Juvenile summary: Bodyguard slams opposition in Blue Diamond warm-up

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Exciting colt furthers Blue Diamond claims

Bodyguard (I Am Invincible) had not raced since his explosive debut in the Listed Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington in October last year but on Saturday reminded onlookers of his talent with a storming success in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings) at Caulfield.

The son of I Am Invincible was one of three runners in the event for Peter and Paul Snowden, with the last-start Listed Blue Diamond Preview (Colts and Geldings) victor High Octane (Deep Field) the punters’ elect pre-race.

However, with Mark Zahra in the saddle, the $1.6 million colt outbattled a game Stay Focused (Cosmic Force), while Bodyguard’s stablemate Holmes A Court (Capitalist) was a further 2.8l away in third.

“Bodyguard is a real raceday horse. After winning on High Octane last start, I asked Peter Snowden if I had to ride a certain one today (Saturday) but he said stick with Bodyguard and he knows more than me,” Zahra told Racing.com after Bodyguard’s victory.

“His trials were okay and I wouldn’t say amazing. I actually said after Bodyguard’s last trial he went good, but could have gone better. However, the difference is raceday and the atmosphere brings him on, one tap and he was off and gone today.

“I think there is a fair bit of improvement to come for Bodyguard.”

Bodyguard is the first foal from the unraced Fastnet Rock mare Tumooh, who is a daughter of the G1 Golden Slipper victress Mossfun (Mossman). Tumooh has a yearling colt by Newgate Farm’s Golden Slipper hero Capitalist and was served by Coolmore’s Justify (USA) last spring.

Daughter of Royal Meeting continues to improve

The Clinton McDonald-trained Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}) continues to go from strength-to-strength.

Lining-up for her fourth start in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies), the bonny daughter of Levena Park’s first-season sire Royal Meeting (Ire), ridden by Jamie Kah, chased gamely to narrowly beat the South Australian filly, Kuroyanagi (Written Tycoon), to claim the valuable contest, while Matisse (Microphone) ran into the third.

Race favourite, Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau), was prominent in the run but faded to finish sixth 3l away. Hayasugi was a last-start winner of the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies), and before that finished fifth in the G3 Ottawa S. behind Karavas (Alabama Express) and finished second behind Bold Bastille in the R. Listed Inglis Banner on debut.

Hayasugi has been a standout performer from five runners for Royal Meeting, who won the G1 Criterium International. The filly is the fifth foal from the unraced Commands mare China Road and is her best produce.

China Road has recently proved troublesome to get in foal, with her breeding record citing she has not carried a foal since foaling Hayasugi in 2021. China Road was most recently served by Widden Stud’s Jacquinot in his debut season.

Hayasugi was a $47,500 purchase by James Bester Bloodstock and C Mok from the draft of Fairhill Farm at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.

Castanya descends late to claim the Lonhro Plate

After chasing a top colt on debut, Castanya (Capitalist) showed her quality in the Listed Lonhro Plate on Saturday, charging late under apprentice Zac Lloyd to grab Embassy (I Am Invincible) in the shadows of the winning post.

Leading apprentice Zac Lloyd continues to show his quality in close finishes, lifting Castanya in the concluding stages of the Listed Lonhro Plate to victory for trainer Annabel Neasham.

It was a ride that required patience, and grit, with the filly initially a bit wayward when given clear air to run on after Embassy (I Am Invincible), who had shot for home with 150 metres to go. Lloyd timed his attack perfectly, descending late to grab the lead with only metres to spare, sewing up a valuable black-type win for connections in the process.

Embassy was a gallant second and looked to be in the driver's seat once he had shaken off race favourite Anode (I Am Invincible), but he was there to be beaten late if one had an electric turn of acceleration to catch him, which Castanya did.

It was still a strong debut performance from the colt, and there was merit in the run of Anode too, who looked to be beaten at the 200-metre mark, but showed his Waterhouse and Bott toughness to box on for third. The James Cummings-trained Celerity (Exceed And Excel) wasn’t on her best behaviour for jockey Tim Clark, but she looks to have some ability as well, running home into fourth place.

Annabel Neasham acquired Castanya from Newgate Farm for $300,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

She is by the quality Encosta De Lago mare Ganda, who has established herself as a reliable producer of talented stock. She now has two stakes winners to her credit, with her first being the G3 PJ Bell S. victress Tempt Me Not (Strategic Maneuver).

Fully Lit flies to Millennium success

Tulloch Lodge-trained Fully Lit (Hellbent) proved his debut success at Rosehill in January was no fluke, when he showed his versatility to produce an electrifying performance in the $2 million R. Listed Inglis Millennium on Saturday.

The son of Hellbent continued the domination of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable in 2-year-old features this season. Fully Lit, ridden by Regan Bayliss, was too strong for Rue De Royale (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), while David Payne’s filly Rag Queen (D’Argento) was sensational in finishing third.

Fully Lit is the second foal from the Snitzel mare Sunlit, who has made a brilliant start to her broodmare career. Sunlit’s first foal, The Novelist (Written By), won twice as a juvenile, including the G3 BJ McLachlan S.

Gallery: Images courtesy of Sportpix

She has a half-sister to Fully Lit, by North Pacific, to be sold as Lot 750 through the Glenlogan Park at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, which begins on Sunday.

Fully Lit was a $60,000 purchase by Redfox Racing from the draft of Glenlogan Park at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Quintefeuille accounts for small field with ease at Riccarton Park

When a horse starts $1.06 on fixed prices, there’s a certain level of expectation of a strong performance, which Quintefeuille (Xtravagant {NZ}) lived up to with aplomb at Riccarton Park on Saturday.

Faced by just three rivals for her second race start, there was plenty of interest in to how the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained gelding Quintefeuille would perform in the fourth race at Riccarton Park on Saturday.

He wasn’t missed by the market makers, jumping at $1.06, which was justified by an emphatic victory under jockey Niranjan Parmar.

With one of his rivals, Twozie (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) under pressure early in the 1000-metre scamper, there was only Ali Nell (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and Capital Listing (Capitalist) standing in his way of a maiden win. Once Parmar released the handbrake shortly after straightening, the outcome looked to be all but a formality, with the son of Xtravagant (NZ) recording a comfortable victory.

He is the third foal to score for the Alamosa (NZ) mare Quintette (NZ), who was a 2-year-old winner herself. She has already produced some quality gallopers, including the Listed Wellsley S. winner Quattro Quinto (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).

Never offered at public auction, the gelding was bred by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis CNZM, the famous tangerine colours being once again sighted storming away with a New Zealand 2-year-old event.

Talisay snatches victory at Morphettville

It was a successful debut for Talisay (Pride Of Dubai), who saved ground along the inside segment of the Morphettville track to squeak home for an impressive victory.

Jason Holder is well-regarded for getting as much as he can out of the horses he rides, and that’s exactly what he did in the opening contest at Morphettville on Saturday, executing a perfect ride to scramble home aboard Talisay for trainer Bryan Cozamanis.

Settling down behind runners for the majority of the race, the filly benefitted from a concerted effort from other riders to get their horses into the middle portion of the track, including Kayla Crowther aboard hot favourite Duchess Of Sussex (Hellbent).

Crowther also cut the corner on straightening before venturing to the middle of the track, which allowed Talisay to gallop into clear air and rocket towards the winning post, snatching the lead in the final stride to cause a mini-upset.

Cozamanis looks to have picked himself up a bargain, purchasing her for $30,000 from draft of Rosden Park at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale in 2023. There’s a litany of options for her down the track, including the Magic Millions Murray Bridge 2YO Classic, and given her breeding, down the line as a mare.

Talisay is the second winner from Mykaetob (All Too Hard), who has made a solid start to her career. She is a half-sister to the three-time G1 Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {GB}), who also won the G1 WS Cox Plate, the G1 Sydney Cup and the G1 Australian Cup amongst her 15 career victories.

Bargain buy reigns supreme at Doomben

Trainer Kris Lees broke through at the second time of asking with his 2-year-old filly Miss Busslinger (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), with the bargain purchase recording a strong victory at Doomben on Saturday.

After a sound debut at the Sunshine Coast in January, there was a bit of a boom following Miss Busslinger into Doomben on Saturday, with Andrew Mallyon steering her home for a nice victory as a short-priced favourite.

Sent out a $1.40 fancy by bookmakers, she left the gates well for Mallyon, and after briefly engaging in a battle with the Lee Freedman-trained Fields Amour (Deep Field), pulled away to win stylishly at the second time of asking.

She was strong through the line at the conclusion of the 1110-metre trip, indicating there’s more in store for her over further. Fields Amour certainly didn’t shirk her task, holding down second from Exceedaqa (Exceed And Excel), who gave Kris Lees a first and third placed finish in the race.

The result is a superb one for connections, with the filly purchased by Zach Kilgower for $4000 in the Inglis Digital December Online Sale in 2022. Her win on Saturday takes her to $52,800 in prizemoney, a handy return from just two career starts to date.

Miss Busslinger is the third Southern Hemisphere juvenile winner from Saxon Warrior (Jpn), out of the Adelaide (Ire) mare Pair Of Heels. She is the first foal to race for the mare, getting her off to a stellar start in the barn.

Blue army rolls at Newcastle

The James Cummings-trained Turbinado (Lonhro) saluted on debut at Newcastle over 900- metres on Saturday.

Turbinado made a perfect start to her career when saluting at Newcastle over 900 metres for James Cummings on Saturday.

The 2-year-old filly, ridden by Jean Van Overmeire, denied Sky Cap (Capitalist) by 0.3l, while Fast Blue (Blue Point {Ire}) finished third 3.3l away. Turbinado is the second foal from the Commands mare Demerara, who won seven races, including the Listed Silk Stocking H. and was fourth in the G3 PJ Bell S.

Demerara is a full sister to the Listed Hawkesbury Guineas winner Limes, who was also placed in the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and the G2 Pago Pago S. Demerara has a yearling colt by Lonrho, named Matima and was served by Harry Angel (Ire).

First runner a winner for Leonardo

Gold Front Breeding and Racing-based Leonardo Da Hinchi sired his first winner with his first runner on Saturday at Bunbury. The Russell Stewart-trained Golden Kathleen, ridden by Michael Poy, was an impressive 2.8l winner over This’ll Show Ya (Showtime) and Elite Missile (Smart Missile).

Golden Kathleen is the third foal from the Pins mare Hopetoun (NZ), who won four races. She has a yearling filly by I’m All The Talk. The daughter of Leonardo Da Hinchi was purchased for $3000 by T Kenyon from the draft of Foxton Bloodstock 2023 Inglis Digital July Online Sale.

Leonardo Da Hinchi won the G2 Bill Stutt S. and was placed in the Listed Antler Luggage Plate and Listed Mitchell McKenzie S. behind Brutal (NZ). The son of Hinchinbrook stands for a fee of $3000 (inc GST).