Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix
Ascot: G3 Damien Oliver Gold Rush., $1,500,000, 1400m
A historic moment in Australian racing, the final ride for the superstar jockey Damien Oliver - choosing his home state for his swansong (in a race renamed in his honour, in front of a grandstand also renamed), riding a horse trained in his adopted city Melbourne.
The barrier gods were not kind to Munhamek (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) - for the imported 8-year-old to win he was going to need a bit of that Ollie magic.
And he got just that, ridden patiently back in the field, not covering any extra ground as he dashed through the field taking the gaps as they came.
One hundred metres out the crowd's roar could be heard through the TV screens, Oliver and Munhamek were flying; the horse - may we romantically ponder - sensing just how important it was that he put his best hoof forward at this moment?
Though he is a horse who has always known how to find the line, this win the gelding's 10th from a 52-start career - one which has seen him race - and win - in England, Hong Kong and Australia.
Bred by Shadwell, he was a debut winner at Thirsk in March 2019 having been purchased by Kilbride Equine for 16,000gns (AU$31,800) at the 2018 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.
He had another three starts in the UK (another win and two seconds) before venturing to Hong Kong where he took a while to find his feet, eventually managing a couple of wins at Sha Tin.
Making a winning local debut at Caulfield in August last year and in June this year he won the Listed Spear Chief H. at Eagle Farm.
One of the 100 stakes winners for his Yeomanstown Stud-based sire who commands a fee of €60,000 (AU$97,700), Munhamek is out of Cadenza (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) who has produced another three winners including Anif (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) who has won 11 races.
Cadenza is a half-sister to the G3 September S. winner Kandidate (GB) (Kabool {GB}) and the G3 Prix de Meautry winner Star Valley (Fr) (Starborough {GB}). Her grandam is the Listed Prix Belle de Nuit winner Valley Quest (Ire) (Rainbow Quest {USA}) whose half-sister Valdara (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) produced the G1 Sydney Cup winner The Offer (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).
This is the prolific Simon's Shoes (GB) (Simon Square {GB}) family that has produced such outstanding stallions as Sadler's Wells (USA), Nureyev (USA), Fairy King (USA) and Thatching (Ire).
Listed Starstruck Classic, $125,000, 1600m
Game holding off a late challenge from the favourite Super Smink (Super One), Rusty Dreams (Universal Ruler) was also strongly fancied on the back of her game Listed Jungle Dawn Classic second to Baby Paris (Playing God).
The 11th stakes winner for her Scenic Lodge-based sire, a Group 3-winning son of Scenic (Ire), Rusty Dreams is a homebred for the Canal Enterprise Syndicate out of the unraced She Done Him Wrong (Oratorio).
Not served since producing Rusty Dreams (though no Stud Book record for this season as yet), She Done Him Wrong has just one other foal - the city winner Rusty Spirit (Trade Fair {GB}).
She Done Him Wrong is a half-sister to the stakes-placed, triple city winner Rusty Peaches (Danehill Express) out of a daughter of the G2 Champion Fillies S. winner Mercurial Madam (Is It True {USA}).
Whilst Rusty Dreams' sire is a member of the Sadler's Wells (USA) sireline, his dam is bred on a cross of that great stallion's close relations Nureyev (USA) - his three-quarter brother - and Fairy King (USA) - his full brother.
Giving Rusty Dreams a 4 X 5 cross of Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}) and a 5 X 5 X 6 cross of that mare's dam Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}).
Eagle Farm: G3 Grand Prix S., $300,000, 2100m
Storming home out wide, Encoder (Encryption) was still a little green over the final stages but still too good.
Bred by Heinrich Bloodstock Syndicate, he made his way through the sales ring on two occasions - sold by Alexia Fraser Bloodstock to the Smarter Energy Group for $10,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale and by Lucas Bloodstock to Dream Thoroughbreds and Lee Freedman Racing for $40,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
She is the second stakes winner for her Eureka Stud-based, dual Group-winning sire, a son of Lonhro. Her dam is the five-time winner Eight Below (Sebring) who has also produced the Group-placed, multiple city winner Soothsayer (Divine Prophet).
Served last spring by Divine Prophet after foaling a Whittington filly, Eight Below is out of a daughter of the G2 South African Oaks winner Stormy Hill (Danehill {USA}) who also produced the dual Listed winner Bridal Hill (Unbridled's Song {USA}).
Stormy Hill's dam is the G1 VRC, AJC and Queensland Oaks winner November Rain (Estaminet {GB}) whose grandson Stormhill won three races at Group level.
Encoder carries four strains of Danehill (USA); two sons - Exceed And Excel and Flying Spur - and two daughters, Camarena and Stormy Hill. He is a descendant of the influential matriarch Marchetta (GB) (Marco {GB}), a mare who strong influences the pedigree of Encryption's grandsire Octagonal (NZ).
Listed Gold Edition Plate, $200,000, 1200m
It was a deserved black-type breakthrough for the consistent filly Abounding (Rich Enuff) who had been in the placings in stakes company on four occasions.
Bred by Telemon Thoroughbreds, she was sold by them to First Light Racing and Robert Heathcote Racing for $75,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale (Book 2).
She is the sixth stakes winner (all of whom are fillies) for her Woodside Park-based sire, a dual Group-winning son of Written Tycoon.
She is one of the four winners (from five to race) for the G2 Wakeful S. placegetter Transonic (Casino Prince), also dam of the dual city winner Tysonic (Written Tycoon) and the 12 times (the latest a couple of weeks ago) winner Starsonic (Zoustar).
Served last spring by Russian Camelot (Ire) after foaling a colt by that same stallion, Transonic has a 2-year-old City Bound by Sun City.
Transonic is one of the three winners for the Group 1-placed Jet Past (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}) whose grandam is the G3 Grangewilliam S. winner Touch Of Silver (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}).
And Touch Of Silver's dam is the G1 Railway H. winner Silver Liner (NZ) (Sovereign Edition {Ire}) whose daughter Petrava (NZ) (Imposing) was crowned South African Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.
Petrava did a great job at stud with her eight winners including Hoeberg (NZ) (Maroof {USA}) who earned the titles of the Champion 3-Year-Old Classic Filly in South Africa and Champion 4-Year-Old Classic Mare in Singapore and the two-time Group winner Jallad (USA).
Also from this excellent international family is the South African Champion 2- and 3-Year-Old Filly Princess Victoria (SAf) (Victory Moon {SAf}) whose granddaughter Princess Calla (SAf) (Flower Alley {USA}) was Horse of the Year in South Africa.
Like the day's earlier stakes winner Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}), Abounding is a descenant of the classy broodmare Francolin (NZ) (Paper Money {GB}). And she is in turn a descendant of the influential Kite (GB) (Bustard {GB}) - ancestress of Rich Enuff.
Her grandsire, Written Tycoon, is bred on the same Last Tycoon (Ire)/Kenmare (Fr) cross as the dam of her dam sire Casino Prince.
Listed Lough Neagh S., $200,000, 1400m
He was odds-on and he won like it, Far Too Easy (All Too Hard) racing clear to an easy victory, his first at black-type level on the back of three stakes placings.
The 24th stakes winner for his Vinery Stud-based, multiple Group 1-winning sire, he was bred by Gerry Harvey and sold by his Baramul Stud to Tresbland Pty Ltd for $45,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale (Book 2).
He is the second stakes winner for the unraced Mnemonic (Hussonet {USA}), also dam of the dual Listed-winning, Singapore-based gelding Hard Too Think - also by All Too Hard.
Foaling a full sister to her two stakes winners in October, Mnemonic had another All Too Hard - a colt - last year. Her yet-to-race 3-year-old Eclipsion is another by the same sire; he being a yet-to-race member of the Price and Kent Jnr stable.
Mnemonic is out of a half-sister to the G2 QTC Cup and three-time Listed winner Into The Night (Rhythm {USA}) from the same branch of the prolific Chelandry (GB) (Goldfinch {GB}) family as the G1 The Galaxy winner Jetball.
Far Too Easy's sire and dam are both bred on a Mr Prospector (USA)/Sir Ivor (USA)/Vain cross.
