Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Race-day Recap
In taking out the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, Cool Archie (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}) made it a black-type running double for the Chris & Corey Munce stable. The in-form galloper is raced by Max Whitby who won the G1 W.S Cox Plate with the colt's grandsire Savabeel.
So You Think (NZ) colt Do You Just raced away to a big win in the Listed Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie, living up to the potential he has always shown at home for the Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott stable.
Stardom (Zoustar) became a new stakes winner for her in-form sire and the promising Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Listed Woodland Stakes winner is a second generation stakes winner for her owner/breeders Torryburn Stud.
The regally bred Esha, daughter of Extreme Choice and I Am A Star (I Am Invincible), recorded a very easy debut win against the older horses at Morphettville. Stakes races are in the future for the filly who is a member of the same Shane Nichols stable as her Group 1 dam.
Highvol (Microphone) remained undefeated as he heads to Queensland for a crack at Group 1 glory in the J.J Atkins Stakes. Trainer Nick Ryan is confident that the best is still to come for the two time Flemington winner.
Silent Diva (Alabama Express) swamped her rivals in the opening event at Belmont, becoming another promising winner for her Yulong based up-and-coming sire.
A cool day for Chris & Corey Munce
Having won the previous race at Listed level with Brookhaven (Spieth {NZ}), co-trainer Chris Munce was still on a high when Cool Archie (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}) emerged best from an exciting three horse battle in the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic.
“Days like this don't come along too often and you have to enjoy them and make the most of them,” he said.
Munce was also happy for owner Max Whitby who he said “has supported me from day one, even in my riding days; I won a Cox Plate on Savabeel for him.”
Whitby was on course enjoying his success; “that was fantastic he said, what a result! I am so proud, I think we've got a real horse,” he said of Savabeel's grandson.
And Munce agreed, describing Cool Archie as “a really nice colt.”
“He is so laid back and casual and he has a heart as big as himself which is all you can ask for.”
“He (Cool Archie) is so laid back and casual and he has a heart as big as himself which is all you can ask for.” - Chris Munce
“He has surprised Martin (Harley) every time he has galloped, he has just kept stepping up and impressing with his work.”
“That felt pretty special,” Harley said. “He is a horse I hold in high regard. He travelled well and when he got through that gap he was very gutsy, he has a good will to win.”
Chris Munce | Image courtesy of Munce Racing
Bound for the G2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes in a fortnight, Cool Archie has done a great job winning three of his seven starts, also taking out the Listed Dalrello Stakes.
Bred by Newhaven Park, home to his sire, he is Cool Aza Beel's first Group winner amongst his debut crop's 17 runners and four winners.
A $100,000 Magic Millions purchase for Mick Malone Bloodstock, he is out of the city placed three time winner Aware (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) whose dam is the dual Group winner Media (Gilded Time {USA}), daughter of the dual Listed winner Valourina (Snippets) whose dam is the G1 Queensland Derby and Oaks winner Bravery (Zephyr Zip {NZ}).
Cool Archie as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Cool Archie's full sister (named Sentient) was purchased by Patriot Bloodstock/Wattle Bloodstock (FBAA) for $60,000 at this year's Magic Millions. Aware produced another Cool Aza Beel, a colt, last spring and was again served by him.
A champagne performance by So You Think colt
Do You Just (So You Think {NZ}) showed his rivals a clean pair of heels in the Listed Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie, breaking his maiden in fine style.
Taking an early lead, the Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott trained colt had his more fancied runners off the bit and chasing from the 500 metres and he just kept going strongly; his winning margin an impressive six and half-lengths.
“That was the plan, to get him into a rhythm,” Lance O'Sullivan said, less surprised by the ease of the win than by the fact that the horse had not lived up to his work at his first four starts.
“He has always shown us enough at home,” he said.
Lance O'Sullivan | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Jockey Warren Kennedy was aboard Do You Just when he was out of the placings at his previous outing, noting that on that occasion “he overraced and didn't use himself the way he should.”
“He is still very raw, there is a lot of improvement to come. When he extends he really gets going.”
“He is a really smart horse, he has got a few rocks in his heads but once we put some cement there he'll be right!”
“He (Do You Just) is a really smart horse, he has got a few rocks in his heads but once we put some cement there he'll be right!” - Warren Kennedy
The 62nd stakes winner for his Coolmore based sire; and his fourth juvenile stakes winner, Do You Just was bred by Chesapeake Thoroughbreds and Newton Thoroughbreds.
He made his way through the sales ring on two occasions; as a 2023 Magic Millions National Sale weanling fetching $150,000 to the bid of Carlaw Park and at the following year's NZ Bloodstock National Yearling Sale purchased by Wexford Stables for $250,000.
Do You Just as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
He is the fourth winner for the unraced Estijmaam (Exceed And Excel), a $400,000 Inglis Easter Sale yearling who was secured by Redcliff Bloodstock for $65,000 at last year's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Served last spring by King's Gambit after foaling a Pinatubo (Ire) colt, Estijmaam also has a yearling full brother to Do You Just, that colt purchased for $125,000 by Jason Warren Racing/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) at this year's Magic Millions.
Estijmaam is out of the stakes placed Sean Baile Mor (Cape Cross {Ire}). He is the fifth So You Think stakes winner line-bred to Sadler's Wells (USA).
Do You Just winning the Listed Champagne Stakes | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Stardom lives up to her name for Torryburn
Too tough on pace, Stardom (Zoustar) made it two wins from three starts, showing good heart measuring up at her first crack at stakes level.
The 67th stakes winner for her Widden based sire who currently leads the Australian sire chart, the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott trained filly is a home-bred for Torryburn Stud.
She impressed from the start with Mel Copelin noting that “she was always earmarked to be retained.”
“She is a smashing type who would've set the sale ring on fire but we couldn't bear to sell her. We gave Bruce Slade and Adrian Bott the pick of a group of four fillies and they selected her from the paddock.”
“She is a smashing type who would've set the sale ring on fire but we couldn't bear to sell her.” - Mel Copelin
“I am so proud of the farm today,” she added, “for John (Cornish) to win a 2-year-old stakes race in our colours in front of the breeding industry is a big thrill.”
“She ran up to her name,” Gai Waterhouse declared. “She won in decisive fashion. She is going from strength to strength and has a very bright future.”
“She won in decisive fashion. She is going from strength to strength and has a very bright future.” - Gai Waterhourse
Stardom is one of the three winners for the G3 P.J Bell Stakes winner Diddums (Snitzel) who was also bred by Torryburn.
Again in foal to Zoustar after producing a Toronado (Ire) filly in September, Diddums is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winning Hong Kong galloper Voyage Bubble (Deep Field).
She is the fifth Zoustar stakes winner (from 14 winners/20 runners) out of a Snitzel mare, a combination that provides for a 3 X 3 cross of Redoute's Choice.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
They don't come much better bred than Esha
They don't come much better bred than Esha (Extreme Choice) who showed an exciting turn of foot when recording an easy win in good time at Morphettville.
It was a 2-year-old quinella in the open age maiden with Chisholm, by Esha's dam sire I Am Invincible, finishing second.
Bred by Matthew Sandblom, Esha is the second winner for I Am A Star (I Am Invincible), winner of ten races including the G1 Myer Stakes and another eight races at Group level.
A $12,000 weanling, $40,000 yearling and $1.5 million broodmare, I Am A Star missed upon a return visit to Extreme Choice last spring but she has another two fillies by him; the first of those purchased by Anthony Cummings Thoroughbreds for $400,000 at this year's Magic Millions.
Esha was also a six figure purchase, it taking $900,000 for her dam's trainer Shane Nichols, along with Kia Ora, to secure her at last year's Magic Millions.
Esha as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“Extreme Choice is a freakish stallion and this filly was a must have,” Nichols said. “It was just if we could find people to own her and we were lucky enough to get the support from Kia Ora.”
“She didn't get a lot of peace in the mid stages but once she (jockey Jessica Tzaferis) clicked her up she improved her position and then she quickened again.”
“She (Esha) didn't get a lot of peace in the mid stages but once she (jockey Jessica Tzaferis) clicked her up she improved her position and then she quickened again.” - Shane Nichols
“It was nice to see her get it done, she is a filly who is only going to improve,” he said, noting that Esha trialled early but skipped the Melbourne juvenile features. “I just didn't think she was seasoned enough, I thought she'd be better with a break.
“I may even stop now and target a race at the back end of the spring carnival,” he said, also considering the Listed Lightning Stakes back at Morphettville in late July. “That could be a nice race for her to try to get a bit of black-type.”
Shane Nichols | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“She is a tall enough filly,” he continued, “but she is not robust yet. I think that will come. She is very forward, sound and clean winded with speed.”
“She made my job as jockey pretty easy,” Tzaferis reported. “She gave a good kick and she was soft late. She is a classy filly who will definitely improve.”
“She (Esha) made my job as jockey pretty easy, She gave a good kick and she was soft late. She is a classy filly who will definitely improve.” - Jessica Tzaferis
Hailing from the internationally prolific Fanfreluche (Can) (Northern Dancer {Can}) family, Esha is her sire's 86th runner from 120 starters, increasing his already impressive winners-to-runners strike rate to 71.6 per cent.
Queensland bound Highvol remains undefeated
The first horse to win the Listed Anzac Day Stakes at debut, Highvol (Microphone) remained undefeated with another smart performance at Flemington.
Finishing off strongly to justify Queensland plans, the bay impressed his trainer Nick Ryan.
“He has got a lovely racing style, he puts himself into a winning position,” he enthused.
“He is a big striding horse who stretched out well late. He has lots of upside,” he said of the gelding who has a flight booked to Brisbane on Tuesday evening, the G1 J.J Atkins Stakes his target.
“He (Highvol) is a big striding horse who stretched out well late. He has lots of upside.” - Nick Ryan
Jockey Ethan Brown described Highvol as “a little beauty.”
“He is just so professional, he jumps well, puts himself into a spot. He came back when I asked and settled really well, he took a lot from his first run.”
“I was able to build into the race from the 600 metres and he went to the line with his ears pricked; he had a bit in reserve and he deserves his spot up in Brisbane.”
Highvol winning the Trevor Clarke Handicap | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Bred by Noorilim Park Thoroughbreds, Highvol is the sole stakes winner for his G1 ATC Sires Produce Stakes winning sire who was recently exported.
A $100,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale purchase for the stable and owner Sharona King, Highvol is the fourth foal and third winner for the unraced Aspenet (Hussonet {USA}); half-sister to the dual Listed winner Lord Aspen (Good Journey {USA}) from the classy Audrey Joan (GB) (Doutelle {GB}) family.
His pedigree brings together the close relations Gay Mecene (USA) and Raja Baba (USA), giving him a 7 X 5 cross of the terrific mare Missy Baba (USA). There are three Group 1 winners bred this way with one of those being Stay Inside.
Highvol as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Silent Diva charges home at debut
Silent Diva (Alabama Express) really put in the big strides when recording an extra smart debut victory in the first race at Belmont, living up to her good trial form.
“What a little ripper she is,” declared co-trainer Grant Williams. “She let down really nicely, it was great to see.”
“We were looking for an excuse to put her away as she is lacking a bit in size but we decided to give her a run and we are glad we did.”
“She is most likely to go home and just bowl through this run so we might give her another. There is still plenty of time to give her a nice break but we will let it pan out and see how she pulls up.”
Jockey William Pike thought his chances were skittled when Silent Diva was put in a tricky position when a rival went around her at the turn.
“I thought it was game over but I angled her back into the clear and she took off like a little rocket, she was great. She has got that lovely can-do attitude.”
“I thought it was game over but I angled her (Silent Diva) back into the clear and she took off like a little rocket, she was great.” - William Pike
Bred by Yulong, the Grant & Alana Williams trained bay was purchased by the stable with Suman Hedge Bloodstock FBAA for $22,000 at last year's Adelaide Magic Millions.
Silent Diva as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The 39th winner for Yulong's Alabama Express, she boasts a rather intense pedigree being bred on a 3 X 4 cross of Danehill (USA), a 3 X 3 cross of Encosta de Lago and a 4 X 5 cross of her own fifth dam Dancing Show (USA) (Nijinsky {Can}).
Her two time winning dam Shamar (Street Cry {Ire}) was served last spring by Grunt having foaled a full brother to Silent Diva in late August.
