Saturday Summary: Recommendation completes Monash-Bletchingly double

Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos

Racing is about pure emotion, and the Listed Lightning S. in South Australia provided a huge dose for Ryland Thoroughbreds as their foundation sire America gained his first stakes winner. In Melbourne, Shalaa (Ire) added the quinella of the G3 Bletchingly S. while in Perth, Boots Like Bruce gave Snitzel his 33rd stakes winner as a damsire.

G3 Bletchingly S. quinella for Shalaa

Ciaron Maher had Recommendation (Shalaa {Ire}) perfectly fit for the G3 Bletchingly S. on Saturday at Caulfield and the 4-year-old gelding showed his rivals another galloping lesson when winning by 1.75l for jockey Blake Shinn to become just the third horse to complete the Monash-Bletchingly double.

Team Hawkes trained 4-year-old gelding Semillon (Shalaa {Ire}) was in second, ridden by Jordan Childs, while Leon and Troy Corstens trained 3-year-old gelding Marble Nine (Kobayashi), ridden by Ben Allen, picked up valuable black type for his family in running third at just his sixth career start.

“He’s just come back a better horse,” Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said. “He only had a short time out, but with that break, he’s in dynamite form and it hopefully sets him up for the spring. I’ve just spoken to Ciaron, who has just landed in the UK and possibly, a race like the Bobbie Lewis might suit.

“Given that he’s won like that over six (furlongs), we can plan ahead towards a race like the (G1) Manikato.”

With both Recommendation and Semillon already stakes winners for Shalaa, his career tally of 16 individual stakes winners didn’t budge, but there is the possibility that Recommendation will head into Group 1 company in the upcoming spring, which would be a boost for him.

For those who missed TTR’s coverage of Recommendation’s last stakes win in the G3 Sir John Monash S, he was withdrawn as a yearling and sold privately into his large ownership. He is the third foal and third winner for unraced mare Adviso (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}) who is a half-sister to Listed winner Sailing Solo (USA) (Smart Strike {Can}) and to the dam of this season’s Listed winner Al Musmak (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). Recommendation’s second dam is four-time Group 1 winner Proviso (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

Ryland Thoroughbreds bittersweet Lightning celebration

Victorian farm Ryland Thoroughbreds had a bittersweet celebration on Saturday when 3-year-old filly Lingani (America) won the Listed Lightning S. at Morphettville. She is the first stakes winner for their sire America, who died of colic in 2021 after serving four small books.

“Proud is an understatement, we always knew America would give something special and he has definitely provided that today with his first stakes winner,” said Luke Ryland of Ryland Thoroughbreds.

“Sammy, as he was known to us, was Ryland Thoroughbreds’ foundation stallion after opening up as a commercial stud in 2020. As much as I am so proud and honoured to have been part of America’s journey, I can not put into words how grateful we are to Roslyn Day for providing us with the opportunity to stand him in 2020 but also how incredibly proud she would be of herself and that big handsome fella Sammy.

“As much as I’m full of emotions today and how much he meant to me, he also had an enormous connection and love and respectfulness with Bec who I know would feel delighted with today’s result and a sense of ‘I told ya so’ to all the doubters out there.

“America lives on through his progeny after sadly being euthanised at Ballarat Veterinary Surgery on March 15, 2021 after a battle with Colic. I’ll never forget that day as the colic episode started on my birthday the day before. He is buried on the farm in Lethbridge with a horseshoe garden as his grave. You've done it, Sammy boy.”

America, a son of Snitzel and Group 1 winner Alinghi (Encosta De Lago) who had three starts before retiring with a tendon injury, has just 56 live foals. Before the race, co-trainer Peter Blanch talked to racing.com about Lingani’s unusual background, “There's a group of guys from the mid-north of the state and they bred her. They have a mare that they breed out of every year.

“They are passionate hobbyists and they're having a lot of fun. The first foal out of the mare that they gave us was Boolcunda King, who had a lot of ability and a lot of promise but had to be retired. This filly is the next one that came through and she's doing a really good job in a short space of time.

“There's a Dedline filly that we broke in recently and there's a Barood colt that is a weanling and then I think the mare has gone off to Dalasan.”

Trained by Peter and Belinda Blanch, Lingari was ridden by Dom Tourneur from gate nine and swooped late after threading through the middle of a widely spread out field to win by 0.2l from Will Clarken and Niki O'Shea trained 2-year-old filly Kuroyanagi (Written Tycoon) for Jamie Kah, with Jake Toeroek riding Richard and Chantelle Jolly trained 3-year-old filly Aviatress (Smart Missile) into third. The favourite, Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot {GB}), was a late scratching.

Lingani took her record to four wins from eight starts with earnings over $183,000. She is the third foal and second winner for winning mare Betty Butterscotch (De Beers). Lingani is the first stakes horse in the family since fourth dam Sharela (NZ) (Bucentaur {GB}) who was placed in the Listed Avondale Anzac Day Handicap, and produced two stakes placed winners.

Boots Like Bruce gains first stakes win in Bolton Sprint

Consistent 6-year-old gelding Boots Like Bruce (Alfred Noble {Ire}) was a last start winner heading into Saturday’s Listed Bolton Sprint at Belmont and he continued his good run of form for trainer Anne King and jockey Patrick Carbery in winning by a dominant 3.3l. Boots Like Bruce travelled behind the leaders, then booted clear to win easily.

Adrift in second was Chris Parnham’s mount Man Crush (Manhattan Rain) trained by Luke Fernie, while Dan Morton trained Saloon Bar (Sessions) ran third for jockey Steven Parnham.

Winner of seven of his fifteen starts, Boots Like Bruce has earnings over $260,000 and is the fourth stakes winner for G1 Phoenix S. winner Alfred Noble (Ire).

Of note, Boots Like Bruce becomes the 33rd stakes winner for Snitzel as a damsire who has three Group 1 winners in this role; Mossfun (Mossman), Celestial Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) and Velocious (Written Tycoon).

Boots Like Bruce is the second live foal of unraced mare Smithfields (Snitzel) who is out of a daughter of G1 NZ One Thousand Guineas winner Our Cure (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}). Our Cure is also the granddam of stakes winners Pure Energy (Mossman) who placed in a Golden Slipper, Segments (Mossman) who placed in an Oakleigh Plate and Eastender (Tickets).

Hat-trick of wins for Herbert Park

It was a family affair for trainer Tony Noonan, whose son Jake rode 3-year-old filly Herbert Park (Toronado {Ire}) to her third win in succession at Caulfield, and the filly was strapped by assistant trainer son Tom. “She’s honest – very honest and tough,” Tony Noonan said of the filly who now has four wins from six starts with earnings over $172,000.

“I was a bit worried when the rain hadn’t come, but sometimes those Hail Mary’s help a bit, so we did plenty of them! She’s progressing really well… as I said to the boys, it’s just nice to train a half-decent horse that can progress, and she’s heading in the right direction. She always showed good ability, but at times she’s been a little bit hot, so we’ve just had to handle her carefully.”

Herbert Park won by 0.3l from Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained 3-year-old filly Sunset Dreaming (Impending) ridden by Blake Shinn, with Grahame Begg trained 3-year-old filly Kundalini (I Am Invincible) in third for jockey Damian Lane.

“Jake and Dakotah have done a terrific job with her, Tom, my son, has done a terrific job with her, she can be a bit tricky. It’s been a great team effort by everyone at home. A good mate of mine, Mick Robins, is 94 today. Mick worked for me for a number of years and trained Rain Lover to two Melbourne Cups. Absolute champion of a bloke, and I’d love to send him all my love.”

Herbert Park is by Toronado (Ire), who added two Group 1 winners this season with Bois d’Argent and Victor The Winner, and Herbert Park is the sixth foal and fourth winner for Listed Quizette S. winner Elite Elle (Shamardal {USA}) who won seven races in her career and is a half-sister to stakes placed winner Classic Elle (Reset). Elite Elle has a rising 2-year-old colt by Brazen Beau and a 2023 filly by Saxon Warrior (Jpn).

Piastri wins again for Group 1 dam

Only a week after his namesake, Australian Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri won his maiden F1 race at Hungaroring, Ciaron Maher trained 3-year-old gelding Piastri (Choisir) won at Caulfield for jockey Michael Dee by 2.25l over stablemate Wallenda (Trapeze Artist) with Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Bossy Nic (Nicconi) in third.

Piastri took his record to three wins from seven starts with earnings over $150,000, and was coming off a third placing last start. Purchased by Ciaron Maher as a weanling at the 2021 Magic Millions National Sale for $200,000 from Gilgai Farm, Piastri is one of only 13 foals from the final crop of Group 1 winner and sire Choisir.

Choisir has sired 1300 winners globally with 104 at stakes level. He changed the way Australia looked at Royal Ascot when he travelled there in 2003 as a pioneer to win both the King’s Stand S. and Golden Jubilee in the same week – a feat that had never been done before at that time. He followed it up with a third in the G1 July Cup to add to his G1 Lightning S. win (before he headed overseas). A shuttle stallion for many years, he died in 2021.

Piastri is the fourth live foal for G1 NZ One Thousand Guineas winner Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago) whose 4-year-old mare The Unicorn is a winning full sister to Piastri. Her other winner is Costa del Mar (Fastnet Rock).

Costa Viva is a daughter of Group 3 winner Vivacious Spirit (Bel Esprit) who is a half-sister to the dam of Listed winner Audacious Spirit (Bel Esprit).

Invincible Shield keeps unbeaten record in Queensland

Since transferring to Tony Gollan in over the summer, 3-year-old colt Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible) has been unbeaten and stretched that run to four in succession at Doomben on Saturday. Ridden by Angela Jones, he won by 1l from Toby Edmunds trained Mean Approach (Lean Mean Machine) and David Vandyke trained Bohemian Lad (Better Than Ready).

Invincible Shield had to work for it, tracking out wide to sit just outside the leader, fighting Mean Approach all the way down the straight, pulling away to win in the final few strides. The colt had one start at two, then two in the spring at three in Victoria, before his transfer north.

Purchased by Baystone Farm for $480,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from Yarraman Park Stud, he is a son of Champion Sire I Am Invincible and is the second foal of unraced mare Pierro Moss (Pierro). Her 2-year-old colt Tardelli is a full brother to Invincible Shield and has a similar race record to Invincible Shield at the same point, which is to say, three starts for not much. One hopes he matures in a similar fashion as he heads into his 3-year-old season.

Pierro Moss is a daughter of Listed winner Upon This Rock (Fastnet Rock) who is a half-sister to Listed winners Gaze On (Intergaze) and Bhutane Dane (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Upon This Rock had only four foals, leaving just one winner, Solid Foundation (Lonhro).

Godolphin will aim Fleetwood at the Magic Millions carnival

Godolphin purchased 3-year-old gelding Fleetwood (Encryption) from Kenmore Lodge at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $160,000, and after winning at Randwick on Saturday, the progressive horse will head to the Magic Millions summer carnival to be a unique runner for his owners.

Fleetwood, ridden by James McDonald, was coming off a last start third placing in the Listed AR Creswick S. and won the 1100 metre race by 0.43l from Brad Widdup trained Sneaky Paige (Deep Field) and Kris Lees trained Bubba’s Bay (Cable Bay {Ire}).

“We have mainly just had a handful of runners here and there that have qualified through the wild cards, but this is a genuine Magic Millions purchase,” trainer James Cummings said.

“I've long considered him a Magic Millions prospect, but he needed to get his rating up. I've got time now to give him a good break and I can target the Magic Millions carnival with him. It's a good effort from the horse to build on a good prep here, go down to Victoria, he ran twice in eight days (in Melbourne) and not everything went ideal for him there.

“He is by our stallion that we keep a share in, Encryption, and he's just been going so well since we gelded him. He's had such a good prep, he has gone to a new level.”

Encryption stands at Eureka Stud and is the sire of two stakes winners from his first crop who are currently 3-year-olds. They are G2 BRC Sires’ Produce S. winner Cifrado and Group 3 winner Encoder. Beautifully bred, Encryption is a Group 2 winning son of Lonhro and four-time Group 1 winner Guelph (Exceed and Excel).

Fleetwood, who has won five of his twelve starts with earnings over $310,000, is the second foal of city winner Jennifer Juniper (Time Thief). She is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Whateverwhenever (Choisir).