Cover image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Race-Day Recap
Fillies continued their dominance in the G1 Levin Classic at Trentham, with the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Quintessa (Shamus Award) saluting in the feature for Te Akau Racing.
The tough and consistent Stephen Marsh-trained Mercurial (Burgundy) scored a breakthrough Group 1 success in the Telegraph on Saturday at Trentham.
It was a good Saturday at Trentham for Coolmore sires, with both Churchill and Saxon Warrior getting on the board. Churchill’s daughter Churchillian was too good in the G3 Anniversary H., providing her sire with his second Southern Hemisphere stakes winner.
King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible) reminded everybody of his love for the summer in the Gold Coast with a dominant victory in the $1 million It’s Live! In Queensland Magic Millions Snippets.
South Australia raider Sghirripa (Lonhro) conquered Caulfield last start and found the Flemington straight no harder, recording a decisive victory in the G3 Standish H.
Robert Heathcote’s classy filly Abounding (Rich Enuff) provided First Light Racing and their ownership a massive payday with a brilliant win in the $3 million R. Listed Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
Annabel Neasham’s Lady Laguna (Overshare) was victorious in the $1 million TAB Magic Millions Fillies & Mares feature over 1300 metres at the Gold Coast.
Quintesa digs deep in Classic
On Saturday, Champion Jockey Opie Bosson won his fifth edition of the G1 Levin Classic at Trentham. Partnering with the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) for Te Akau Racing, the pair dug deep in the concluding stages of the mile feature to hold off a charging Zabmanzor (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) and a game Impendabelle (Impending).
Quintessa followed in the footsteps of her Champion stablemate Impertartiz (I Am Invincible), who won the Levin Classic in 2022. The daughter of Shamus Award continued the dominance fillies have had in the feature, with the last five editions of the Levin Classic going the way of the girls and the last three trophies heading to the Te Akau Racing operation.
The last colt or gelding to salute in the race was Madison Country (NZ) (Pins) in 2019. The filly is the sixth Group 1 winner for the Rosemont Stud-based Shamus Award. Quintessa's dam, the five-time winner Chaquinta (NZ), is a daughter of High Chaparral (Ire).
Chaquinita won from 2000 to 2700 metres and is closely related to Dionysus (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), a victor of the G3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the G3 Waikato Cup.
Quintessa (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Quintessa was a NZ$170,000 purchase by David Ellis CNZM (BANZ) from the draft of Wentwood Grange at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Railway form to the fore in Telegraph
Nobody would begrudge the success of the Stephan Marsh-trained Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) in the G1 Telegraph on Saturday. The honest competitor was a last-start third behind his stablemate Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) in the G1 Railway but had his day in the sun at Trentham.
Ridden by Sam Spratt, Mercurial was a narrow winner over Express Yourself (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) and Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}). Mercurial, a homebred for M Darvill, A W Flexman, C T Jones, T Myers and R Wyeth, has won six races and was placed twice at stakes level before Saturday’s breakthrough.
Mercurial is the 11th stakes winner for his late sire Burgundy (NZ).
Mercurial (NZ) wins the G1 Telegraph at Trentham (pictured left) | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Abounding provides a $3 million thrill to First Light Racing
First Light Racing and their ownership will likely be celebrating on Saturday night after gun filly Abounding (Rich Enuff) landed the $3 million R. Listed Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
The Robert Heathcote filly, ridden by Martin Harley, defeated a classy field of 3-year-old gallopers. Finishing second was the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Sovereign Fund (Capitalist). Meanwhile, in third, ending at a rate of knots on the outside was Flying Trapeze (Trapeze Artist) for Gary Portelli.
Transonic (Casino Prince), the dam of Abounding, won four races from 1500 to 1900 metres and was placed in the G2 Wakeful S. and the Listed Ethereal S. Abounding has four races from 11 starts and scored the Listed Gold Edition Plate last start.
Always a classy proposition, she was placed in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic and several other stakes events. Abounding was a $75,000 purchase by First Light Racing and Robert Heathcote Racing from the draft of Telemon Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sparta crowned Gold Coast King
King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible) is undoubtedly a Gold Coast boy. The classy Peter and Paul Snowden-trained 5-year-old gelding always seems to find his best in the Sunshine State. Having already claimed the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas and the Magic Millions Sprint, he was back in action in the $1 million It’s Live! In Queensland Magic Millions Snippets over 1200 metres.
Ridden by James McDonald, the pair dominated Petronius (Redoute’s Choice) and the Victorian visitor Rose Quartz (Written Tycoon).
Speaking after King Of Sparta’s victory, co-trainer Peter Snowden told Sky Racing, “I told James McDonald, you can afford to give the opposition a bit of a start to get King Of Sparta balanced, but when he jumped and stepped late, I thought, 'Oh dear I might have said too much there,’ but at the 600-metre he started to truck up and went around them in a couple of strides.
“He’s a pretty talented horse. Not to put any horses down, he raced today (Saturday), but he had been running against the absolute elite. King Of Sparta thoroughly deserved that.
“I was asked this morning, if he won today, what would I do with him? I said, “Get him ready for next year!’”
“I was asked this morning, if he (King Of Sparta) won today (Saturday), what would I do with him? I said, ‘Get him ready for next year!’” - Peter Snowden
King Of Sparta is the best winner from the G3 Cockram S. victress Octavia (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). He has won six races, including the G3 Bletchingly S. and the Listed Falvelon Quality.
The gelding was a $700,000 purchase by China Horse Club, Newgate Bloodstock and Starlight Racing from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Gallery: Images courtesy of Magic Millions
Gusty Lady stuns in finale
Lady Laguna (Overshare) took out the last race on the Gold Coast card, the $1 million TAB Magic Millions Fillies & Mares over 1300 metres.
The Annabel Neasham-trained 4-year-old had not been offered through public auction as a juvenile; instead, she earned her way into the $1 million feature, gaining a wildcard entry when winning the Listed Magic Millions Nudgee S.
Ridden by James McDonald, Lady Laguna was slightly wayward as she galloped to the line. Finishing second was Miss Hellfire (Hellbent), and in third was Maid To Fit (Snitzel). Lady Laguna is from the Encosta De Lago mare Catalina De Lago (NZ). A victress of three races from 1400 to 1600 metres, she is a half-sister to the G2 Edward Manifold S. victress She Will Be Loved (Strategic).
Lady Laguna takes out the $1 million TAB Magic Millions Fillies & Mares | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Lady Laguna is Catalina De Lago’s best runner from two foals to race. She has won five races up to 1200 metres. In addition to the Nudgee S. and Saturday’s success, Lady Laguna has recorded top three placings in the Listed Mick Dittman Plate, the G3 Gold Coast Guineas, the G2 Percy Sykes S. and several other stake events.
Sghirripa in a different postcode
Exciting sprinter Sghirripa (Lonhro) put together consecutive stakes victories and booked a ticket to the G1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. The 4-year-old gelding trained by Shane and Cassie Oxlade took out the Listed Christmas S. at Caulfield last start and tackled a new frontier on Saturday - the Flemington straight in the G3 Standish H.
It proved no obstacle. Ridden by Craig Newitt, the grey was in a different postcode to his opposition at the finish line, winning by 3l from Crosshaven (Smart Missile) and Curran (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).
Sghirripa was a $70,000 purchase by Francesco Sghirripa from the draft of Grenville Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Churchillian caps superb Saturday for Pike
Cambridge-based horseman Tony Pike enjoyed a superb Saturday at Trentham. In Race 4, Pike saddled up the progressive 2-year-old Archaic Smile (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) to claim the Listed Wellesley S. and followed that success with the classy 4-year-old mare Churchillian (Churchill {Ire}) in the G3 Anniversary H.
A victress of six races from 13 starts, Churchillian, ridden by the apprentice Lily Sutherland, defeated Apostrophe (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Town Cryer (NZ), also by the late Tavistock (NZ).
The stakes race double provided plenty of joy for Coolmore sires, with Churchill (Ire) still shuttling to Australia, covering 81 mares in the breeding season past. Saxon Warrior no longer shuttles to the Southern Hemisphere, with Archaic Smile his first stakes winner in Australasia.
Archaic Smile wins the Listed Wellesley S. at Trentham | Image courtesy of loveracing.nz
Churchillian is the second Southern Hemisphere stakes winner for Churchill and is from the Irish-bred Fastnet Rock mare Fond Du Coeur (Ire). Bred by Pencarrow Stud and sold by them to Paul Willetts for NZ$100,000 at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
