Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Palm Angel (Starspangledbanner), trained by Jason Warren for owner/breeders Rosemont Stud won the Listed Merson Cooper S. on debut on Saturday at Caulfield in a strong ride from Ethan Brown.
Above average ability from the start
“She was tough. It was terrific. Jason had been pleased with her from the beginning and was particularly taken with her over the last six weeks,” said Rosemont Stud’s Ryan McEvoy.
“She showed ability at home, and we knew she was above average, and then she won a jump-out against some older horses so there was some confidence about her.” As an unsighted juvenile, she was sent around at $12 by punters and won by 0.75l.
“Palm Angel is a proud homebred. She had a small x-ray blemish which is why we didn’t sell her. She was such a good type, but that blemish would’ve meant selling her at a discount and we were reluctant to do that. She went into our racing system and was a star at the breakers and then when Jason opened her up in a gallop she broke the clock.”
“She (Palm Angel) had a small x-ray blemish which is why we didn’t sell her. She went into our racing system and was a star at the breakers and then when Jason (Warren) opened her up in a gallop she broke the clock.” - Ryan McEvoy
“She’ll have a little breather now, she’s been up for a while.”
Graduates of the Merson Cooper
In recent years, the Listed Merson Cooper S. has produced several horses of outstanding class with Eneeza (Exceed And Excel) winning it last year before adding the G2 Percy Sykes S. in the autumn. The year before Little Brose (Per Incanto {USA}) went on to win the G1 Blue Diamond S., while in 2020 a bay colt by the name of Anamoe added his name to the leger in his first of 14 career wins that included a Group 1 win as a 2-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old with nine career Group 1 victories in total.
Gallery: Some of the high-class gallopers who have won the Listed Merson Cooper S. in recent years, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We’ve got Hanseatic at the farm too. The (Merson Cooper) has historically been a good foundation race and a form race for the Blue Diamond series. Hanseatic won it on debut and went to win two of the Blue Diamond lead up races, then Anamoe went on to be a star. Little Brose won the Diamond. That wasn’t lost on us.”
Hanseatic, whose first crop are 2-year-olds, won the 2019 Listed Merson Cooper S. on debut then added the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (Colts and Geldings) and the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings) at his next two starts. He ran second in the G1 Blue Diamond to Tagaloa who also stands at stud in Victoria.
A successful cross
Starspangledbanner has spent his time in Australia based at both Coolmore Stud in the Hunter Valley of NSW and Rosemont Stud’s Victorian base. “It’s a cross that has been good to us with Brooklyn Hustle bred on the same cross. It was another astute purchase from Mitho to buy a Pivotal mare from overseas for good value.”
Palm Angel’s dam, Noblest (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) was a winner over 1400 metres in England and was purchased by Rosemont Stud at the 2016 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale for €125,000 (AU$203,000) in foal to Bated Breath. She produced a colt in early 2017, then came to Australia in August 2017 where she was served by Brazen Beau.
Ryan McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She’s a sister to a champion filly over there, Peeress who won a Lockinge. She’s a robust sort of mare with nice length for a Pivotal. It’s wasn’t a lot of rocket science, she’s by an influential broodmare sire with a real pedigree behind her. She didn’t have a stellar race record, but Mitho thought she would suit our domestic stallions here.”
Noblest is a full sister to Peeress (GB) whose seven wins included the G1 Lockinge S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. and she was rated the Champion Older Female Miler in GB and Ireland in 2006. Peeress has been a good broodmare, producing Listed winner Ladyship (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who has had a massive year as the dam of 2024 G1 Lockinge S. Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and 2024 G3 Greenham S. winner Esquire (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), and she had earlier produced 2019 G3 Dick Poole S. winner Dark Lady (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
“A couple of years prior we sent Joint Aspiration to Starspangledbanner and got Brooklyn Hustle, and she was really the inspiration for the purchase (of Noblest).
Joint Aspiration (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) arrived from France in 2012 after being purchased by Bertrand Le Metayer Bloodstock at the Arqana December Mare Sale for €85,000 (AU$138,000). She had a few foals to Toorak Toff, then went to Starspangledbanner producing Brooklyn Hustle in 2016. She won on debut at two, later winning the G3 Proud Miss S. and G2 Dane Ripper S. Her first foal is a yearling colt by Zoustar who is yet to be catalogued for a sale.
Brooklyn Hustle | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“It wasn’t a huge amount of money for a mare with (Noblest)’s profile and now she’s proving to be a good mare. She’s really hitting her straps. Her 3-year-old Narbold was an impressive runner up in the Anzac Day S. He’s had a couple of hiccups this spring but is a high-class horse.”
Narbold (Churchill {Ire}) is the year older half-brother to Palm Angel and is trained by Chris Waller. He ran second, to Epimeles (Dundeel {NZ}), in the Listed Anzac Day S. at two at his second start, and recently won his maiden at his second start as a 3-year-old. He is also raced by Rosemont Stud.
“Palm Angel has a full sister, a yearling, on the ground, who is a beauty. I’m not sure yet if she’ll go to a sale or stay in our racing system. The mare doesn’t owe us a lot.”
“Palm Angel has a full sister, a yearling, on the ground, who is a beauty. I’m not sure yet if she’ll go to a sale or stay in our racing system. The mare doesn’t owe us a lot.” - Ryan McEvoy
Long association with Starspangledbanner
Starspangledbanner retired to Coolmore in Ireland in 2011 but managed only 33 foals from that first season and 30 from his first crop in Australia. He moved to Rosemont in 2013, 2014 and 2015 breeding seasons before returning to Coolmore in 2016. His fertility slowly improved through restricting the number of mares he served, in defiance of what veterinarians expected, and in 2019, he went back to Rosemont for three seasons, while still shuttling to Ireland. He had 2022 off, staying in Ireland and then returned to Coolmore Australia after that.
With 48 stakes winners including eight Group 1 winners from less than 800 runners, Starspangledbanner was worth persisting with, and served 115 mares in 2023 with 67 live foals returned to the stud book so far in 2024. This will rise as the November foals and late returns come in.
Starspangledbanner | Standing at Coolmore
“We’ve got a long association with Starspangledbanner. We bought into him when Coolmore bought him off the track and enjoyed that association with him. We are proud that we’ve had good success with him. We also race Lincolnshire, and he’s been a positive influence on our farm.”
Lincolnshire, a 3-year-old filly trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman won the Listed Dequetteville S. on debut as a 2-year-old last autumn.
Hanseatic – Rosemont’s other Merson Cooper winner
The first crop of Rosemont’s resident sire Hanseatic are 2-year-olds and he has two runners at this very early stage. “He’s started in promising fashion. His first runner was an eye catching third in a stakes race, we sold her at Inglis Melbourne and the Hayes team think highly of her.”
“He’s (Hanseatic) started in promising fashion. His first runner (Rohesia) was an eye catching third in a stakes race, we sold her at Inglis Melbourne and the Hayes team think highly of her.” - Ryan McEvoy
Rohesia ran third in the R. Listed Inglis Banner on debut and is out of Vinnie Rose (I Am Invincible) who is a winning half-sister to Listed winner Centrefire (Shooting To Win). Rohesia was sold by Rosemont Stud for $150,000 to Lindsay Park Racing at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
“His other runner is with Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans. She hit the line really hard in a maiden the other day and looks like a win is in store soon.” Tiz Worthy ran third at Bendigo on debut in mid-November and is out of Snitzel mare Tiz My View who won twice at two and three.
“There are a couple of others looking to run in next few weeks. Sam Freedman has one that he’s bullish on. I think it’s cause for optimism and we are excited about what we are hearing.
Hanseatic | Standing at Rosemont Stud
“His second crop will be heading to the yearling sales soon. We have a nice filly out of American mare Sound Machine and a colt from Bim Bam Boom who are we excited to take to the Gold Coast. We have another large group heading to Melbourne later in the summer.”
Sound Machine (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) was a dual Listed winner in the states and this Hanseatic yearling filly is her first foal. She’s catalogued at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale as Lot 971.
Lot 212, the Hanseatic colt is the third foal of unraced mare Bim Bam Boom (I Am Invincible) whose first foal is 3-year-old filly Dance To The Boom (Exceedance) who won on debut in August for trainer Bjorn Baker. Bim Bam Boom is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Albany Reunion (Fastnet Rock).
