Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Race-Day Recap
Switzerland (Snitzel) came into his debut with a weight of expectation, which he cashed in on with a dominant display over 1000 metres at Randwick.
Winning Proposal (Shalaa {Ire}) showed plenty of nous to defeat the older horses on debut at Newcastle on Saturday.
Kelly Schweida’s speedy El Morzillo (Star Witness) is set to chase Sydney riches in the $2 million Inglis Millennium after defeating Lead Me On (Brutal {NZ}) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
Trainer Mitchell Pateman looks to have a very smart juvenile on his hands, with Glasgow Lass (Alabama Express) opening her account in fine style at Ascot on Saturday.
Velocious reigns supreme in Karaka Millions
Gloomy conditions could not stop the Stephen Marsh-trained Velocious (Written Tycoon) storming to success in the NZ$1 million R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO.
It was a fairly painless watch for connections and backers of the daughter of Written Tycoon, as the visiting James McDonald, found plenty of room on the spacious Ellerslie course and set the filly alight.
Chasing hard was the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel), partnered by Blake Shinn, while Full Force (Cosmic Force) from the Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard stable finished third.
Holding fourth was the gusty Bellatrix Star (Star Witness), meanwhile, the Queensland-trained galloper Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan) ran home to grab fifth from So Naive (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) and Poetic Champion (NZ) (Super Seth).
McDonald has ridden 10 winners at Karaka Millions meetings through the years, but his first success in the Karaka Millions 2YO.
“The Karaka Millions 2YO has eluded me a bit, but I was on the right filly today (Saturday). Velocious was trained to the absolute minute, she gave me a beautiful ride and produced the goods, it was unreal,” McDonald told local media post-race.
Velocious storms to success in the NZ$1 million R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO | Image courtesy of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing
“She didn’t ever feel like she was going to get beaten. Returning to New Zealand has been emotional for me. Everytime someone says you’re returning home, I get goosebumps, because Ellerslie was our headquarters growing up; it was my favourite track, it still is, there’s nothing like home.”
Velocious was bred by Gus and Biancna Wigely’s Inglewood Stud. They will consign Velocious’ half-sister by Dundeel (NZ) as Lot 295 at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
Inglewood Stud sold Velocious at the Karaka complex last year for NZ$190,000 to Albert Bosma and Patrick Vinaccia’s Go Racing. Velocious is from the Snitzel mare Parmalove, who foaled a filly by Per Incanto (USA).
The filly has proven to be an outstanding juvenile. Velocious broke her maiden at Te Rapa before heading to Pukekohe Park to secure the Listed Challenge S. by 1.5l. She was freshened up and then resumed in the G2 Eclipse S. at Pukekohe Park where Bellatrix Star and Move To Strike (I Am Invincible) got the better of her that day.
No diplomacy from Switzerland in crushing debut win
Between his purchase price and his barrier trials, there has been a hefty weight of expectation following Switzerland (Snitzel) in the build-up to his debut, in which he delivered a devastating performance to take out the 2-year-old race at Randwick for trainer Chris Waller.
Ridden by veteran jockey Kerrin McEvoy, the well-regarded colt shouldered his way into the clear at the 200-metre mark, running right on by Russian Roulette (which was erroneously called as his sire, Russian Revolution, a number of times during the race) to record a statement win.
It was a pair of outsiders putting forward the strongest resistance, with Castanya (Capitalist) and Bella Khadijah (Pierata) filling the minor placings at starting prices of $29 and $251 respectively.
Russian Roulette tired late but held onto fourth, while another one of the supported runners, Deputize (Dubious) looked as though he needed further than the 1000-metre distance to be at his best.
Switzerland takes out the 2-year-old race at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The flashy colt is by Snitzel, out of talented racemare Ms Bad Behaviour (Can) (Blame {USA}), who won the G3 Ladies Turf S. in Kentucky. She’s made as strong of a start in the breeding barn as you could possibly ask for, with Switzerland being her first foal.
He fetched a high price less than 12 months ago, when Coolmore Australia principal Tom Magnier going to $1.5 million to purchase him from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Arrowfield Stud will offer the Snitzel full brother to Switzerland, as Lot 170 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Ms Bad Behaviour foaled another colt by sire in October and was served again by Snitzel.
Morzillo eyes Inglis Millennium
After the steely grey filly El Morzillo (Star Witness) chased down the last-start $500,000 Magic Millions The Debut 2YO Plate (Colts and Geldings) winner Lead Me On (Brutal {NZ}) and Shows A Sign (Capitalist), her trainer, Kelly Schweida, confirmed El Morzillo will head to Sydney to contest the $2 million Inglis Millennium.
El Morzillo was having her second start at the Sunshine Coast after placing on debut at Eagle Farm behind the promising Barbie’s Sister (Spirit Of Boom) in the Listed Calaway Gal S. and then was victorious in a trial at Doomben earlier in January.
The filly is from the Snitzel mare Avocado, who won over 950 metres. She is a daughter of the Invincible Spirit (Ire) mare Madame Trop Vite (Ire), a victress of the G2 Flying Childers S. and the Listed St Hugh’s S.
Avocado is a full sister to Spending To Win, who has won five races, including the Listed Starlight S. and was placed in the G3 Maurice McCarten H. Avocado has a colt by Zousain, and a foaled a filly by Widden Stud’s Dirty Work before being covered by Blue Gum Farm’s Sejardan.
Winning Proposal defeats older horses
The Kristen Buchanan-trained Winning Proposal (Shalaa {Ire}) claimed a rare victory over the older horses on Saturday at Newcastle over 900 metres. Winning Proposal, ridden by Anna Roper, saved all the ground on the fence to defeat Sir Tom (Olympic Glory {Ire}) and Sharpen The Knives (Snitzel).
The juvenile filly is from the More Than Ready (USA) mare Proposal. She was a $250,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase by Bruce Elkington Bloodstock and is a daughter of the outstanding Sacred Choice (Choisir).
Sacred Choice won nine races, including the G1 Doncaster H. and the G1 Myer Classic. In addition, she was placed in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and the G1 Epsom H.
Winning Proposal was a $50,000 purchase by Vardy Thoroughbreds from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Glasgow Lass far too strong on debut
With less than three months to go until the G2 Karrakatta Plate, the best 2-year-olds in Western Australia are beginning to make their presence felt, with Glasgow Lass (Alabama Express) making a seismic impact on the outlook of the race with a sensational debut at Ascot.
Stalking the speed under Lucy Fiore, the filly rushed up after rounding the turn for home to claim Big Shots (Sizzling) with 150 metres to go, extending away ominously to win the 1100-metre contest by 2.1l.
Prepared by emerging trainer Mitchell Pateman, Glasgow Lass is the fourth winner for Yulong's first-season sire Alabama Express, who has rapidly established himself as a prominent sire of early running types. She is out of the winning Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) mare Princess Peggy, and is related to the legendary Fields Of Omagh (Rubiton).
For former trainer Justin Warwick, the early success of Glasgow Lass is a lucrative one, having paid $28,000 for her at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale. In a family affair, his daughter Fiore was the jockey legged up, a responsibilty she handled with aplomb, delivering a perfectly executed ride.
Connections of Glasgow Lass | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Big Shots showed his hand early to go up and grab the lead before the corner, and stuck on gamely for second. One of the outsiders of the field, Buster’s Girl (I’m All The Talk) closed off well for third, as did last-start winner Brazen Bid (Brazen Beau), who rattled home to grab fourth from an impossible position.
