Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Rosehill: G2 Silver Slipper S., $300,000, 1100m
Racing his way into G1 Golden Slipper S. markets (not surprisingly shortening in the markets), Straight Charge (Written By) is yet another feature juvenile winner for the in-form Waterhouse and Bott stable.
Bred by S Robertson, the son of Widden Stud's G1 Blue Diamond S. winner made his way through the sales ring on two occasions - sold by Twin Hills Stud to Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Pegasus Bloodstock for $160,000 at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale and by Lime Country Thoroughbreds to Yulong for $270,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
His sire's third stakes winner, Straight Charge is the second foal and second winner for the lightly raced Matryoshka (I Am Invincible), a Dubbo placegetter from just two starts.
Served last spring by Zoustar after foaling a full brother to Straight Charge, Matryoshka was bred by Wicklow Lodge's Jeff Cullen out of his wonderful city-winning broodmare Winaura (Show A Heart) - dam of the Group winners Winning Rupert and Tycoon Evie who are both by Written By's sire Written Tycoon.
Winning Rupert is currently on Inglis Digital as he looks for a new home whilst Tycoon Evie is still owned by Cullen and is in foal to Anamoe.
G2 Hobartville S., $400,000, 1400m
It was a deserved stakes victory for the classy and consistent Celestial Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) who has always shown a good deal of ability.
Bred by Arrowfield and sold by them to Legend Racing and Avenue Bloodstock for $220,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, he is the 26th stakes winner for his Arrowfield-based sire.
He is the first foal produced by the unraced Sarraqa (Snitzel) whose second foal National Code (Written Tycoon) was purchased by MDK International and Griffiths de Kock Racing for $160,000 at last year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Again served last spring by Dundeel (NZ) having missed to his son Castelvecchio the previous season, Sarraqa has a yearling colt by Maurice (Jpn)... Lot 260 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Sarraqa is a daughter of the outstanding mare National Colour (SAf) (National Assembly {Can}) - a triple Group 1 winner in South Africa who also raced well in Dubai and England.
Five of her six foals to race are winners including the Australian-bred, South African-based Group 1 sprinters Rafeef and Mustaaqeem - both sons of Redoute's Choice. Also grandam of the Group 3 winner Full Velocity (SAf) (Philanthropist {USA}), National Colour is out of the Listed winner Rainbow Cake (SAf) (Mr Eats {Ire}).
G2 Millie Fox S., $300,000, 1300m
Straight into winning form at her first outing since the spring, Zougotcha (Zoustar) was game recording her sixth win from 13 starts - her fifth in Group company.
A $500,000 graduate of the 2012 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale (purchased by Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock), she was bred by Widden Stud (home to her sire who has been well-represented by 48 stakes winners) with the RMA Bloodstock Trust.
She is one of three stakes winners for her dam, the stakes-placed, triple city winner Fast Talker (Fastnet Rock) whose dam is the Listed winner Crystal Wit (Distorted Humor {USA}).
Also dam of the Listed winners Persuader (Zoustar) and The Actuary (Sebring) as well as the city winner Campaign (Sebring), Fast Talker was again served last spring by Zoustar having missed to him the previous year. Her yearling - a son of Written Tycoon - is Lot 24 at the upcoming Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Fast Talker is a half-sister to the G3 Heath S. winner Crystal Dreamer (Stratum) from the family of the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Crystal Lily (Stratum) and the stakes winners Amaethon (Al Maher), Crystal Web (Hard Spun {USA}) and Carrara.
Zougotcha is one of the six stakes winners (Joliestar also a Group 1 winner) from 48 winners/65 runners bred on a Zoustar/Fastnet Rock cross.
Listed Parramatta Cup, $200,000, 1900m
Getting up along the rails (from an outside gate!) in a close and exciting finish, More Felons (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) broke his Australian duck in fine style.
A horse who contested last year's G1 Melbourne Cup - finishing 12th after a G3 Geelong Cup third at his local debut - he won four races in the UK including a couple of hurdles.
Bred by Brian O'Neill, he was a €220,000 (AU$364,000) yearling purchased by Jamie McCalmont at the 2020 Goffs Orby Sale - in 2022 bought by Mark Adams for 62,000gns (AU$126,000) at the Tattersalls July Sale.
The 18th stakes winner for his Coolmore Stud shuttling sire, More Felons is out of the winner Pivotalia (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) who has also produced the dual Group 3 winner Onenightidreamed (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and the Listed Beckford S. winner Goolwa (Ire) (Australia {GB}).
Pivotalia is out of the stakes-placed Viscaria (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) whose stakes-placed dam Zivania (Ire) (Shernazar {Ire}) did a great job with 10 winners from 11 runners including the stakes winners Ivan Luis (Fr) (Lycius {USA}), Stagelight (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), Zero Problemo (Ire) (Priolo {USA}), Amathia (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) and Hathrah (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}).
The latter two have also produced stakes winners and this is a prolific branch of the outstanding Gondolette (GB) (Loved One {GB}) family.
More Felons is bred on a 3 X 4 cross of Sadler's Wells (USA), also carrying a strain of that stallion's three-quarter brother Nureyev (USA).
Morphettville: G3 Lord Reims S., $150,000, 2600m
Relishing the 2600 metres of this staying contest, imported galloper Yellowbrick Road (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) made it two wins in a row stepping up in class off a BM70 success at Sandown.
The second Australian (and 22nd overall) stakes winner for his multiple Group 1-winning, Overbury Stud-based sire, Yellowbrick Road was bred by Ben Sangster and sold to Liam Noris for 10,000gns (AU$20,300) at the 2020 Tattersalls December Yearling Sale.
He was a great pick up for Ballarat trainer Patrick Kearney who purchased him for just $8500 from an Inglis online sale in June last year.
His dam is the unraced Crystal Path (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) whose stakes-winning dam Crystal Crossing (Ire) (Royal Academy {USA}) also produced the G1 English St Leger winner Rule Of Law (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}).
Ancestress of another five stakes winners including the G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Crystal Crossing hails from the same family as the multiple Group 1 winner Olympic Glory (Ire) and the Australian stakes winners Hairy (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}), Danasuria and Wowee (Choisir).
Whilst Golden Horn's (GB) dam is closely line-bred to Nureyev (USA), Crystal Path is a granddaughter of that stallion's three-quarter brother Sadler's wells (USA).
Listed Cinderella S., $120,000, 1050m
A stakes winner at nice odds at debut, Herastar (Starspangledbanner) was part of a good day for Victorian trainers at Morphettville.
Bred by Gilgai Farm and sold by them to trainer Dean Krongold for $40,000 at last year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, she is the 38th stakes winner for her Coolmore Stud-based globe-trotting sire.
She is the third winner (from four to race) for the dual Group 2 winner Hera (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) whose dam Corsica (NZ) (Centaine) is also grandam of the G3 Wellington S. winner Zabmanzor (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}).
Hailing from the family of the Group 1 winners Ballroom Babe (NZ) (Citidancer {Ire}), Polanski and Dandy Andy (NZ) (Three Legs {GB}), Hera was not served last spring having foaled a filly (served in 2022 by both Extreme Choice and Toronado {Ire}) in early November.
Carrying three strains of Vain, Herastar is also line-bred to the wonderful mare Oceana (Ire) (Colombo {GB}) via her sons Noholme and Todman.
Listed City of Marion S., $120,000, 1200m
Finding winning form from a tricky gate at just her second run in, Snapped (Not A Single Doubt) was able to record her second win at stakes level.
One of the 82 stakes winners for her late sire, she was bred by Highgrove Stud and sold by them to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for $220,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Her unraced dam Fracture (Fastnet Rock) is a full sister to the G1 Newmarket H. winner Wanted and a half-sister to the dual Group winner Shrapnel.
Served last spring by Russian Revolution after foaling a colt by Not A Single Doubt's son Farnan, Fracture is out of the Listed winner Fragmentation (Snippets) and she can count amongst her relations the stakes winners In The Mist (Southern Appeal {USA}), De Lago Mist (Encosta De Lago) and Interspersed (Sebring).
Snapped is bred on a 3 X 4 cross of Easy Date (Grand Chaudiere {Can}) and a 3 X 3 cross of Danehill (USA) via Redoute's Choice and Fastnet Rock.
Ascot: Listed Detonator S., $125,000, 1800m
It was win number 14 - and the seventh in stakes company - for the terrific campaigner Marocchino (Maschino) who was having his first run since late December.
Bred by his trainer Lou Luiciani, Marocchino is one of the six stakes winners (from 108 runners/52 winners) for his Alwyn Park-based, G3 RJ Peters S.-winning sire.
His dam is the city winner Comeitbesideme (McFlirt), half-sister to the Listed Bunbury Cup winner Whipsaw (Hold That Tiger {USA}).
Again served last year by Maschino after foaling a Shooting To Win colt, Comeitbesideme in 2022 foaled a full sister to Marocchino. And her 3-year-old Frappuccino is another full brother - a horse who debuted recently with a Bunbury second.
Also dam of the city winner Comealilbitcloser (Red Hot Choice), Comeitbesideme is a granddaughter of the stakes-placed Hondalae (NZ) (Better Honey {GB}) whose Listed Red Roses S.-winning granddaughter Gatana (Marauding) is the grandam of Fastnet Rock.
