Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Race-Day Recap
Wootton Bassett’s second Southern Hemisphere 2-year-old winner Gallo Nero will head to the rich R-Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic next.
Deep Field adds a juvenile winner at The Valley with Field Of Play who will be aimed at the G1 Blue Diamond.
Space Rider (Zoustar) lives up to $500,000 price-tag with a good win at Eagle Farm.
Snitzel’s Rainbow Glow exciting on debut at Canberra on Friday for owner breeder Cressfield who will offer her half-brother at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Too Darn Hot (GB) keeps burning with Hot Whiskers’ debut win on Friday.
Magic Millions target for Gallo Nero
Wootton Bassett (GB) sired four Group 1-winning juveniles in 2024 in the Northern Hemisphere and now he has a R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic contender from his first Southern Hemisphere crop with 2-year-old colt Gallo Nero winning at Randwick on Saturday to become the second winner for his sire after Pallaton won in Sydney on December 21.
Trained by Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes, Gallo Nero was fourth on debut and on Saturday jockey Tyler Schiller hugged the rail and threaded through a gap to dash into the lead. The fast-finishing Michael Freedman-trained filly Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice) followed the colt through the gap running second by 0.41l with the favourite Peter Snowden trained filly Memo (Capitalist) running third, 1.57l from the winner.
“The plan was to win today and then head to the Gold Coast. Of course, we've got to see how he pulls up the next 24 to 48 hours. If he doesn't get to the Magic Millions, he's going to be a really nice colt in the autumn,” said co-trainer Michael Hawkes.
“I think he should have won first-up, he just got really keen. He only got beaten a length and did everything wrong. We gave him an easy trial on Monday and just tried to get him to relax. And probably the key was taking a sit today, where he actually did relax. He's still learning and he's a really nice colt in the making.”
“If he (Gallo Nero) doesn't get to the Magic Millions, he's going to be a really nice colt in the autumn.” - Michael Hawkes
Wootton Bassett has 58 stakes winners in the Northern Hemisphere and his sons Almanzor (Fr) and Wooded (Ire) are at stud here. Raced by Halo Racing and others, Gallo Nero was a $370,000 purchase by Hawkes Racing at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Glenbeigh Farm.
He is the first foal of Chianti (I Am Invincible) who won on debut at two in Sydney, and added another win at three. Chianti doesn’t have a yearling, having slipped to Snitzel, and has an Anamoe filly on the ground this spring. Chianti is a daughter of well-travelled G3 Turffontein Sycamore Sprint and Listed HKJC Bauhinia Sprint Trophy winner Sweet Sanette (SAf) (Jallad {USA}), making Chianti a half-sister to G3 Scarborough S.-placed Sweet Rockette (Fastnet Rock). Sweet Sanette is a half-sister to two other South African stakes winners.
Wootton Bassett (GB) | Standing at Coolmore
Field Of Play continues Deep Field’s legacy
Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained 2-year-old gelding Field Of Play (Deep Field) won on debut at The Valley in an impressive front-running display for jockey Blake Shinn, winning by 3.25l over Phillip Stokes-trained gelding Tom (Doubtland) with the Ciaron Maher-trained filly Jenni Gone Bonkers (Maurice {Jpn}) dashing home to collect third, 1l behind Tom.
“The Blue Diamond is the natural (target) isn't it. He's not a 1000 metre 2-year-old, which we're mindful of, we'll probably tick him over and try and get him in the Prelude and go from there,” Busuttin said.
One of 64 live foals from Deep Field’s penultimate crop, Field Of Play was sold by Middlebrook Valley Lodge as a weanling at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale for $255,000 to Kaha Nui Farm, who on-sold him as a yearling at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$500,000 to Jamie Richards and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA).
“The Blue Diamond is the natural (target) isn't it. He's (Field Of Play) not a 1000 metre 2-year-old, which we're mindful of, we'll probably tick him over and try and get him in the Prelude and go from there.” - Trent Busuttin
Field Of Play is the third winner from as many to race for juvenile winner Californiasurprise (I Am Invincible), a daughter of G3 WATC Sires' Produce S. and R. Listed Magic Millions Perth 2YO Classic winner Camporella (Exceed And Excel), who in turn is a daughter of Listed Dark Jewel Classic winner Really Flying (Real Quiet {USA}).
Californiasurprise has a yearling filly by Stay Inside who is being offered by Alma Vale Thoroughbreds as Lot 241 at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Lot 241 - Stay Inside x Californiasurprise (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Space Rider dominates at Eagle Farm
Kelly Schweida trained 2-year-old colt Grafterburners (Graff) was impressive in winning last start by 2l, but on Saturday at Eagle Farm, he ran into one better when second by 3.2l to the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt Space Rider (Zoustar) who put paid to the field in a dominant display covering the 1200 metres in 1:09.99. Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou trained Blitzburg (Snitzel) was coming off a fifth in the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic and raced into third to frank the formline in the race.
“It was nice and straightforward, gee he is a really nice colt. I have ridden him right the way through (in trials) and I have always really liked him, the blinkers went on and it sharpened him up nicely,” said jockey Chad Schofield.
“He jumped well today and he got the lead easily, when he travelled as well as he did there, he was always going to be hard to beat, I loved the way he let down when he came off the bridle. For a 2-year-old colt, he has the most beautiful attitude, he is bombproof and always has been – he helps himself and that takes him a long way.”
“For a 2-year-old colt, he (Space Rider) has the most beautiful attitude, he is bombproof and always has been – he helps himself and that takes him a long way.” - Chad Schofield
Space Rider was on debut, making the win over his more experienced opposition even more impressive. The colt, raced by TFI, Kia Ora Stud, and others was a $500,000 purchase from Longwood Thoroughbred Farm by Mick Price, TFI, and Dermot Farrington, and is by Zoustar who continues to churn out quality winners.
A full brother to G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner and $1 million yearling Brereton, Space Rider is the fifth winner for G3 WA Champion Fillies S. winner Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom {USA}) whose yearling full brother will be offered by Longwood Thoroughbred Farm at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale as Lot 424. Fuddle Dee Duddle is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}) who was five-times Group 1 placed, as well as to Bella Orfana (Star Witness), the dam of four-time Group 1 winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) who has earnings over $20 million.
Chad Schofield
Cressfield’s well-bred Rainbow Glow wins on debut
Friday’s Canberra meeting featured the Clan O’Sullivan Handicap for 2-year-olds and it was Cressfield homebred filly Rainbow Glow (Snitzel) who led all the way to prevail by 0.35l for trainer Bjorn Baker and jockey Ashley Morgan. In second was Michael Freedman trained colt Swag (Bivouac) with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt Graphic Sight (Lucky Vega {Ire}) in third.
Passed in by Cressfield at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Rainbow Glow’s half-brother by Home Affairs is Lot 96 in Cressfield’s 2025 draft. Baker didn’t make a comment about the next step for Rainbow Glow who was on debut, although the options include the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Listed Black Opal S. back at the same track.
She is the fifth foal of G2 Ian McEwen S. winner Wild Rain (Manhattan Rain) whose eight wins included four at stakes level and she was placed in the G1 AJ Moir S. with earnings over $840,000. Wild Rain is already a successful broodmare, having produced Listed Denise's Joy S. placed Spring Lee (Zoustar) and the winner Tailwinds (I Am Invincible). This is the family of Northerly (Serheed {USA}) and North Boy (Serheed {USA}).
Hot Whiskers on fire for Too Darn Hot
Phillip Stokes added a second juvenile winner in two days when 2-year-old filly Hot Whiskers (Too Darn Hot {GB}) won on debut on Friday at Mornington. Ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, she put 1.5l on Ciaron Maher trained colt Stranded (NZ) (Proisir) with Rory Hunter trained gelding Autumn Mystery (The Autumn Sun) in third. Stokes also trained La Roux (Zousain) to win on Boxing Day.
“A big thanks to Ian (Cornell) who bred her and Neil Jenkinson who recommended I train her. She jumped well and put herself there and she will take a lot out of that and she is a nice filly going forward. Couldn’t be happier with that,” Stokes said.
“We’ll see how she pulls up and might even keep the dream alive and go to a Prelude (Blue Diamond) or something like that.”
Too Darn Hot (GB), sire of Broadsiding, Too Darn Lizzie, and Too Darn Discreet this season, has a total of 19 stakes winners from his first two crops in both hemispheres. Hot Whiskers is his second juvenile winner in Australia this season after Gobi Desert.
Phillip Stokes | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Hot Whiskers is the fourth foal and third winner for unraced mare Cries and Whiskers (Street Cry {Ire}) who is a daughter of Listed winner She’s Purring (Flying Spur), making her a half-sister to Listed winners Global Warming (Agnes World {USA}) and Pure Purrfection (General Nediym), who in turn is the dam of Listed winners Barbie’s Sister (Spirit Of Boom) and Outback Barbie (Spirit Of Boom), dam of this season’s 2-year-old Listed Phelan Ready Plate winner Hi Barbie (I Am Invincible). Cries And Whiskers has no yearling this year, and she had a filly by Pinatubo (Ire) in 2024.
