Cover image courtesy of Racing Queensland
Queensland Derby favourite another classy staying prospect for the Browne Stable
Still on a high having qualified their home-bred mare Basilinna (NZ) (Staphanos {Jpn}) for the G1 Melbourne Cup courtesy of her easy win in the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington a couple of weeks ago, Pakenham trainers Emma-Lee & David Browne are hopeful of enjoying more staying race success come this weekend.
And they look to be a big chance to do that, saddling up the G1 Queensland Derby favourite Statuario (D'Argento).
Thriving since his brave second in the G1 South Australian Derby in early May, the talented grey galloped on the course proper at Pakenham on Tuesday before heading up to the Gold Coast where he has settled in well in the visitors stables.
Statuario placing second at G1 South Australian Derby | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“He travelled super,” Emma-Lee Browne told The Thoroughbred Report, adding that “he is perfect, we can't fault him.”
Browne's main concern for Statuario is the promise of rain with the gelding having had limited exposure to significantly effected wet tracks.
“He (Statuario) travelled super, he is perfect, we can't fault him.” - Emma-Lee Browne
“The give was out of the track her on Tuesday though and he got through that well,” she said, adding that his G2 Alister Clark Stakes third on a soft Moonee Valley track was a good effort.
“We have some concerns about the track but going off his work all the indications are that he is going forward,” she said.
“He has done a bit of travelling but he had a month between his Caulfield win (the Listed Galilee Series Final) and the South Australian Derby and he has had a month since that run so he has been lightly raced.”
Emma-Lee Browne | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Statuario was a bargain buy for the stable, secured for just $18,000 at the 2023 Inglis Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale.
“We thought D'Argento was worth a punt and we just liked him, he made our final list and he was on Matt and Lennie's lists as well.”
Matt Sellick of Toward Reward Thoroughbreds and Lennie Russo of Bluegrass Bloodstock made up the team that purchased Statuario as a yearling, doing a good job with an up-and-coming young horse who has already amassed over 24 times his purchase price.
Browne is confident that the Bowness Stud bred gelding has the right attributes to win a staying feature, noting that “he is just so relaxed and a bit playful as well; I think that has helped him with his travels, he takes everything into stride."
Statuario as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
To jump from barrier five, Statuario will be ridden in the 2400 metres $1 million feature by John Allen who was aboard for his South Australian Derby second, his Listed win and his Alister Clark placing.
Amongst Statuario's rivals in the Queensland Derby is his South Australian Derby conqueror Femminile (Dundeel {NZ}) who races first time in the Yulong silks, the first three home in the G3 Rough Habit Stakes; Imperialist (Churchill {Ire}), Deep Focus (NZ) (Deep Field) and King Of Thunder (NZ) (Tivaci) as well as Verry Elleegant's (NZ) (Zed NZ}) promising 3/4 sister Belle Detelle (Zed).
Kimochi out to atone
Currently third favourite in markets for next month's G1 Stradbroke Handicap, the tough mare Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}) has, according to her trainer Gary Portelli, drawn the perfect gate for this Saturday's G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup.
Already proven at the elite level having charged home to defeat Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}) in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes last spring, the Yulong owned 4-year-old has recorded an easy win in a Warwick Farm trial since enduring a tough run from a wide gate in the G1 All-Aged Stakes in mid-April.
Kimochi | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Portelli admits to making the wrong call in that race, instructing jockey Nash Rawiller to go forward, making the race a hard watch as others kicked up inside of her, ensuring that she was kept wide.
“It was my fault,” Portelli told the media this week. “I told the jock to put the foot down out of the barriers to get across and four other jockeys had the same instructions, so she ended up three and four deep the whole way, it was a ”
Whilst finishing last was obviously a disappointing result, Portelli has been pleased in the way in which Kimochi has bounced back from that run and from barrier 3 on Saturday he is expecting her to enjoy a smoother run in transit.
Gary Portelli | Image courtesy of Portelli Racing
“She's had plenty of time to come through it and she's had a barrier trial. She is going really well.”
“She has finally drawn a gate where we can just put her to sleep and give her a chance to run home and she will get every chance this weekend, I'm sure,”
“She's (Kimochi) had plenty of time to come through it and she's had a barrier trial. She is going really well.” - Gary Portelli
Due to be reunited with her Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winning rider Craig Williams, Kimochi has several fellow Group 1 winners amongst her rivals in an exciting edition of the $1 million 1300m dash; Giga Kick (Scissor Kick), Private Eye (Al Maher), Golden Mile (Astern), Joliestar (Zoustar) and Benedetta (Hellbent).
Yulong's big week continues
On the back of a successful week of buying big name mares at the Gold Coast Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Yulong looks set for a good day at the races with Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}) just one of their major chances in feature races.
Racing for the first time in the bottle green and white silks having been purchased by Yulong for $1.5 million just days ago, the last start G1 South Australian Derby winner Femminile (Dundeel {NZ}) is one of the more favoured runners in the G1 Queensland Derby.
Femminile winning the G1 South Australian Derby | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Still under the care of trainer Phillip Stokes, the daughter of the stakes-placed multiple city winner Femme Fireball (Pierro) attempts to become the first filly to win the Queensland Derby since Dariana (Redoute's Choice) 15 years ago.
And the first ever South Australian/Queensland Derby winner though it has not proven an impossible task to run well in Adelaide before winning the Eagle Farm contest with last year's winner Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) second in Adelaide at his previous outing.
He is one of several recent Queensland Derby winners to have headed north via Adelaide with another being the Stokes trained Mr Quickie (Shamus Award) who ran third at Morphettville before beating Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War) in Brisbane.
Warmonger (NZ) winning the G1 Queensland Derby | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
The G3 Fred Best Classic sees three Yulong horses taking their place with the favourite Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}) having his first start for the Chris Waller stable whilst the Peter Snowden trained Media World (Written Tycoon) is also strongly fancied as he attempts to make it three consecutive wins.
Yulong are also in the ownership of the Waller trained Emirate (Extreme Choice) who didn't relish the heavy conditions when fifth as favourite in the G3 Gold Coast Guineas.
Also contesting the Fred Best are two horses bred and sold by Yulong, the lightly raced Ruins Of Rome (Castelvecchio) and Editing (Written Tycoon).
They also bred the promising juvenile Prince Tycoon (Written Tycoon) who is an exiting prospect contesting the G2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes.
Gallery: Three Yulong horses taking their place at the G3 Fred Best Classic
The battle of the first season stallions - the BRC Sires Produce Stakes
A race won last year by the subsequent triple Group 1 winner Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}), the G2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes has a number of outstanding horses on its honour roll.
Taken out by the likes of Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), Zoustar, Mahogany (Last Tycoon {Ire}), Slight Chance (NZ) (Centaine), Red Anchor (NZ), Vite Cheval (NZ), Luskin Star and Tulloch (NZ), it is always an interesting race.
A stand out in regards to his year's running is the number of stallions represented by runners from their debut crops.
Broadsiding winning the G2 Sires' Produce Stakes | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Graff (Kitchwin Hills), Wootton Bassett (GB) (Coolmore Stud), Cool Aza Beel (NZ) (Newhaven Park), Ole Kirk (Vinery Stud), Circus Maximus (Ire) (Windsor Park Stud), Farnan (Kia Ora) and Lucky Vega (Ire) (Yulong) are all vying to secure a valuable Group winner amongst their first two-year-old runners.
Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes saddle up the favourite Gallo Nero (Wootton Bassett) having last won this race with Ambulance (Grand Lodge {USA}) for Woodlands in 2023.
Vying for second favouritism are Aerodrome (Ole Kirk) and Grafterburners (Graff), noting that the former is a member of the Michael Freedman stable; co-trainer of the 2021 winner Tiger Of Malay.
Gallo Nero | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Chris Munce won this race as a jockey and now hopes to succeed as co-trainer of Cool Archie (Cool Aza Beel) who has impressed winning his last three including the G2 Champagne Classic.
Ha'penny Hatch (NZ) (Circus Maximus) is one of the roughies but his Listed Bill Carter Stakes fourth off a wide run contained merit. Farnicle (Farnan) and Green Spring (Lucky Vega) both show promise but need a little luck getting runs as emergencies.
With the race being worth $600,000 for the winner, it can have an impact on the first season sire chart, one currently being led by Ole Kirk with Wootton Bassett in pursuit around $377,000 behind.
The next three in line all have runners in this race; Farnan, Lucky Vega and Graff, giving them the opportunity to cement higher up positions in the leading first season sire championship.
Ole Kirk | Standing at Vinery Stud
Five of the last eight runners of this race have been taken out by the progeny of first season sires; Lean Mean Machine by Zoustar, Tiger Of Malay by Extreme Choice, Sheeza Belter by Gold Standard, Cifrado by Encryption and Broadsiding by Too Darn Hot.
