Cover image courtesy of Darley
Too Darn Hot dominating Sires’ Produce and Sires’ race
It’s one of the last juvenile stakes races of the season, and Champion Second Season Sire elect Too Darn Hot (GB) has his hoof firmly on the till with three acceptances in the G3 SAJC Sires’ Produce Stakes on Saturday. In fact, a third of the field at Morphettville are his progeny, including the last start winners Volkano and Bootlegger.
His daughter Too Much Too Soon will be shooting for her first win after a pair of narrow seconds in Victoria; trainer Shane Nichols paid $80,000 for the filly at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale last year, and first prize on Saturday would neatly return her entire purchase price in one fell swoop.
Volkano, a winner at his only start to date for Tony and Calvin McEvoy, set Myracehorse back a lot more, costing $425,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and has a little bit longer to go before earning back his purchase price. Bootlegger, winner of his last start over fellow Sires runner Violet Lovebug (Written By) passed in at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Volkano as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
"He hasn't taken any step back from the other day," Bootlegger’s co-trainer Dan Clarken told Racing And Sports on Friday. "You think they might need a break, but they can surprise you by putting on weight and sometimes the racing can toughen them up. He's certainly done that between the two runs.
"I'm happy to be going there on Saturday because I don't think there are any superstars there. It's a good race for him and he's a versatile horse, he has the tactical speed if he needs it but we've seen him run well from behind as well."
Bootlegger as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Clarken, who trains in partnership with Oopy McGillivray, had thought Bootlegger might have come to hand earlier in the season, but what he's seen has made his patience feel all the more worth it.
"From what we see, he's going to be worth waiting for. He's got gears.”
"From what we see, he's (Bootlegger) going to be worth waiting for." - Dan Clarken
Too Darn Hot is the only sire with more than one entry in the race, which has been the dominion of young sires for the past few years; the last two editions were won by progeny of Strasbourg and Justify (USA), both from their first crop, and 2019 winner She Shao Fly (Epaulette) was from her sire’s second crop.
Microphone, who relocated to Brazil earlier this year, is the only other second crop sire represented; his gelded son Testing One Two was a winner in May and struggled to make up ground three weeks ago in the Listed Oaklands Plate over 1400 metres. It’s a chance for him to scoop a second stakes winner before the end of the season and go out on a high.
Sitting almost $3.7 million clear of his nearest rival for the sires’ title, Too Darn Hot will also have a runner in the opener at Rosehill; Spice Prawn will resume after two electric trial wins in hopes of breaking her maiden before the close of the season. The daughter of dual Group 1-winning Cosmic Endeavour (Northern Meteor) was not offered at public auction.
Too Darn Hot (GB) | Standing at Darley
Too Darn Hot’s former roster-mate Blue Point (Ire), whose return ticket wasn’t booked for the upcoming breeding season, has inched his way into second over Castelvecchio - by a margin of $2000 - and will attempt to extend his lead courtesy of six runners on Saturday, with the promising Oyster Lane his only juvenile runner. Castelvecchio’s two runners on Saturday are both 3-year-olds, with Castelvetrano hoping to break her maiden after putting together two solid placed efforts.
Byerley hopefuls jostle for Derby slot
Emerging middle-distance horse Buccleuch (Peltzer) is conspicuously absent from the 1800-metre $150,000 Byerley Handicap this Saturday (the Paynes shared after his Listed win a fortnight ago that he would be set for a big autumn) which leaves the field wide open.
Eight juvenile entrants will line up for a chance to claim ballot free entry for the G1 Victoria Derby or the G1 VRC Oaks later in the spring, and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott think that the well-bred Frankie’s Boy (Frankel {GB}) has the race in the bag.
Frankie's Boy as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The 2-year-old colt, whose ownership includes Yulong and Mt Hallowell Stud, has been sent south chasing more ground.
"He's going to be a horse that appreciates getting over ground in time and there are limited options for them here (in Sydney)," Bott told Racing And Sports on Thursday. “He's a horse that could easily, with the right campaign, be down there for a Derby. He's got the pedigree and everything to suggest that, but it's all about getting him seasoned and conditioned if it is to be an option."
"He's (Frankie's Boy) a horse that could easily, with the right campaign, be down there for a Derby." - Adrian Bott
Frankie’s Boy has trialled three times before a late June debut at Newcastle, where he ran fourth over 1300 metres in an unfavourably wet track.
“He's done some work the Melbourne way, especially early in the prep," Bott said. "There are a few things for him to overcome on Saturday, and that is one of them that will be new for him as well."
Most of Frankie Boy’s rivals will be used to the left-hand style of racing, having come through the Listed Taj Rossi Final won by Buccleuch, with third-placed Arcora (Justify {USA}) and fourth-placed Bayou Music (Street Boss {USA}) looming as obvious threats.
Michael Kent-trained Arabian Prince (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) is the true wildcard as the only debutant in the field. Coming off of four jump-outs over short trips, could leaping straight beyond the mile - in a fashion often seen in European and Japanese juvenile racing - surprise us as the right move?
Winter Stakes rematch set for Winter Challenge
Much of the field from the Listed Winter Stakes will return to Rosehill on Saturday for another clash in the Listed Winter Challenge; at the top of the bill, million-dollar earner Robusto (Churchill {Ire}) will be back to avenge his second placing behind Estadio Mestalla (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), but Estadio Mestalla’s trainer Joseph Pride sees the bigger threat as coming from third placegetter and stablemate Accredited (All Too Hard).
"I have actually always thought he (Estadio Mestalla) was better on the dry than on the wet," Pride told media on Friday morning. "But the main thing is, I would think Accredited would improve a couple of lengths. Accredited is probably the top seed, but there's not a lot between them."
"Accredited is probably the top seed, but there's not a lot between them." - Joseph Pride
Pride thought the Winter Stakes surface was to blame for Accredited’s defeat, but is confident he will see the gelding bounce back on Saturday. Estadio Mestalla’s win was still pleasing, with him also hoping that the import’s return to form is able to continue.
“He's always been a really honest, genuine horse so it was surprising to me that he wasn't racing well," he said. "Now that he has turned it around, I'd be very surprised if he didn't run well again."
Joe Pride | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Meanwhile, Brad Widdup hopes that Phearson (Exosphere) can find his return to form in the race; the rising 8-year-old hasn’t been first past the post since a Group 3 victory last March.
"Phearson is going as good as I've ever had him going, but he's not had any luck and keeps getting bad gates," Widdup told Racenet earlier in the week. Phearson was sixth in the Winter Stakes, having drawn barrier 11 in a field of 13; he fares little better with the draw on Saturday where he has drawn 10 in a field of 12.
"It's not helping him but I am more than happy with the way he is going. The horse looks enormous.
Pherson | Image courtesy of Sportpix
"I am sure Tom (Sherry) will be confident. He knows the horse quite well and thinks it's going well, just not getting the luck. I wouldn't be shocked if he won on Saturday; if he puts it together, he is going good enough."
"I wouldn't be shocked if he (Phearson) won on Saturday; if he puts it together, he is going good enough." - Brad Widdup
All up, seven Winter Stakes runners return for the Challenge, where they will be joined by the likes of last start Listed Glasshouse Stakes winner Fortunate Kiss (Divine Prophet), who is making a stop on her way past home to Victoria.
Where could you buy a juvenile winner?
Another Saturday, another eight juvenile races full of horses hoping to squeeze in a win before the end of the season. Where could you have bought a runner in one of these races, and what would you have expected to pay? TTR AusNZ scoured the auction results to find out.
| Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale | 19 | $30,000 | $900,000 |
| New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale | 4 | $27,500 | $95,000 |
| Inglis Classic Yearling Sale | 3 | $45,000 | $80,000 |
| Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale | 5 | $25,000 | $45,000 |
| Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale | 5 | $26,000 | $100,000 |
| Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale | 3 | $15,000 | $80,000 |
| Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale | 3 | $15,000 | $160,000 |
| Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale | 3 | $200,000 | $800,000 |
| Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale | 1 | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Inglis Great Southern Sale | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale | 2 | $105,000 | $160,000 |
| Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses In Training Sale | 1 | $125,000 | $125,000 |
| Inglis Digital (any) | 6 | $1,000 | $13,000 |
| Not sold at major public auction | 42 |
Table: Major sales with juvenile graduates running on Saturday
The highest volume of runners purchased at public auction by far came from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with Rosehill runner Royal Air Force (Wootton Bassett {GB}) topping the bill at a price of $900,000. Coracao (Long Leaf), who debuts at Bunbury, cost just $1000 when purchased on Inglis Digital last February.
Joshua Brown goes his own way on Cup road
Lance Gussey has steered 5-year-old Joshua Brown (NZ) (Dalghar {Fr}) towards a handy record of three wins and six runs above fourth in a dozen starts, but it hasn’t come easy. The gelding, who was co-bred by Gussey’s late father Ron, likes to play by his own rules, and Gussey thinks he has them all worked out as he lines the horse up for the Listed Opunake Cup on Saturday.
Joshua Brown (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“He’s very hard to train, we couldn’t do exhibition gallops with him because he just won’t do it so he pretty much trains himself,” Gussey told Loveracing.nz this week. “We’ve tried a number of times to gallop (him) with other horses, and they’ve taken off and he’s stayed behind and watched them go.
“He’s really lazy and is pretty smart. He just does enough, and we haven’t seen his full potential yet.”
"He (Joshua Brown) just does enough, and we haven’t seen his full potential yet." - Lance Gussey
Some of that potential could be stretched in the Cup, which will be Joshua Brown’s first punt at stakes level. The current Heavy 10 track would be a worry for some, but Gussey shared that the gelding has pulled up extremely well from two runs on the same surface where he finished first and second.
“He’s doing everything right and we couldn’t have asked for anymore,” Gussey said. “He hasn’t felt those last two races at all. We’ve been completely surprised by everything we’ve got from him, we didn’t know he was going to be this good and we’re having a great ride with him.”
Jockey Lynsey Satherley retains the ride, having helped Gussey select Saturday’s race and will no doubt have a hand in the gelding’s future - especially if they secure a win!
