort proved fruitful, with the filly powering away to claim the G2 Challenge S. at Trentham on Saturday.
Having broken her maiden in comfortable fashion at Tauherenikau in mid-November, the filly was respected on bookmakers’ boards, and quickly put herself in the lead after a swift exit from the barriers.
Out of Snitzel mare Moldova, who was twice a winner as a 2-year-old in Australia, Captured By Love is the first of her foals to race. The family has had plenty of success in winning juvenile races, Moldova’s half-sister, La Girl (Not A Single Doubt) was also a winner at two.
Poetic Champion (NZ) (Super Seth) looked set to feature in the finish as the field turned to greet the judge, but racing manners proved troublesome, the gelding racing erratically and keeping jockey Vinnie Colgan busy. He was still able to hold down second, from Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard), who looked to be doing her best work late.
The arrogant performance gives Written Tycoon stakes win number 59, and sets her on the right path to reclaim the $525,000 paid for her at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with David Ellis of Te Akau Racing taking her from the draft of Milburn Creek.
Captured By Love as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Workmanlike for Beau Dazzler
The Listed Phelan Ready S. wasn’t an easy watch for backers of the race favourite Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan) with the Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained 2-year-old lunging late to deny Mishani Explorer (Top Echelon) and Butwedid (Performer) at Eagle Farm.
In securing a success in the Listed Phelan Ready, Beau Dazzler becomes the first winner in Australia for Waikato Stud’s second-season sire Ardrossan, and his third stakes winner overall.
Ardrossan, a son of the great Redoute’s Choice, was a Group 3 winner on the track and has proven a promising young sire with eight winners from 23 starters.
Beau Dazzler was sourced by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman alongside Sears Racing for NZ$85,000 from the draft of Mapperley Stud at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
The colt is the second stakes winner from a daughter of Pentire (GB) on Saturday, with the G3 Bonecrusher S. victor Lupo Solitario (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) also from a daughter of the sire.
Beau Dazzler (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Beau Dazzler’s dam Pwerfect (NZ) was unplaced in her career but descends from the family of the Champion Sire Fame And Glory (Ire), a winner of 14 races including the G1 Irish Derby, the G1 Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and the G1 Coronation Cup.
While the dual Group 1 winner Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) is also a relative.
Beau Dazzler is eligible to push on towards next month’s R. Listed Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic.
Ardrossan | Standing at Waikato Stud
Wolfgang howls in blustery Morphettville conditions
Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans enjoyed their first metropolitan winner in official partnership, with Wolfgang (Exceed And Excel) negotiating the challenging Morphettville conditions to record his first win.
Previously seen competing in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. at Flemington in October, the colt relished a drop in class, and being the only horse with race experience in the six-horse field, leading his rivals a merry dance under Dominic Tourneur to win by 1.8l.
By Exceed And Excel, who continues his glistening record as a producer of 2-year-olds, he is out of Star Witness mare Serenade, who was twice victorious as a 2-year-old. He is also related to G1 Kingston Town Classic (now Northerly S., also run on Saturday) winner Stratum Star and talented sprinter Prague, who stands at Kia Ora Stud.
Purchased for $500,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Kennewell Racing, Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) and Matt Holdsworth, he graduated from the draft of Bhima Bloodstock.
Define Beautiful scores professional win at Ascot
Given a patient ride by Shaun McGruddy, Ducimus filly Define Beautiful was able to storm over the top of Sinful Living (Safeguard) to collect the opening race at Ascot on Saturday.
With a howling easterly playing into the minds of the riding group, a frenetic speed was on from the word go, with William Pike on Sinful Living and Damien Oliver on Big Shots (Sizzling) eager to position as prominently as possible.
The Trevor Andrews-trained filly finished strongly when called upon by McGruddy, storming to the lead in the concluding stages and widening the margin through the line to win by 0.75l.
She is the fifth winner from 13 runners for Ducimus, out of unraced War Chant (USA) mare Renegade Girl. She has already had success as a producer in Western Australia, with Who By Fire (Cohen) a winner over 1600 metres.
Define Beautiful as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Purchased for $70,000 out of the Alwyn Park Stud draft by Trevor Andrews Racing at the 2023 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, her last-to-first victory on Saturday over 1000 metres positions her nicely for the autumn 2-year-old features at Ascot, including the G2 Karrakatta Plate.
