Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Race-Day Recap
Clean Energy (Zoustar), a $2.6 million yearling, and a full sister to the Champion Filly Sunlight, is making her mark on the track, bringing her unbeaten record to two, and securing a first stakes victory in the Listed Bill Carter S. at Doomben.
Classy filly Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot) took out the inaugural $1 million R. Listed Magic Millions National 2YO Classic at Doomben.
Newgate Farm’s promising sire, Brutal posted his seventh individual winner with the promising Heinous, who scored an impressive victory at Sandown-Hillside on Saturday.
The NZ$2200 bargain buy, Southern Warrior (Belardo) became a stakes winner at start two, with a fast finish in the Listed Champagne S. at Pukekohe Park.
Hellbent’s daughter Amelius became her sire’s latest winner at Randwick on Saturday, defeating a field that included the last-start winner Pisces (Frosted).
Coolmore’s Churchill looks to have a progressive galloper on his hands with the Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Snore Room at Murray Bridge.
Big dollar filly gets the job done
There was considerable pressure on the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Clean Energy (Zoustar) in Saturday’s Listed Bill Carter S. at Doomben.
Carrying the bottle green silks of her owner Yulong, who paid $2.6 million to secure her from Widden Stud's draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Clean Energy dominated the stakes event, maintaining her unbeaten record with her second win.
Co-trainer, Adrian Bott didn’t mince his words in the aftermath, telling Sky Racing, “It’s lovely to see the nice progression from her maiden to today (Saturday); it’s important for Clean Energy to come away (travel) at this point in her career because she’s lightly raced and still rather new to it all.
“This will help with her seasoning, because we’ve got bigger things in store for her. By no means has anybody seen the best of Clean Energy yet, she’s a very progressive filly. I think it’s been a real positive and we’ll see the best in the spring.”
Bott added, “She’s got phenomenal balance, and everything is in proportion. You could look at her parade all day, because she’s fantastic. It’s great to see her run up to her looks and pedigree.
“Vin Cox is here today (Saturday, Doomben). We'll have a chat with him, Yulong and Coolmore regarding what we do. Initial thoughts are we will look towards the spring because we want to look after her but we did hold onto a nomination in the G2 Sires’ Produce in a week or so.”
“She’s (Clean Energy) got phenomenal balance, and everything is in proportion. You could look at her parade all day, because she’s fantastic. It’s great to see her run up to her looks and pedigree.” - Adrian Bott
Clean Energy, ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, was too good for Chris Waller’s Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) and Canara (I Am Invincible). The filly is the ninth foal from Solar Charged, a daughter of Charge Forward, who won three races, including the G3 Kindergarten S. and the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. but is better known for his exploits as a producer.
Her star daughter, Sunlight, also by Widden Stud’s Zoustar, was crowned the Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in Australia, retiring with 11 victories, including the G1 Newmarket H., the G1 Coolmore Stud S., the G1 William Reid S., the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Sunlight was sold for $4.2 million to Tom Magnier at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Additionally, Clean Energy’s other full sister, Sisstar, also showed plenty of talent, winning six races, including the G3 Red Roses S.
Clean Energy takes out the Saturday’s Listed Bill Carter S. | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Clean Energy is the 54th stakes winner for Widden Stud’s Zoustar, who will stand for the upcoming season for $275,000 (inc GST).
Arabian loves a soft track
Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s classy filly, Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot {GB}) loves a soft track, and further demonstrated her dominance in the conditions beating a crack field in the inaugural $1 million R. Listed Magic Millions National 2YO Classic at Doomben.
Arabian Summer, ridden by her regular partner Harry Coffey, flew down the outside and had enough in reserve to defeat the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained King Of Roseau (Capitalist), who under Tyler Schiller, saved plenty of ground closer to the fence. Running into third was King Of Roseau’s stablemate, Embassy (I Am Invincible).
The favoured Eneeza (Exceed And Excel) finished seventh, while also hot in the market Spywire (Trapeze Artist) was fourth.
Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy, told 7HorseRacing, “What a fantastic result and wonderful for the ownership group. They’ve had so much fun with this filly (Arabian Summer) and she’s still only two!
“A big credit goes to Toby Edmonds and his team; she’s been with him in Queensland, and Toby has done a lot of work getting her ready. I’m not sure what we’ll do with Arabian Summer now, the plan was to go home (Victoria) after today (Saturday).
“But maybe we could look at the Lightning S. in Adelaide at the end of the season. She’s been up here in Queensland all preparation and obviously, it’s nice and cold in Victoria. So, I’m not sure, it is just great for it to come off today.”
“But maybe we could look at the Lightning S. in Adelaide at the end of the season. She’s (Arabian Summer) been up here in Queensland all preparation and obviously, it’s nice and cold in Victoria.” - Calvin McEvoy
Arabian Summer brings her record to three victories from six starts, and prizemoney of over $900,000. Her success in the R. Listed Magic Millions National 2YO Classic, sits alongside her earlier victory in the Ballarat Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Gold Coast Turf Club Gold Pearl. Additionally, the daughter of Too Darn Hot (GB) has placed in the G3 Ottawa S. and the Listed Debutant S.
The is from the Street Cry (Ire) mare Maraam, a three-time winner and a former $1.05 million yearling from the 2014 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The family has received recent updates, with Boognish (Sooboog) winning the G3 Proud Miss S. during the South Australian winter racing carnival.
Arabian Summer was a $220,000 purchase by McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Arabian Summer demonstrated her dominance in the R. Listed Magic Millions National 2YO Classic at Doomben | Image courtesy of Magic Millions (Michael McInally)
She is one of nine individual winners for Darley’s Group 1-producing shuttle sire, Too Darn Hot (GB). The son of Dubawi (Ire) will return to Darley, Kelvinside at an increased fee of $110,000 (inc GST).
Heinous storms at Sandown-Hillside
Sent out as a $9.00 chance in a competitive 2-year-old event at Sandown-Hillside, the Jason Warren-trained Heinous (Brutal {NZ}) was impressive in winning the 1000-metre event.
Ridden by Luke Currie, the 2-year-old filly was lining up for start five, having previously placed at Pakenham and Cranbourne behind the promising types Grammar Lad (Written Tycoon) and Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}).
Finishing fast behind Heinous, was the talented Flattered (Yes Yes Yes), while She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar) finished third ahead of Jenni’s Meadow (Brutal {NZ}), who would have gone into a few black books with her run.
Warren told Racing.com, “I felt we needed to wait for the right time to put the blinkers back on Heinous. Joe Herbert, my assistant and I discussed giving her a couple of runs just to furnish her a bit more.
“We eyed this race off, being against fillies only and we thought it's a big track at Sandown-Hillside and would allow Heinous to balance up and finish strongly.
“We’ve always had a big opinion of her, and we thought early days we may have been able to get her to a Magic Millions in January, but she started to feel her shins, so we put her away.
“We’ve always had a big opinion of her (Heinous), and we thought early days we may have been able to get her to a Magic Millions in January.” - Jason Warren
“I’m sure she’s got good races ahead of her. I think because we hold Heinous in pretty high regard, we’ll let the dust settle today (Saturday) and just see where we go. I feel we could probably aim up higher than this.”
Heinous is the seventh individual winner for Newgate Farm’s first-season sire Brutal (NZ). The G1 Doncaster H. victor will stand the upcoming season for $16,500 (inc GST). The filly is the third foal from the winning Exceed And Excel mare Nais Ko, a half-sister to the G1 BTC Cup winner Your Song.
Jason Warren paid $60,000 to secure Heinous from Newgate Farm (as agent for Newgate/Gooree Joint Venture) at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Southern Warrior launches late
The Dean Wiles-trained Southern Warrior (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) improved from his debut fifth-placed effort over 1200 metres at Matamata to secure his maiden over 1600 metres in the Listed Champagne S. at Pukekohe Park.
Southern Warrior (NZ), partnered by Joe Doyle, defeated Zorro’s Revenge (NZ) (Ferrando {NZ}) by 0.30l, while the third-placed Magna Memory (NZ) (Magna Grecia {Ire}) was 5.8l away in third.
The 2-year-old colt, bred by K D and Patrick Landrigan, was a bargain NZ$2200 purchase by Warrior Stable from the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Online Yearling Sale, and is owned by his trainer Dean Wiles.
Southern Warrior is from the Cape Cross (Ire) mare Cape South (NZ), who won three races. She is the dam of Apostrophe (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), a seven-time winner, including the G2 Travis S. and the G3 Manawatu Breeders’ S.
His sire, Belardo (Ire), a Group 1-winning son of Lope De Vega (Ire), shuttled to Haunui Farm in New Zealand until 2022. Southern Warrior is the 10th stakes winner worldwide for Belardo.
Another one for Hellbent!
Yarraman Park Stud’s Hellbent has enjoyed a sensational season on the track with his runners and has another promising filly with the Annabel Neasham-trained 2-year-old Amelius. The filly, ridden by Alysha Collett was a 0.89l victress over Swiftfalcon (Exceedance) and the last-start winner Pisces (Frosted {USA}) at Randwick.
The filly came into Saturday’s event off a fifth-placed debut effort at Newcastle on Heavy 9 track behind Pisces, but on the Soft 5 surface, Amelius improved to defeat that rival. Representing the Neasham stable’s Racing Manager Rob Archibald, he told SkyRacing, “She (Amelius) let down beautifully. We’ve been very pleased with her since the Newcastle run on soft ground.
“She (Amelius) let down beautifully. We’ve been very pleased with her since the Newcastle run on soft ground.” - Rob Archibald
“We were confident she’d take a really nice step forward into today (Saturday). The draw was a bit tricky, but Alysha (Collett) summed it up very quickly, and she was very strong late.”
Archibald added, “Amelius is a beautiful filly, she’s got a really lovely temperament, and handles training very well. I think she’s only going to continue to improve as she matures. Very smart filly in the making.”
Amelius is the 11th foal from the Galileo (Ire) mare Mead. She won twice and is the dam of the late Brave Mead (Brave Smash {Jpn}), a victor of the G3 Manfred S. and the Listed Darby Munro S.
Rob Archibald | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The filly was a $130,000 purchase by Triple Crown Syndications from the draft Attunga Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale.
Hellbent is standing the 2024 breeding season for $38,500 (inc GST).
Progressive Churchill gelding salutes at Murray Bridge
The South Australian-based Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Snore Room (Churchill {Ire}) indicated bigger things could be ahead with a 1l success over Bay Of Portland (Kobayashi) and All Too True (All Too Hard).
Snore Room finished eighth on debut at Murray Bridge earlier in May, beaten 8.6l, but improved considerably with Todd Pannell in the saddle to score his maiden success.
The son of Coolmore’s Churchill (Ire) is the seventh foal from the Exceed And Excel mare Silverscreen Queen. She is from the family of Fouradee, a victor of the G3 Bill Ritchie H. and the G3 Concorde S.
Snore Room was a $220,000 purchase by Merrick Staunton from the draft of Valiant Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Churchill will return to Coolmore Australia, standing at a fee of $19,800 (inc GST).
