Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Raceday Recap
The Waterhouse/Bott juvenile charge continued with smart colt Wanaruah (Snitzel) remaining unbeaten with his second win at Saturday’s Randwick meeting. He is expected to target the early spring 3-year-old races next.
At Caulfield, Grunt (NZ) filly Manolo Bling rewarded punters who made her favourite for her debut. From the family of Sweet Idea and Showtime, she has a bright future.
Belmont's juvenile race was won by debutant Lano (Blue Point {Ire}) to give his sire his sixth first crop winner in Australia.
Justify (USA) debutant Lutetia won nicely at Newcastle for Lees Racing and Coolmore Stud.
Nicconi enjoyed a couple of winners, led by Codetta, a half-sister to dual Derby hero Riff Rocket.
Enterprise Defence won at Doomben after several placings in the city, while at Rockhampton Ask Me Mate made it two in succession with an easy 2.8l win.
Vegas Queen (NZ), a relative to Champion race mare Winx, won at Ruakaka in New Zealand.
Smart colt Wanaruah (Snitzel) looks to have a bright spring ahead of him after he retained his unbeaten record with a soft win at Randwick, while at Caulfield Manolo Bling (Grunt {NZ}) won on debut.
Smart 2-year-old colt Wanaruah (Snitzel) remained unbeaten when winning easily at Randwick on Saturday for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team with a 2l win over Chris Waller trained Good Sort (Tassort) with Peter and Paul Snowden trained Waterville (Menari) in third.
Ridden by Winona Costin from barrier nine, Wanaruah led all the way and sprinted clear at the end to win unchallenged. He took his record to two wins from as many starts with earnings over $122,000.
“For a colt, Wanaruah has a great mindset," Bott said. “He's a fabulous colt and I think we saw that on debut. He was very impressive that day and I thought there was good improvement to come.
“We wanted to give him this extra run this campaign and get him out over further to assess how he went and get his rating up but there are better races for him in the spring.”
“For a colt, Wanaruah has a great mindset... He's a fabulous colt and I think we saw that on debut. He was very impressive that day and I thought there was good improvement to come.
Wanaruah made it 33 juvenile race wins for Waterhouse-Bott stable who have achieved the mark with 23 individual 2-year-olds.
“It's interesting as to what level of improvement some of these young two-year-olds take in the new season. Physically Wanaruah was a little immature early in the season and has taken a bit of time to get to the races,” continued Bott.
“But we have always felt he looked like a colt that will continue to furnish as he goes into his 3-year-old season. There is a lot more upside with this horse and we think he will be a good miler, whether he gets 2000m I'm not sure. But that's enough for this preparation and we will see where he measures up in the new season. He will have some residual fitness going into spring which will help.”
Wanaruah | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
By four-time Champion Sire Snitzel, Wanaruah was passed in at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale by Fernrigg Farm who have remained in his racing ownership.
Wanaruah is the fourth foal of G2 Johannesburg Spring Fillies & Mares Challenge winner Mella Maria (Star Witness) who was sold by Widden Stud as a yearling before being exported to South Africa where she won twice at two and again as an older horse. On her retirement as a broodmare, she went to Europe where she was covered by Golden Horn (GB) having a filly, Bella Maria, on her arrival home in Australia. Bella Maria had just the one start, running fourth, and her first foal is a 2023 filly by Ghaiyyath (Ire).
Mella Maria’s next foal, 4-year-old Miss Passion (Redoute’s Choice) has won twice this season for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, while her 3-year-old Dunloe (Fastnet Rock) has won three races this season for trainers Lindsay Park.
Favourite Manolo Bling wins on debut at Caulfield
Punters jumped on 2-year-old filly Manolo Bling (Grunt {NZ}) for the juvenile race at Caulfield as she made her debut for trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman, bringing her in from $7 to a $5.50 favourite and she rewarded them with a 1.25l win under jockey Ethan Brown who is great form currently, ahead of Husk (Calyx {GB}) and Berezka (Xtravagant {NZ}).
“Impressive sums it up well. She was presented in terrific order, well educated for a late 2-year-old, great head on her shoulders. … we thought she’d have a good turn of foot and she proved that today when I asked her,” said Brown.
“She's only a slight filly but she's got a great head on her shoulders and she's got a lot of natural ability. She'll only improve on what she did today – I don't think she was really wound up for that – so she's exciting going forward and certainly does deserve a shot at stakes grade.”
From the second crop of Australian Guineas winner Grunt (NZ), Manolo Bling became her sire’s third juvenile winner this season. His first crop is led by G1 George Ryder S. winner Veight.
“Impressive sums it up well. She was presented in terrific order, well educated for a late 2-year-old, great head on her shoulders. … we thought she’d have a good turn of foot and she proved that today when I asked her.” - Ethan Brown
A $340,000 sale by Yulong, who retained a portion of her, at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Manolo Bling was purchased by Matt Laurie Racing and Justin Bahen. She is the first foal of juvenile city winner Evening Slippers (Snitzel) who won her second start at two, after placing behind Time To Reign and Bivouac on debut. Evening Slippers is a sister to Group 1 winner Sweet Idea and Group 2 winner Showtime, and a half-sister to Listed winner Rush (Charge Forward).
Lano wins on debut for Blue Point
First season sire Blue Point (Ire)’s strong season continued with the debut win by 2-year-old gelding Lano at Belmont on Saturday afternoon. Trained by Ashley Maley at Gingin, Lano hadn’t shown much in three recent trials, and was sent out by punters at $12, but he flew home for jockey William Pike to win by 1.14l from Cash Flow (Universal Ruler) and favourite The Top Bar (Sessions).
Blue Point’s seven stakes winners might be all from his Northern Hemisphere crops, but his first Southern Hemisphere crop shows plenty of promise with six winners led by G1 JJ Atkins S-placed Bosustow, G2 Karrakatta Plate-placed Blue Rocket, G3 Maribyrnong P-placed Blue Stratum, Listed Talindert S-placed Reasonable Point, and Listed Supremacy S-placed Heavy Metal.
He is the sire of Group 1 winners Rosallion and Big Evs.
Lano, a $125,000 purchase by Paul Ferguson at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale from Lynward Park Stud, is the second foal of Listed winner Fontainebleau (Alfred Nobel {Ire}).
Justify adds debutant winner at Newcastle
Trainer Kris Lees sent 2-year-old filly Lutetia (Justify {USA}) to Newcastle for her debut race day outing and she rewarded the team with a 1.29l win over 2-year-old gelding Dark Gleam (Brazen Beau) and Godolphin’s well-bred 2-year-old colt Lavalier (Microphone). Ridden by Andrew Gibbons, Lutetia gave the jockey a double after he won the race prior on Codetta.
Owned by Coolmore, Lutetia became the sixth juvenile winner for Coolmore Stud’s brilliant stallion Justify (USA)'s second Australian crop. Sire of six Group 1 winners including this season's G1 Epsom Derby winner City Of Troy (USA), Justify won't be shuttling this season.
Lutetia is the fourth foal of winning mare Peaceful Sea (Fastnet Rock) who has left two other winners including Peacemaker (American Pharoah {USA}) winner of eight races. Peaceful Sea is out of a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Grand Slam (USA) (Gone West {USA}).
Third-placed Lavalier, who was also on debut, is the ninth named foal for Accessories (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), who is the dam of five stakes winners; Group 1 winner Helmet (Exceed And Excel), Group 1 winner Epaulette (Commands), Group 2 winner Pericles (Street Boss {USA}), Group 2 winner Pearl (Exceed And Excel) and Group 3 winner Bullbars (Elusive Quality {USA}).
Riff Rocket’s half-sister wins at Newcastle
Woppitt Bloodstock’s 2-year-old filly Codetta (Nicconi) was taken to Newcastle for her second start by trainer Michael Freedman having run fourth on debut at the same track a fortnight ago. She delivered on Saturday with a tight 0.3l win for jockey Andrew Gibbons over Snowden trained Cash And Cards (Written Tycoon) with O’Shea/Charlton trained Hell To Pay (Hellbent) a length further back in third.
Riff Rocket | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Codetta is the third foal of Missile Coda (Smart Missile) whose first foal is a winning 4-year-old gelding named Quintillion (Deep Field) while her second foal 3-year-old Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) had a sensational season in 2023/24.
Riff Rocket became just the fourth horse to win both the G1 Victoria Derby and G1 Australian Derby, after Dulcify (NZ) (Decies {GB}), Mahogany (Last Tycoon {Ire}) and Hitotsu (Maurice {Jpn}).
Nicconi double with Mesrour at Murray Bridge
Nicconi’s 2-year-old gelding Mesrour won at Murray Bridge for trainers Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle to take his record to a win and three placings from four starts to give his sire a second juvenile success for the day. He won by 1.1l from Snoopy Now (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) and Sir Now (Sir Prancealot {Ire}).
The sire of Nature Strip and 28 other stakes winners, Nicconi had only two juveniles racing on Saturday and now both are winners. The result took him to five individual 2-year-old winners from his current crop.
A $90,000 purchase by Gordon Richards from Murrulla Stud at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Mesrour is the first foal of unraced mare Outlaw Miss (Rubick) who is a half-sister to Group 1 sprinter Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
Enterprising win at Doomben
Trainer Stuart Kendrick kept 2-year-old gelding Enterprise Defence (Divine Prophet) in city class company for Saturday’s Doomben meeting, after a nice second last start at Ipswich. Jockey Michael Rodd rode him to 0.27l win from Savour The Dream (NZ) (Super Seth) and Bella Khadijah (Pierata).
Enterprise Defence took his record to a win and three placings from six starts with earnings over $110,000. He was a $15,000 purchase from the 2023 Magic Millions September Online Sale, offered as part of the Enterprise Stud dispersal, and purchased by O’Dea Hoysted Racing, and is now raced by Dr Purtle.
He became the fourth juvenile winner for Divine Prophet this season, and 26th overall 2-year-old winner for his sire who moved to New Zealand’s Highview Stud in 2023 after beginning his stud career in Queensland.
Enterprise Defence is the seventh named foal and third winner for his dam, Grenada (Mossman) who is a full sister to Group 2 winner Our Sweet Moss, who is the dam of stakes placed winners Trubia (Show A Heart) and Enterprise Pomme (Spill The Beans).
Close relative to Winx, Vegas Queen, wins in NZ
The only race for juveniles in New Zealand on Saturday was held at Ruakaka on a good surface and it was 2-year-old filly Vegas Queen (NZ) (Proisir) who cruised home to win by 2.25l from Beau Luca (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) and Miss Flower (NZ) (Merchant Navy). Trained by Ken Rae and Krystal Williams and ridden by Jasmine Fawcett, Vegas Queen was having her third start, having run third at her previous start, also on the same track.
Bred by Totara Park Stud, Vegas Queen became the second juvenile winner this season for Champion NZ Sire Proisir who is better known for his 3-year-olds with Legarto, Pier, and Prowess, among his six Group 1 winners.
Vegas Queen is the first foal of unraced mare Miss Vegas (NZ) (Carlton House {USA}) who is a daughter of an unraced half-sister to Listed winner Vegas Showgirl (NZ) (Al Akbar), who is the dam of Champion race mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) and Group 3 winner El Divino (Snitzel).
Better Than Ready juvenile makes it two
Trainer Kevin Hansen’s 2-year-old gelding Ask Me Mate (Better Than Ready) made it two in succession with a strong win at Rockhampton for jockey Tasha Chambers, putting 2.88l on Acedrod (Heroic Valour) and Astra Star (Cosmic Force).
One of nine juvenile winners for Better Than Ready this season, Ask Me Mate was sixth on debut back in November, but has really furnished this campaign winning both his starts to take his career record to two wins from three starts.
Sold by Eureka Stud for $62,000 to Colin Bell at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Ask Me Mate is the fifth winner for unraced mare Blessed Anna (General Nediym) who is a half-sister to Listed winner Zebulon (NZ) (All American).
