Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The Thoroughbred Report looks at the spring plans of some of the best-performed juvenile fillies from last season.
Of the five Group 1 races for 2-year-olds in 2023/24, two went to colts and the rest went to fillies. Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) won the G1 Golden Slipper, Manaal (Tassort) won the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}) won the G1 Blue Diamond S.
After the Manikato, Hayasugi faces a fork in the road
Clinton McDonald’s star juvenile filly Hayasugi, whose name means ‘very fast’ in Japanese, resumed at three in the G1 AJ Moir S. running second to Mornington Glory (Shalaa {Ire}). “She’ll run in the Manikato, then she faces a fork in the road, whether she heads to the Everest or a Guineas Prelude,” said McDonald. “There’s a few options, and I’m not 100% certain on the Everest. Perhaps she could do the Guineas Prelude over 1400, then come back (in distance) to the Coolmore. If she won the Manikato well, there’s also the option of the Champion Sprint at a low weight. We need to get through the Manikato first.”
Hayasugi was a $47,500 weanling purchase by James Bester Bloodstock, Rathosheen Bloodstock and C Mok from Fairhill Farm at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale. She debuted as an early 2-year-old in the R-Listed Inglis Banner 2YO S. running second to Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau). Fourth in the G3 Ottawa S, Hayasugi then strung together three wins in succession, all in group company culminating in the G1 Blue Diamond. The G1 Golden Slipper wasn’t her day and she concluded her juvenile season with three wins from six starts.
Hayasugi | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The stable also has 3-year-old filly Andrina (Written Tycoon) who won on debut on Wednesday at Sandown. “She won yesterday and is a nice filly. Let’s see how she comes through yesterday. There’s a nice race at Caulfield (in a couple of weeks) and then the Moonee Valley Classic for 3-year-old fillies over 1600 metres, or maybe the Edward Manifold if the field is lighter.”
Andrina, a $180,000 purchase by her trainer from Noorilim Park at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale is the first foal for her unplaced dam Rock The Sea (NZ) (Fastnet Rock) who is a half-sister to No More Tears (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) who is the Group 3 winning dam of G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Ozzmosis (Zoustar) who has recently retired to stud. This is the outstanding Hips Don’t Lie family of Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}) and Acrobat.
Bold Bastille has the Asfoora problem
It has been well documented that Henry Dwyer took Asfoora (Flying Artie) to Royal Ascot because there weren’t many options for sprinting mares at 1000 metres in Melbourne. While TTR AusNZ are not suggesting that Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) will head to Ascot, Lindsay Park’s racing manager Dom Rhoden did mention the same programming issue in relation to their star 3-year-old filly.
“She’s come through her run in good order and will head toward the Scarborough at The Valley. We’ll see how she goes at 1200m, would love to keep her at 1000m, but the options limited at that trip, and there’s more at 1200m,” said Rhoden. Bold Bastille ran second in the Listed Cap D’Antibes S. last start over 1100 metres, and previously had won four of her five starts at two. She ran fourth to future Group 1 winner Mornington Glory (Shalaa {Ire}) in her first run as a 3-year-old.
Bold Bastille | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
One to watch for the longer term is Listed Taj Rossi Series Final winner Jenni’s Meadow (Brutal {NZ}). “She will kick off on Saturday in the Jim Maloney, then progress to something like the Edward Manifold on Turnbull Day. We think she is probably a Wakeful type, and are hoping she can stay the Oaks trip.”
Jenni’s Meadow won on debut as a December 2-year-old, then had four unplaced efforts including a couple of fourth placings, before bookending her juvenile season with the Listed win. In winning the Taj Rossi, she became the first stakes winner for Brutal who has 11 winners from his first crop.
Second to Jenni’s Meadow in the Taj Rossi was stablemate Sneaky Sunrise (The Autumn Sun), who won twice as a late 2-year-old. The Autumn Sun had a fantastic time with last season’s 3-year-olds, siring three Group 1 winning fillies, which surely puts Sneaky Sunrise into many punter’s black books. “She had a little setback with a virus. We are on top of that now and she’ll kick off in about three weeks in the Thousand Guineas Prelude.”
Jenni’s Meadow | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“We have several maidens who could quickly progress, but it’s hard to pick any of them at this stage. Hopefully something pops up in the next fortnight.”
Million dollar Sakima: ‘best is yet to come’
Sakima (Snitzel) was a $1.25million purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Snowden Racing along with William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) and Trilogy Racing. She ran fifth on debut in March then was put away until July where she won a juvenile race in Sydney. Back at three, she has had two starts, mostly recently running third in the Listed Atlantic Jewel S.
“She runs in the Jim Maloney on Saturday. She’s come through well with a good run last start and steps up to 7 furlongs. It was good to get a black type placing in the Atlantic Jewel,” said Snowden Racing’s Colum McCullagh.
Sakima as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“The best is yet to come in the autumn for her.”
Currently a winner from five starts with two placings, Sakima is a half-sister to Group 2 placed winner Bourbon War (USA) (Tapit {USA}) and R-Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic-runner up and race winner Russian Conquest (Russian Revolution). Her dam, My Conquestadory (USA) (Artie Schiller {USA}) won the G1 Keeneland Alcibiades S. at two and placed in the G1 Del Mar Oaks at three. My Conquestadory is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Runinsonofagun (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}).
I Am Invincible fillies dominate for Maher
The Ciaron Maher stable won the G2 Reisling S. last season with Erno’s Cube (Rubick). She ran fourth at her first start at three in the G2 Silver Shadow S. and is nominated for this Saturday’s G2 Tea Rose S. “She’s a nice filly. After the Tea Rose, she’ll head to the 1000 Guineas, or perhaps the Flight S,” said stable representative Will Bourne.
“She’s a nice filly. After the Tea Rose, she’ll head to the 1000 Guineas, or perhaps the Flight S.” - Will Bourne
“We have a lot of Vinnie fillies, especially Sensational Wind and the one out of Fenway, but they’ll all take a bit of time. They have had a few starts, yet to win but you can see like Marabi and I Am Me that they’ve given us confidence that they’ll achieve something in time.”
Sensational Wind (I Am Invincible) ran fifth on debut in July and trialled since then at three. She is the third foal of G1 Australian Oaks winner Gust Of Wind (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), and her year older half-brother Transatlantic (Snitzel) won at two and three and placed in the Listed Daybreak Lover S. two starts ago. Sensational Wind was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $1.1million from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Sensational Wind as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Fenway (High Chaparral {Ire})’s 3-year-old filly, Qatars Choice (I Am Invincible) ran third on debut on the last day of her 2-year-old season, then was seventh last start. She was purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and David Redvers Bloodstock for $975,000 from Arrowfield Stud’s 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft and she is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Williamsburg (Snitze), who has won five races and ran third last start in the 2024 Listed Rowley Mile.
Lilac best of Neasham’s Melbourne fillies
Another one in the Listed Jim Maloney field is Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald trained Lilac (Justify {USA}). “She’s had two starts this prep and was narrowly beaten second up by a good horse. She runs in the Jim Maloney.”
Fourth at her only start at two, Lilac won her first start at three, then was second to 3-year-old colt Private Life (Written Tycoon) last start. Private Life has won two of his three starts, all in the city, for trainer Chris Waller. Private Life runs in Saturday’s G3 Caulfield Guineas.
“She’s (Lilac) had two starts this prep and was narrowly beaten second up by a good horse. She runs in the Jim Maloney.” - Will Bourne
Lilac was a NZ$300,000 purchase by Champion Thoroughbreds and Annabel Neasham at the NZB National Yearling Sale, and is the second foal of Paulownia (Fastnet Rock), a Group 2 placed winning full sister to Group 1 winner and successful sire Foxwedge and Listed winner She’s A Fox.
