Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix
Saturday's feature event is this Group 3 1400-metre event for the juveniles, a race which boasts a proud history of having been won by horses who have gone on to even bigger and better things; named the G3 South Australian Sires Produce S.
Including a number of subsequent Group 1 winners such as Yangtze (Ping Ching {Ire}), Sunny Coronation, Beau Cavalier (Beau Cheval), Wine Lover (Neapolitan {GB}), Comedy Prince (Powerscourt), Conservator, Bush Win (Natural Bid {USA}), Zasu (Kaoru Star), Always There, Farmer's Daughter (NZ) (Agricola {GB}), Umrum (Umatilla {NZ}), Interstellar (NZ), Rebel Raider, Go Indy Go (Bernardini {USA}), Lashed (Encosta de Lago) and Anamoe's dam Anamato (Redoute's Choice).
“A race (G3 South Australian Sires Produce S.) which boasts a proud history of having been won by horses who have gone on to even bigger and better things.”
The last two winners are both still in good form, Air Assault (Justify {USA}) winning three Listed races since and finishing third at his latest outing in the G1 South Australian Derby whilst Twin Stars (Zoustar) now races in Hong Kong as Chiu Chow Spirit, winning the Reunification Cup a couple of weeks ago.
Favourite to take out this year's running is a maiden but a promising one, Stolen Kiss (Shamus Award) finishing off nicely at her first two starts.
The most expensive runner in the field is Crime Of Passion (Zoustar), also a maiden; one who ran very well at her Sale debut. She is a $1.1 million graduate of the Gold Coast Magic Millions.
Stolen Kiss as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Colmar and Serinite Illusion; both by Strasbourg, have already run well in stakes company as has Heinous (Brutal {NZ}) whilst Four Ace (another Brutal (NZ)) and Supercilious (Written Tycoon) come off last start wins.
Listed Winter Challenge Stakes - good winter form lines
This race has been run only twelve times as a Listed contest and the 1500-metre event has proven a very good form reference having been won by several nice horses who have gone onto further stakes success.
Such as Cross Talk (NZ) (Keano {NZ}), Mister Sea Wolf (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}) and Coup Ay Tee (NZ) (Danske {NZ}).
“This race (Listed Winter Challenge Stakes) has been run only twelve times as a Listed contest and the 1500-metre event has proven a very good form reference.”
As well as He's Your Man (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}) who a couple of months later took out the G1 Epsom H. off a win in the G3 Kingston Town S. and Mugatoo (Ire) (Henrythenavigator {USA}) who the following month won the G3 Premier's Cup and the next year the All-Star Mile.
Favourite to find the line this year is War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) who rises in class having looked good winning two of his last three. A major threat is King Of The Castle (NZ) (Castledale {Ire}) who was unlucky in the Listed Winter S.; a game third having been held up at a vital stage.
The winner of that race again takes his place, Tamerlane (Golden Horn {GB}) showing heart wearing the leader down.
War Eternal (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) and Testator Silens (Star Witness) are also racing well, the former close up in Listed company in Brisbane at his last couple whilst the latter did not have a great deal of luck behind War Eternal last time out.
Listed Belmont Classic - a great race for William Pike
So impressive winning the Listed Belmont Oaks last start, Petrouchka (More Than Read {USA}) is an odds-on favourite taking on the boys. Yet to finish out of the placings in six starts, she again has William Pike aboard and that champion local jockey has won this race three times in the last four years.
Ihts Closing Inn (Sessions), Baronova (Fiorente {Ire}) and Chantrea (Puissance de Lune {Ire}) have been his winning mounts and he was also successful aboard Elusive Image (Elusive Quality {USA}) in 2012 and Lords Ransom (Jeune {GB}) in 2007.
Petrouchka | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Looking to be Petrouchka's main danger is Weeraechoux (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) who caught the eye with a strong finishing second from the rear in the Listed Aquanita S. last time out. He was also doing his best work late when unplaced in the Listed Belmont Guineas in which Petrouchka was second.
Lyrical Angel (God Has Spoken) also has form lines around the favourite, racing wide when below her best in the Belmont Guineas before bouncing back with a good finishing third in the Belmont Oaks.
Listed Opunake Cup - four in a row for Spencer?
A 1400-metre open handicap, the Listed Opunake Cup has attracted an even field in which Spencer (NZ) (Derryn) is a well-deserved favourite on the back of flying form.
Hailing from a family whose members really know how to find the line, such as 11 times winner Aimee Jay (NZ) (Famous Star {GB}) and the eight times winner Streetfighter (Bianconi {USA}), the 4-year-old Spencer has created a good impression winning five of his first 13 starts including his last three.
Spencer (NZ) (orange silks) | Image courtesy of Race Images
Last start winner Wessex (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) is a threat having been stakes placed at her previous outing whilst Belardo Boy (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) has won a trial since taking out the Listed AGC Training S. in early June.
The next two home in that race again take him on; the consistent Bradman (NZ) (Pins) who has also won a trial since that run and Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}) who was doing his best work late at Hastings last start.
Also racing well is Old Town Road (NZ) (El Roca) who relishes heavy conditions.
First Season Sire Action - Flemington, Rosehill and Eagle Farm
There are two juvenile contests at Flemington on Saturday, the Byerley H. kicking off the day: an 1800-metre late season test for the juveniles looking for a bit more ground. There are no first season sires represented, it being a race very much for established stallions with Stay Silent (Deep Field) and Politely Dun (Dundeel {NZ}) fighting out favouritism.
The third event, the VRC Member Russell Dawson Plate sees the progeny of two first season horses take their place; Scampi (Blue Point {Ire}) and Just Like Gaby (Pierata)
A $750,000 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sold by Bhima Thoroughbreds to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, Scampi was bred by Robert Crabtree. He is the fourth foal for the city winner Sistonic (Bel Esprit) whose son Semillion (Shalaa {Ire}) won the G3 Kindergarten S. and the R. Listed Inglis Banner.
“Stay Silent and Politely Dun are fighting out favouritism.”
Sistonic is a full sister to the Listed winner Iconic and her sire Bel Esprit produced another rather handy type from the family; her grandam being Scandinavia (Snippets), also grandam of the one and only Black Caviar (Bel Esprit).
Showing talent during his debut campaign, Scampi resumes off a Cranbourne jump-out second.
Blue Point (Ire) has been enjoying a good local run in recent weeks and now has eight Australian winners from his first crop.
Blue Point | Standing at Darley
Raced by her breeders Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Just Like Gaby is also a member of the Ciaron Maher stable as was her G1 Manikato S. and G1 William Reid S. winning dam and this filly is her first foal.
Her Yulong-based sire Pierata is another horse to have made a most encouraging start to his stud career with his nine winners including the stakes winners Coleman and Tobeornottobe.
Race 1 number 1 in Sydney is Getafix (Calyx {GB}) whose sire served only small books during two seasons shuttling to Coolmore. The sire of three stakes winners in the Northern Hemisphere, he has three local winners including this John O'Shea & Tom Charlton trained galloper who won at his Kensington debut in January, resuming here off a couple of trial placings.
Getafix as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A $100,000 Magic Millions graduate sold by Coolmore to John O'Shea and Suman Hedge Bloodstock, he is out of a winning half-sister to the G3 Dark Jewel Classic winner Seaside (Redoute's Choice).
Also contesting the race is Mawjood (Tassort) whose Newgate based sire has already had ten winners including the G1 Sires' Produce S. winner Manaal. The Emirates Park home-bred resumed with a nice winning performance at Rosehill and should again prove hard to toss.
Prorata (Pierata) is also already a winner, having his first run since taking out a Wagga 2-year-old H. in late May. The $200,000 Inglis Classic graduate is out of a winning half-sister to the stakes winners Lite'N My Veins (Henrythenavigator {USA}), Written Beauty (Written Tycoon), Hi World (High Chaparral {Ire}), Loveyamadly (Bel Esprit) and Ducimus.
Tassort also has a runner in the fourth race in Brisbane, Astapor kept fresh since making the pace and boxing on gamely in the Listed Oxlade S. in mid-June. The two times winner is out of a city-winning daughter of the Listed winner Jasminka (NZ) (Sakura Seeking {USA}).
There are two other first season sires with runners in the same race - Matisse (Microphone) and Take A Bow (Royal Meeting {Ire}).
The former, a stakes placed home-bred for Murray Thoroughbreds from the prolific Summoned (Crowned Prince {USA}) family, is one of the first two winners for her Darley based sire whilst the latter - a $40,000 Adelaide Magic Millions graduate who won easily at her Gatton debut is one of her Lovatsville based sire's four winners; he siring the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Hayasugi in his first crop.
First Season Sire action - Morphettville, Belmont and Arawa Park
The second race at Belmont, the Peters Investment Plate, has just the one runner by a first season sire with Yulong's Alabama Express having Alabama Elegance resuming off a Belmont trial victory.
The $40,000 Adelaide Magic Millions purchase for Ryan Hill Racing from Glenn Lee Thoroughbreds was bred by Yulong out of a winning half-sister to the Listed Widden S. winner Georgette Silk (Flying Spur).
The juvenile contest in Adelaide is busier in regard to first season sires with three represented by six runners: Rosemont Stud's Strasbourg by two, Newgate's Brutal (NZ) by three and Rangeview Stud's Long Leaf by one.
Brutal (NZ) | Standing at Newgate
The race is the G3 South Australian Sires Produce S. in which Colmar (Strasbourg) is one of the favoured runner. The consistent performer is out of the city winner Rapala (Encosta de Lago) from an international family whilst the other runner for Strasbourg is Serinite Illusion, a $13,000 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale purchase from the family of Freemason (Grand Lodge {USA}).
Strasbourg has had two winners so far with one of those (Colmar) and one other being stakes placed.
Brutal, who has had nine winners including the Listed winner Jenni's Meadow, has three in the market in this race; Big Brute out of a half-sister to the Listed winner Related (Elusive Quality {USA}) , Heinous from the family of Your Song and the $150,000 Magic Millions purchase Four Ace out of the stakes-placed Flemington winner Claudia Jean (Not A Single Doubt).
“The race is the G3 South Australian Sires Produce S. in which Colmar (Strasbourg) is one of the favoured runner.”
A triple Listed winning son of Lonhro, Long Leaf has the roughie Hard Leaf coming off a Mount Gambier maiden second. Sold for $60,000 at the Adelaide Magic Millions, he is out of a half-sister to the stakes winners Gold In Dubai (Desert Sun {GB}) and Gold Busker (Oratorio).
Westbury Stud's Group 3 winning sprinter Ferrando (NZ) has two runners in the second race at Arawa Park; Great Adventure and So Excited who are both bred on a 3 X 3 cross of Redoute's Choice.
