Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Race-Day Recap
It was the fillies to the fore in the opening race at Moonee Valley on Saturday, with Jenni’s Meadow (Brutal {NZ}) providing her Newgate-based stallion with his first winner.
Heading to Randwick after a brave second at Ballarat on debut, Parkour (Extreme Choice) showed a sizzling burst of acceleration to gather up his rivals and win impressively under Jamie Kah.
The promising Wolfgang (Exceed And Excel) has accrued plenty of mileage in two months of racing, competing in three different states, with the colt able to chalk up another win at Doomben under Blake Shinn.
Jenni’s Meadow stamps Gold Coast credentials with strong debut
Only four runners were needed for Brutal (NZ) to get off the winning mark in the first-season sire race, with his daughter Jenni’s Meadow a strong victress at Moonee Valley to kick off proceedings on Saturday.
Settling in the back half of the field under Daniel Stackhouse, the filly moved into the race as the field rounded the corner for home, surging down the outside of her rivals and denying In Her Eyes (Star Witness) in a close finish.
The trifecta was ruled by fillies, with third placegetter Lady Gimlet (Starcraft {NZ}) holding on after being an early part of the speed, resigning Four Ace (Brutal {NZ}) to fourth.
Trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, who are developing their reputation as leading 2-year-old trainers in Victoria, the filly is another promising runner for owner Tony Ottobre, who names his horses after his late daughter Jennifer, who passed away from brain cancer in 2015.
Speaking to Racing.com after the race, co-trainer Ben Hayes revealed the way the exciting runner came into the care of Lindsay Park.
Jenni's Meadow as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“Big congratulations to Tony (Ottobre), it’s a good story behind her, we loved her at the sales and he actually beat us, so we went straight up to him and went, ‘Is there a chance we could have her to train?’ and obviously, Tony gave her to us.”
Jenni’s Meadow was bought from the draft of Raheen Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Ottobre for $260,000. She is out of a winning daughter of Redoute’s Choice, Meadow, who has produced two winners from three foals to race. Her 2022 foal, a filly by Heroic Valour, will be offered at the 2024 edition of the sale, as Lot 1256.
Jenni's Meadow is eligible to contest the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic in a fortnight, which carries $3 million in prizemoney.
Brutal (NZ) | Standing at Newgate Farm
Parkour shows his quality at start number two
Bumping into Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot {GB}) was always going to be a tricky debut for Parkour (Extreme Choice), but the baldy faced colt had the beating of his rivals in the opening race at Randwick on Saturday at his second attempt.
Given a patient ride by visiting jockey Jamie Kah, the colt showed his class over the concluding 200 metres, winning by 1.2l from Vianarra (Shalaa {Ire}), who followed the winner north from the Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic that they both contested at their prior starts.
The victory is an important one for Godolphin, who have been buying a small number of yearlings at sales in recent years, a departure from the breed-and-race focus previously utlised by the powerful operation.
They’ve already found success through In Secret (I Am Invincible) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and now Parkour has put his best hoof forward to continue the trend, having been picked up for $600,000 in the 2023 edition of the sale out of the Goodwood Farm draft.
Parkour as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“It seemed to my eye that the field only went at a leisurely gallop, so he needed to really knuckle down and run the six furlongs right out and pick them up with substantial enough sectionals,” trainer James Cummings told Channel 7 after the race. “To see him run away late is a good sign for a very promising colt.
“There’s a lot about this 2-year-old that screams out to us that he’s a 2-year-old contender.”
Parkour is out of Trestrail, a winning daughter of Sebring, who hails from a strong sprinting family. Herself a winner at 1200 metres, Parkour is her first foal to race, with her next foal a colt by Castlevecchio. She has recently visited Darley Australia shuttle stallion Pinatubo (Ire).
“There’s a lot about this 2-year-old (Parkour) that screams out to us that he’s a 2-year-old contender.” - James Cummings
Well-travelled Wolfgang chalks up second win on the bounce at Doomben
Having provided Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans their first metropolitan winner as a partnership when winning stylishly at Morphettville, Wolfgang (Exceed And Excel) showed his potential with a strong performance over 1200 metres at Doomben on Saturday.
Sent out a $1.50 favourite against a band of local rivals, the colt travelled beautifully behind the speed in the hands of Blake Shinn, peeling out shortly after passing the home corner and taking Defiant Boom (Spirit Of Boom), who gave plenty of cheek in the lead for James Orman.
Now a victor in two of his three career starts to date, Wolfgang has emerged as a leading contender for the R. Listed Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic in a fortnight, and has now ticked the box of being able to run a strong 1200 metres.
It’s a lucrative carrot to chase, with Kennewell Racing, Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) and Matt Houldsworth parting with $500,000 to secure him out of the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Wolfgang is out of the Star Witness mare Serenade, who is a half-sister to the G1 Kingston Town Classic (now Northerly S.) winner Stratum Star and electric 2-year-old Prague, both of whom are now enjoying stud careers.
Wolfgang as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
His half-brother will be offered in the 2024 iteration of the sale, with Lot 164, a colt by King’s Legacy being available for purchase.
