Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Race-day Recap
Robusto (Churchill {Ire}) was tough claiming the Listed Winter Challenge Stakes under 60kg at Rosehill for trainer Bjorn Baker.
Written By’s 3-year-old gelding Wind And The Lion won Saturday’s Listed HG Bolton Sprint for trainers Sean and Jake Casey. Jockey William Pike dominated the meeting at Bunbury with four wins.
Duchess Zou (Zoustar) added another win to her record for trainer and owner Ciaron Maher, as she led in a Zoustar quinella at Flemington.
Joshua Brown (NZ) (Dalghar {Fr}) stamped himself as a real winter star at New Plymouth, he made a searching run, but was tenacious as he scored his first victory at Listed level.
Robusto was brave under his big weight in the Winter Challenge
The Bjorn Baker-trained Robusto (Churchill {Ire}) had to be brave and bold to carry the topweight of 60kg to victory in the Listed Winter Challenge Stakes, and that’s exactly what he was. Ridden perfectly by Josh Parr, the gelding dug deep to hold off the strong challenge of the pace-making Accredited (All Too Hard), who went down narrowly, while Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan) was an eye-catcher charging into third late.
Trainer Bjorn Baker expressed a mix of pride and relief following the win.
“I’m glad because he just fell in and I tipped him to the world,” Baker exclaimed.
“He won the Ingham, and it’s good to see him back today with a big weight so we can try and head into the spring with a bit of fitness on our side.
"I’ll have a bit of a think. We might even go to the Missile Stakes, back to 1200, and possibly look at a race like the Winx if he went well there. But he’s up and going and he’s fit and well.”
Robusto winning the Listed Winter Challenge Stakes | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Sales Information: Robusto was purchased by Darby Bloodstock for $160,000 from the 2024 Inglis Digital September Sale.
Pedigree Information: Robusto is the third foal out of She’s Clean (Redoute’s Choice), a top-class mare who won 10 races, including the G3 Tibbie Stakes, Listed Triscay Stakes, and Listed June Stakes.
She’s Clean is a three-quarter-sister to the Group 1-winning Redoute’s Choice mares Abbey Marie and Absolutely, while the G1 Doncaster Mile winner Nettoyer (Sebring) also features prominently in the pedigree.
In recent years, She’s Clean has produced a 2-year-old filly named Artgirl (Flying Artie), a yearling filly by Maurice (Jpn), and a weanling colt by Justify (USA).
Connections of Robusto after winning the Listed Winter Challenge Stakes | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Wind And The Lion breezes to Listed victory
A Listed winner at his third start back in the spring, Sean and Jake Casey-trained Wind And The Lion (Written By) was sent out as the $2.25 favourite by punters in the Listed HG Bolton Sprint, despite coming off several mid-fields runs leading into the race.
Wind And The Lion was sixth in the Listed Belmont Guineas leading into the Bolton, 4.5l off the winner Opportunistic (So You Think {NZ}), but the punters were swayed by the strong form of jockey William Pike who came into the eighth race of the day having already ridden a treble on Linden’s Gold (Akeed Mofeed {GB}), Terratif (Awesome Rock), and Madhi Girl (Winning Rupert).
Pike delivered with a driving win through the middle of the pack, with Wind And The Lion taking victory by 0.32l from Darren McAuliffe-trained 5-year-old gelding Vast Art (Flying Artie) with Meryl Hayley-trained 8-year-old gelding Puli (Dick Turpin {Ire}) in third.
One of six stakes winners for Widden Stud’s Written By, Wind And The Lion was a winner on debut at two in July last year, then won the Listed Placid Ark Stakes at his third start. He hasn’t won since then in six efforts until this victory, but he’s been collecting prizemoney along the way and has earnings over $350,000 from his nine starts.
Wind And The Lion winning the Listed HG Bolton Sprint | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Sales Information: Originally sold by Riverdene Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Shaun Nolen for $62,500, he was pinhooked into the Magic Millions 2YOs In Training Sale where JCS Thoroughbreds sold him for $200,000 to Hancock Quality Bloodstock (FBAA).
Pedigree Information: Wind And The Lion is the only foal for Mandalong Sera (Sebring) who died while carrying Wind And The Lion’s full sibling when Wind And The Lion was a weanling.
She was a winner over 1000 metres, and is a half-sister to four-time winning mare Queen’s Kiss (French Deputy {USA}), the dam of G1 Toorak Handicap winner Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) who has earnings over $2.3million, and of Listed SAJC CS Hayes Memorial Cup winner Royal Rumble (New Approach {Ire}). Further back this is the family of stakes winner Fullazz (Redoute’s Choice), the dam of Group 1 winner and emerging sire D’Argento.
Wind And The Lion as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Duchess Zou leads a Zoustar quinella at Flemington
It was a Zoustar quinella in the opener at Flemington, a fitting result for the 2024/2025 season’s Champion Sire-in-waiting. The very promising Ciaron Maher-trained filly Duchess Zou (Zoustar) proved too strong, winning impressively ahead of Legacy Bay (Zoustar), the well-bred full sister to triple Group 1 winner Joliestar (Zoustar), third place went to Lario (Epaulette).
The win was well deserved for Duchess Zou, who claimed her third victory from just five starts. At her previous outing, she was a gallant placegetter in the Listed Creswick Stakes behind Bridal Waltz (Snitzel).
Speaking after the race, trainer Ciaron Maher praised the filly’s performance.
“She had a beautiful economical run. At the top of the straight I got a bit concerned when he had to feel for her a little bit. I thought she was going to breeze into it a bit easier, but she finished off very well,” Maher said.
“She’s on the right path to get through the grades. That was a winter race she was expected to win. In a couple of months I think she would lift again.
“She’s very progressive. After a freshen-up or break she’ll improve again.
“She’s (Duchess Zou) very progressive. After a freshen-up or break she’ll improve again.” - Ciaron Maher
“She had a few niggles early on, but I think that’s been the making of her. That time gave her the time to furnish into a lovely mare. She’s by Zoustar out of a stakes-placed mare, so she’s valuable already.”
Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Sales Information: Duchess Zou was bred by Widden Stud Australia Pty Ltd, Warringah Contractors and Jorshan Investments, and is raced by her trainer, Ciaron Maher.
Pedigree Information: The promising filly is the fourth foal out of Miss Wonderland (Snitzel), a three-time winning sprinter who also placed in the Group 3 Crown Resorts Plate. All three of her foals to race so far have been winners,
Since producing Duchess Zou, Miss Wonderland has left a 2-year-old gelding named Sonic Bolt (Capitalist), a yearling filly by Portland Sky, and a weanling filly by Spirit Of Boom. She is currently in foal to Zousain, with the foal due in November this year.
Duchess Zou winning the Handicap at Flemington | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Duchess Zou is bred on the proven Zoustar cross with Snitzel mares, a nick that has delivered 19 winners from just 23 runners. Among those are five stakes winners, including Growing Empire, the dual Group 3 winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter who now stands at stud with Yulong Stud.
Joshua Brown tough and tenacious in the Opunake Cup
On a day that tested both horse and rider at New Plymouth Raceway, in extremely heavy conditions, it was always going to be survival of the fittest in the NZ$120,000 Listed Opunake Cup.
Leaders had won all five of the previous races on the card, so it was no surprise to see a charge of the light brigade for the front. Meanwhile, Lynsey Satherley, aboard Joshua Brown (NZ) (Dalghar {Fr}), the lowest-rated horse in the handicap, was caught wide near the back of the field. Around the 800-metre mark, Satherley made a bold move, sending the gelding on a searching run as he circled the field to sit outside the leader before the home turn.
He looked under pressure as Soldier Boy (NZ) (Prosir) loomed late, but Joshua Brown dug deep with his light weight, and fought bravely to secure a stirring victory for trainer Lance Gussey, Soldier Boy held second, while Make Time (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) made ground late to run third.
“That was amazing,” Gussey said. “Lynsey Satherley gave him a perfect ride and the horse did us proud. It’s a great feeling.
“The horse has come a long way in quite a short time. He’s a bit of a hard horse to get a line on when he’s fit, but I think he’s fit now!.
“I really don’t know where we’ll go with him from here. We’ll have to talk about it and make a plan. This was the race we were targeting, and we’ve done it, so I think we’ll just enjoy that for now.”
“I really don’t know where we’ll go with him (Joshua Brown) from here. This was the race we were targeting, and we’ve done it, so I think we’ll just enjoy that for now.” - Lance Gussey
Saturday’s Opunake Cup marked the 13th start of Joshua Brown’s career. He has now won four races, placed in another three, and has earned NZ$149,540 in prize money.
“This means a lot,” said Satherley, who has been a regular companion of Joshua Brown on raceday and in trackwork. “He’s a champion horse for champion people. They’ve been loyal to me and this horse has been great.
“He’s (Joshua Brown) a champion horse for champion people. They’ve been loyal to me and this horse has been great.” - Lynsey Satherley
“He’s not the easiest. He’s probably one of the hardest horses I’ve ever dealt with. You’d never get an exhibition gallop out of him, and some days we’re lucky if we can even gallop him. But he’s got a ton of ability, and he’s done it pretty easily today. He doesn’t even really know what he’s done.
“It was a muddling race, they didn’t seem to really know what they were doing, so I just kept him happy. He’s a horse you’ve got to keep happy. He’s got a bright future. You’ve just got to play around with this horse. He’s not Mr Easy. You’ve got to keep him happy and let him think he’s winning.”
Joshua Brown with Angela and Lance Gussey after winning the Listed Opunake Cup | Image courtesy of Race Images
Sales Information: Joshua Brown was bred by Lance Gussey’s late father Ronald Gussey, a successful trainer, and Mrs T Gussey.
Pedigree Notes: Joshua Brown is the second foal out of Midnight Mistress (NZ) (Savabeel), a dual winner on the track. She has also produced the winner She’ll Be Right (Eminent {Ire}).
Other successful stakes winners in this family include Takeanotherchance (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}), Pump Up The Volume (NZ) (Savabeel), and Nat The Brat (NZ) (Racing Is Fun {USA}).
