Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Dramatic Grafton Cup won by Don Diego De Vega
With the favourite Bear On The Loose (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) scratched at the barriers, the Listed Grafton Cup was an open affair over the 2350 metres, and the scratching made Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Don Diego De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) the equal $4.60 favourite with John O'Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Quietness (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}).
Quietness led the pack into the straight when many of the field fanning wide, while Don Diego De Vega stayed on the fence. Half-way down the straight, Quietness shifted sharply sideways, leaving space for Don Diego De Vega to sprint through, with Quietness fighting back for second by 0.72l. Peter and Will Hulbert-trained Zoology (GB) (Zoustar) was third.
“My plan sort of changed in the barriers when Bear On The Loose got scratched as one of the speed runners in the race,” winning jockey Zac Lloyd said.
“Going to the gates he was full of energy so I was confident he was going to begin well and once he did that it made my job pretty easy. Got the perfect run behind Quietness and obviously it rolled off the fence and my bloke shot through. I probably should have changed my whip when he ran out but he was in front and it didn't matter.”
Winner of his first two starts in France at three, then stakes placed in his next two including a Listed third behind Ace Impact (Ire) who went on to win the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Don Diego De Vega was a private purchase by Australian Bloodstock, and arrived in the Archibald stable in May 2024. Second in his first Australian run, he won his next start but hasn’t won since. He was coming off a last start fourth in the Listed Caloundra Cup.
Zac Lloyd | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The win was his first black type win and he becomes the 148th stakes winner for Lope De Vega (Ire), whose Group 1 winner Arapaho (Fr) won this race in 2022. Last year’s Listed Grafton Cup was won by Deny Knowledge (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) who went on to win this season’s G1 Might And Power Stakes.
Don Diego De Vega is out of Fairly Fair (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}) who won the Listed Prix Finlande, and is a half-sister to G2 Del Mar Derby winner Fairly Ransom (USA) (Red Ransom {USA}) and G3 Chantilly Prix La Force winner Graphite (Fr) (Shamardal {USA}).
Albany Road exceeds at Grafton
From the third-last crop of Champion Sire Exceed And Excel, 2-year-old colt Albany Road found the winner’s circle at the Grafton Cup meeting on Thursday over 1175 metres, winning by 1.24l for jockey Blake Shinn and trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Owned by bloodstock agent Suman Hedge and partners, Albany Road was having his fourth start.
“It was a relief to get the win on the board. He’s shown decent ability at home and we’ve taken a bit of time to work him out. He’s not just a pure speed horse and needed to relax a bit,” Hedge said.
“Rosemont bred the horse, and I’ve been doing work with them in the Victorian Alliance. After I purchased him, they saw it was me and asked if I’d sold the shares yet. I said I’d bought him on spec, and Nigel, the owner of Rosemont said he wanted to keep a share in the horse, so they have about 25% and we have a good group of owners.”
“He’s (Albany Road) shown decent ability at home and we’ve taken a bit of time to work him out. He’s not just a pure speed horse and needed to relax a bit.” - Suman Hedge
He was having his fourth start and was first seen at the races before Christmas. Given a good break, he resumed in June and looks to be improving with each start. Purchased by his trainers in conjunction with Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) for $650,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Rosemont Stud, he is the third foal and third winner for Miss Toorak Flyer (Toorak Toff), who won four times.
Albany Road as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“After his first couple of runs, we had the goal of figuring him out and trying to win a race. The way he won today was pleasing, he relaxed better and hit the line strongly. It suggests he can get 1200 metres which opens up more opportunities for him. (As to what’s next), it depends what Adrian and Gai want to do. He has a good temperament and constitution and you don’t mind keeping horses like that going, but we’ll leave the decision up to them.”
Miss Toorak Flyer has been a sensational broodmare so far with her first two foals both Group 3 winners. Her first foal, 4-year-old mare Treasurway (Starspangledbanner) won the G3 SA Sires’ Produce Stakes at two, and her second foal, 3-year-old filly Flyer (Exceedance) ran third in the same race last season before winning the G3 David Coles AM Stakes at her next start. Flyer ran second in the G3 Proud Miss Stakes two starts ago.
Suman Hedge | Image courtesy of Inglis
“She’s only by Toorak Toff, but the first two foals showed stakes ability and clearly she was going to be a mare who would do a job. This (Exceed And Excel) was a significant upgrade in terms of stallions. He was a nice yearling who presented well, and was nice and active in his action, a really attractive horse. I was happy to secure him.”
Miss Toorak Flyer has a yearling colt by Shamus Award and a weanling colt by Starspangledbanner. Her dam, Rosemont Flyer (Bel Esprit) is an unraced half-sister to dual Listed winner Secret Flyer (Secret Savings {USA}) who won 11 races.
Farnan’s first season commands attention
Trainers Robert and Luke Price enjoyed a treble at Kembla Grange on Thursday, headlined by 2-year-old filly Commanding Belle (Farnan) who became her Golden Slipper winning sire’s 11th first crop winner.
“She was a feisty girl when we first got her. She’s got that bit of attitude but the fiery fillies usually turn out all right. She’s developed into a tough filly with a great attitude and it was good to break the maiden today,” Luke Price said.
“We took her town around Christmas time, and she ran a good race behind a really good horse (Rivellino). We backed off her, then she got absolutely decked at Canterbury and it turned out to be a strong form race too. I was far from disappointed in her Magic Night run, she might have finished near the back but her sectionals were really strong. She went to the paddock, knowing we had a good filly and it was good to tick the box today.”
“She (Commanding Belle) was a feisty girl when we first got her. She’s developed into a tough filly with a great attitude and it was good to break the maiden today.” - Luke Price
Third last start, Commanding Belle has a win and two thirds from five starts. “I’d love to go to class 1 on our home track and win one then go through grades slowly. We are weighing up if we go to the Magic Millions (in January), and I think I can stretch her to a mile looking at the dam’s side. The Keith Nolan in March is a lovely race to set her for.” Now known as the G3 Kembla Grange Classic, the Keith Nolan Classic is run in March at Kembla Grange over a mile and was won this season by Verona Rose (Castelvecchio).
“We bought the full sister in January too, so that tells you how much we like her. They are the only Farnan’s we have but I’ve seen a lot at the races and they are very tough. I’d love a stable full of them.”
Commanding Belle as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Commanding Belle is the first foal of Amazing Belle (NZ) (O’Reilly) who is an unplaced half-sister to New Zealand Horse Of The Year Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) who won 14 Group 1 races, and dual Listed winner Tutukaka (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}). Bell River Thoroughbreds sold Commanding Belle to Robert and Luke Price for $160,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and this year, they purchased her full sister in conjunction with Noble Racing from the same vendor for $220,000. Amazing Belle has a Snitzel weanling filly.
First season sire Farnan has had three stakes winners among his 11 winners to date with King Of Pop winning the G3 Black Opal Stakes, North England won the G3 Kindergarten Stakes and the $1 million Golden Gift, and Recuperato won the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.
