Wednesday Racing: A Bjorn Baker quinella kicks off plenty of mid-week action

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Baker cooks up a quinella

A good recent run for Bjorn Baker continued at Kembla Grange where the stable provided the quinella in the opening event, a Super Maiden contested over 1000 metres.

Having just his second start, after having led in the lesser going at his Kensington debut a couple of weeks ago, Bold Bidder (Fastnet Rock) looked to have plenty in hand proving 1.75l too strong for his stable mate Istolea Merc (Winning Rupert).

Raced by Ron and Judy Wanless, Bold Bidder was bred by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and purchased by Curran Bloodstock for $525,000 from the draft of Segenhoe Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

One of the 40 foals from the fourth last crop of his retired sire, Bold Bidder is the first Fastnet Rock runner out of a mare by Not A Single Doubt mare, a cross which results in a close 2 X 4 duplication of Danehill (USA).

Bold Bidder is the third foal and second winner for the aptly named Pretty Fast (Not A Single Doubt), who won four of her 10 starts including the Listed Mode Plate at Doomben.

Her first foal Jaameelati (I Am Invincible) was a winner from just five starts, whilst her second Camilla (Lonhro) ran an encouraging fourth at her Wyong debut last Sunday.

Served last spring by Home Affairs after foaling an Anamoe colt, Pretty Fast had her Wootton Bassett (GB) yearling sell at the recent Magic Millions, secured by Tom Magnier for $650,000.

Pretty Fast is a full sister the dual Group-winning young Widden Stud Victoria-based stallion Doubtland from the same family as My Gladiola (I Am Invincible), who created such a big impression winning the G3 Blue Diamond Preview Fillies at Sandown last Saturday.

This is a family that has been represented by two G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winners; Ha Ha (Danehill {USA}) and Rory's Jester.

“He has been a nice horse the whole way through,” Baker told The Thoroughbred Report, “and I think he has a good future.”

“He trialled well before his first start and he was great today. He is my first horse for the Wanless' and I am delighted, they are lovely people who put a lot into the game.”

Modella moves!

One of the most impressive wins of the day was that recorded by the Lee and Cherie Curtis trained filly Modella (Castelvecchio) who really sprouted wings when breaking her maiden in a 1300-metre event at Kembla Grange.

Well fancied at her second start, having done a bit of work when second at her Warwick Farm debut a few weeks ago, the Arrowfield and Jungle Pocket-bred 3-year-old was purchased by the stable for $200,000 from the Arrowfield draft at the 2023 Magic Millions sale.

Lee Curtis was excited by the style of the filly's win, noting, “she was very impressive, even more than we thought she would be!”

“Her good first run was on a wet track so it was a bit of an unknown being on the drier going today, but she really improved, she was outstanding. She is a good filly, she is going somewhere."

Arrowfield remain in the ownership of Modella who races in the maroon, white, and yellow colours of Mystery Downs' Frank and Christine Cook, for whom the Curtis stable trained the G1 VRC Oaks heroine Lasqueti Spirit (Beneteau).

“The Cooks have been very good to us, very supportive,” Curtis said. “We've got a really good relationship with us and we are grateful to have them.”

A member of the first crop of her Arrowfield based sire, Modella is out of the lightly raced Canterbury winner Ms Rodarte (I Am Invincible), whose Group 3 winning dam Lucky Diva (Perugino {USA}) also produced the Group 3 filly Ms Catherine (Shooting To Win) and the dam of the South African-based Listed winner Franca (SAF) (Rafeef).

Hailing from the family of the great stallion Century, Ms Rodarte has fillies by Dundeel (NZ) and Hitotsu coming through, last spring paying a return visit to Castelvecchio. That's an interesting mating, bringing together the 3/4 brothers Sadler's Wells (USA), Nureyev (USA) and Perugino (USA).

New Kingdom's amazing background story

There is quite the background story to the Sandown maiden winner New Kingdom (American Pharoah {USA}) who did such a good job at just his second start.

Unlucky when fifth at his home-track (Warrnambool) debut two weeks ago, the Burnewang North Pastoral home-bred never made his way to the sales with the stud's Cathy Hains admitting that “he was just not a suitable horse to be sold.”

Born with off-set knees sitting below “a beautiful body,” New Kingdom gave his breeder plenty of headaches from his early days.

“He had a bad intestinal issue with severe scouring that we struggled to get on top of,” she recalled, “and then he had an eye ulcer.”

“It was not a little issue either, it lasted for months and he had to spend a lot of time in a darkened stable.”

And that was not the end of New Kingdom's troubles, the bay developing the sort of symptoms that led to the assumption that he was a wobbler, but it was in fact another serious problem.

“He tested positive for encephalitis,” Hains said, thankful that her team at Burnewang did such a good job with the unlucky youngster.

“They were endlessly patient with him,” she said and it is little wonder that she and her team were “delighted and so excited" by New Kingdom's success.

“At two he started to shake off all his problems, and right from when he was in pre-training at Leneva Park, he has been a popular horse," she said. “Everyone loves him and he is a real favourite at the stables, he is such a beautifully natured horse.”

Bred on the same American Pharoah/Lonhro cross as the triple Group 1 winner Riff Rocket, New Kingdom impressed the Symon Wilde's stable's Ben Casanelia.

“We came with the expectation that he'd run well and he lived up to that,” he said.

“He did a bit wrong at his first start, but finished off well and we thought that this big, flat track would suit him.”

“He still has plenty to learn and the further he gets into his career, the better he will get.”

Jockey Jordan Childs was taken by the style of the win, noting, “once I peeled him out and presented him, he was really good to the line, and he will keep improving.”

New Kingdom is a half-brother to the stakes-placed Aditi (Exceed And Excel) out of the dual city winner Witches (Lonhro).

A 3/4 sister to the G3 Eclipse Stakes winner Whiskey Neat (Denman), she is in foal to Anamoe. She did not produce a foal last spring and her yearling by Stay Inside is Lot 561 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

New Zealand Oaks beckons for the exciting Twisted Love

The G1 New Zealand Oaks is on the agenda for the exciting Twisted Love (NZ) (Vanbrugh), whose fast-finishing debut victory at Waverley caught the eye.

Bred by Windsor Park Stud (home to her sire), the William Thurlow-trained filly is a NZ$17,000 graduate of the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

She is the seventh winner for her dam Queen Of Avalon (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}), a half-sister to the G1 VRC Derby and G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Monaco Consul (NZ) from the prolific Froth (NZ) (Faux Tirage {GB}) family.

Twisted Love's fifth dam, Froth won the New Zealand Oaks in 1957 and this is of course also the family of the mighty grey Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs {GB}).

Bred on a 4 X 3 cross of Star Way (GB), Twisted Love also carries a duplication of the terrific mare Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}) via her sons Fairy King (USA) and Sadler's Wells.

Sirena sizzles at Sandown

Robbie Griffiths boasts a 100 per cent city winning strike rate with daughters of Pierata and he was very happy to see the talented Sirena breaking her maiden at Sandown.

Having just her fourth start, the bay showed good pace and was always in control defeating Controlled Zone (Written Tycoon) who races in the colours of Yulong, home to Pierata.

Bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Sirena was purchased by the stable with Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) for $250,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions.

She was a must have for the Cranbourne based trainer who enjoyed good success with her dam Fidelia (Not A Single Doubt), a multiple city winner who was in the placings at Group level on six occasions.

Griffiths was pleased by Sirena's two previous runs at Mornington, confident that she'd be better suited to the expanses of Sandown.

“Jye McNeil was confident that she'd do well on a bigger track whilst she is still learning, and she proved that today.”

It was a third January run for Sirena with Griffiths noting that “we didn't think we'd be running a young filly three times so close together but she gave every indication that she'd back up well and she is looking good.”

Griffiths trains Sirena for a big group of loyal stable clients, laughing as he recalls also riding for several of them; “that was about 40kg ago!”

Griffiths liked not only Sirena's page and her physical make-up but also her pedigree, one which sees her boast duplications of the excellent mares Rolls (USA) (Mr Prospector {USA}), Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) and Fairy Bridge.

Gallery: Images courtesy of Racing Photos

Fidelia was served last year by Shinzo after foaling a Yes Yes Yes filly. She also has a yet to be named two-year-old colt by So You Think (NZ).

The win was the first leg of a double for Griffiths who also cheered on the 4-year-old Enxuto (Lean Mean Machine) to Sandown success.

A Suave effort down in class

A Group 3 runner-up at two, the Toby Edmonds & Stephen McLean-trained 3-year-old Silva 'n' Suave (D'Argento) was back to his best, recording a nice win in BM65 company at Ipswich.

Contesting a number of nice races, the grey appreciated the class drop to salute by a soft 1.25l with Edmonds pleased by the performance of a horse he describes as “a pleasure to train.”

“We have thrown him in the deep end for most of his career and we just felt that he needed to win again so we brought him back (in class) today and he got the job done.”

Bred and sold by Bowness Stud, fetching $62,000 in Book 2 of the 2023 Magic Millions, Silva 'n' Suave is amongst the first 14 winners for his Bowness based sire.

Silva 'n' Suave is one of the five winners (from six to race) for the dual winner My Word (Viscount), whose grandam is the dual Group 3 winner Dewanadance (USA) (Dewan {USA}).

Sandown success for Sepals

Showing heart overcoming trouble in running, Sepals (Calyx {GB}) is another promising 3-year-old to have emerged from Wednesday's meetings.

Stepping up in class after winning a Sale maiden earlier in the month, the Cliff Brown-trained gelding was buried in traffic until the last 300 metres, but once clear he showed heart and a good turn of foot.

“He travelled great and once he burst though I was pretty confident,” said jockey Jamie Mott, “though he still wanted to switch off once he got there.”

“He has made really good progression from Sale and there is more improvement to come, he is a horse you can follow; a nice horse with good ability.”

Bred by Greg Perry out of What's New (Casino Prince), who Brown trained to a couple of Listed wins in Singapore, Sepals is that mare's first foal. He was purchased by his trainer from the Vinery Stud draft for $80,000 at the 2023 Inglis Classic.

Gallery: Images courtesy of Racing Photos

Out of a daughter of a half-sister to the Listed winner Tavy (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), What's New was served last year by Exceedance after foaling a Star Turn colt. Her 2-year-old son is also by that stallion, purchased for just $25,000 by Esker Lodge at last year's Classic sale.

Sepals is the sixth winner (from 15 runners) with a pedigree combining the outstanding Juddmonte stallions Kingman (GB) and Oasis Dream (GB), noting that the former's grandam Hope (Ire) (Dancing Brave {USA}) is the latter's dam.

Lightly raced 4-year-old mares shine at Sandown

Our Queen (NZ) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Pop Award (Shamus Award) don't have long careers behind them, but both 4-year-olds look to have bright futures on the back of their smart winning performances at Sandown.

The Michael Moroney and Glen Thompson-trained, Tullpark Limited-bred and Trilogy Racing-owned Our Queen is an imported daughter of former Darley shuttler Night Of Thunder (Ire). A half-sister to US-based Listed winner Raven's Pass (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}) out of the stakes-placed Sagami (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}), she was having her first run since winning a good form race at Bendigo last winter.

Mustering speed off a tardy start, Our Queen saluted by 0.5l, impressing her rider Craig Williams who said that “she is not really understanding what she is doing yet but she's got really good talent. It's just that mentally and physically she has some catch up to do with that ability!"

She also impressed Michael Moroney who described her as “a work in progress.”

“We will be taking baby steps with her but she's got the ability there; she is a lovely, lovely mare who is developing into her nice frame.”

Our Queen hails from a strong international family, able to boast amongst her relations the G1 gallopers Steinlen (USA), Olmedo (Fr), Sunny Queen (Ger) (Camelot {GB}), Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) and Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}).

Having her fourth start, the Lynn Tolson and Leonie Proctor-trained mare Pop Award was another to salute in smart fashion, and she too has that quirkiness about her.

“She went through three different breakers!” Tolson laughed, happy that the effort put into the mare bred by her owner Debbie Kroger is now paying off.

Blake Shinn has been aboard Pop Award for her consecutive victories (her first an easy maiden win at Geelong a couple of weeks ago) and was impressed by her improvement.

“In the yard and behind the barriers it really felt that she had come on,” he said.

“She jumped a little more cleanly today and put herself into a prominent position. She had control of the race a long way out and I love how that when she was challenged she was up for the task. I always knew she'd hold them at bay.”

A half-sister to the Flemington winner Pop Queen (Stryker) was part of a winning double for her Rosemont Stud-based sire, whose son Bad Detective recorded a 5l victory at Morphettville.

Sentimental success at Kembla Grange

It was a sentimental victory recorded by the consistent 4-year-old Gwendie (Hallowed Crown) at Kembla Grange, the bay game to the line breaking her maiden over 1600 metres.

Named after the late Kembla Grange trainer Gwenda Markwell and trained by her partner Ross McConville, he was bred by the Superhorse Trust out of the Group 3-placed, multiple city winner Mandylion (Nicconi).

Served last year by Extreme Choice after producing a Home Affairs filly, Mandylion has a Yes Yes Yes filly who was purchased by Dabernig Bloodstock and S Quinn for $175,000 at last year's Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

A member of the prolific New Zealand “Heights” family, Gwendie has, said McConville, been “a bit tricky to train but I think I've found the key to her.”

“She gets too far back in her races and roars home. Drawing (barrier) one was the big worry today, but she got the job done and she will probably get up over a little further.”