Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
This week’s Buy of the Weekend is the Cosmic Force gelding Raging Force, who beats a path to the G1 Golden Rose after storming home to win the G3 San Domenico Stakes on Saturday for Peter Snowden and owners Darby Racing.
The $150,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase has doubled his price in just five starts, winning the last four.
Shooting star
Sixth on debut in the G3 Breeders’ Plate at the start of last season - but only beaten a hair over 3l by King Kirk (Ole Kirk) - Raging Force was put away to grow out and wasn’t seen again until June, exploding onto the winter racing scene with a 2l victory in the $30,200 Red Crown 2YO Handicap at Muswellbrook, bouncing through a trial, before demolishing a Kensington field to win a juvenile handicap by almost 4l.
Jockey Tommy Berry had the reins that day, and was keen to stick around after the feeling that the gelding gave him; the partnership has continued since, following swiftly with a Saturday victory at Rosehill Gardens by 2l. The field that day included the stakes-placed pair of Sequista (D’Argento) and Horsehill Hill (All Too Hard).
Raging Force | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Given a quick break to refresh himself before a big spring campaign, Raging Force and Berry continued their association through a trial win into Saturday’s race, where they fended off a late challenge by expensive colt Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to claim a first stakes victory by a length and a half.
It marks a fifth stakes winner for Newgate Farm’s Cosmic Force, who is following in the mould of his sire Deep Field with all five stakes winners being 3-year-old colts and geldings, as are all four of his stakes performers.
Cosmic Force | Standing at Newgate Farm
Return on investment
It’s also vindication for the processes taken by Dr Richard McClenahan of Mullaglass Stud, who bred the gelding after paying just $30,000 for his dam Miss Loren (Stryker), a Listed Debutante Stakes-placed mare from the family of G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (colts & geldings) winner Hammerbeam (Grand Lodge {USA}).
McClenahan selected the mare at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale in 2020, where she was offered in foal to Capitalist by Kingstar Farm. Given Capitalist stood for $55,000 inc GST in 2019 and factoring in the current success of Raging Force, the price was a bargain.
Richard McClenahan | Image courtesy of Inglis
“With the mating process that I work with, the cross seemed to work well with the pedigree,” said McClenahan. “The mare being by Stryker, the Fastnet Rock line would work well with Cosmic Force and I thought it was a mating that would work for her physically as well.”
“I thought it was a mating that would work for her physically as well.” - Richard McClenahan
Fastnet Rock’s daughters have produced two winners from three to race by Cosmic Force, and the cross is more prolific with Deep Field; 30 winners, including two Group winners, have been produced from 41 of Deep Field's runners out of Fastnet Rock mares. Leading earners from the cross have been G3 Sydney Stakes winner Big Parade and HK$7 million ($1.39 million) earner True Legend.
Miss Loren | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Raging Force is the mare’s fourth foal; Miss Loren’s first three have yet to win, but two have placed.
“We bought her in foal to Capitalist and she delivered a nice Capitalist colt who went to Hong Kong, but unfortunately he injured himself,” McClenahan said.
Swap Fee (Capitalist) - now known as Rise Companions - was a $110,000 Classic sale graduate when purchased by Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) in 2022. He failed to make his reserve at the subsequent Inglis Ready 2 Run Sale, but won a trial the following June by 3.5l, which booked his trip to Hong Kong. After injury curtailed his career overseas, he has placed this year in New Zealand.
After missing to Pierata, Miss Loren visited Cosmic Force in his second season at stud - standing alongside Capitalist at Newgate Farm for the modest fee of $16,500 inc GST - and the foal that landed at Mullaglass in 2022 was destined for bigger things.
Athletic type
“He was a really nice foal. He’s always been a nice horse - athletic, straightforward, just one of those uncomplicated types of colts, which we all love to get,” McClenahan said.
“He’s (Raging Force) always been a nice horse - athletic, straightforward, just one of those uncomplicated types of colts.” - Richard McClenahan
Born in mid September, Raging Force was a farm favourite from the start, particularly with McClenahan’s wife Kim McClenahan. He deviated slightly from the mould that Cosmic Force often stamps his foals in, with McClenahan recalling the colt foal having a lot more bone than is typical of the breed.
Raging Force as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He wasn’t delicate at all, he was always pretty robust. We were very pleased with him at birth, we rated him quite highly, and he has continued on from there.”
Another Classic success story
Raging Force was part of Mullaglass Stud’s inaugural Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft under their own banner; the same draft has turned out Caulfield juvenile winner Kaleo (Churchill {Ire}, who also sold for $150,000, and the $420,000 yearling Catalina Baby (Justify {USA}), who was a smart trial winner back in March.
Dr Richard and Kim McClenahan | Image courtesy of Mullaglass Stud
“We were very delighted with getting $150,000 for him,” said McClenahan. “Kim loved him, so we decided to keep a little portion of him after Darby Racing bought him. We have had horses with Darby before and they’re really good to be involved in, so we’re happy with that. And we’re also delighted with Peter Snowden, he’s a very good trainer.”
“Kim (McClenahan) loved him, so we decided to keep a little portion of him after Darby Racing bought him.” - Richard McClenahan
Darby Racing’s association - and string of good luck - with the first Inglis sale on the calendar has been built over many years, and Raging Force is just the latest star purchase from their 2024 Classic selection, which also includes Group 2 winner Within The Law (Lope De Vega {Ire}), stakes-placed Cobra Club (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}), Crown The King (Time To Reign) who was third in the G3 Up And Coming Stakes on the same racecard on Saturday, and recent smart metropolitan trial winner Reign Of Honor (Time To Reign).
The same sale in the past has been where they have unearthed gems like the Group 1 winners Yankee Rose (All American), Samadoubt (Not A Single Doubt), and She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain). There’s a chance that Raging Force could join their number, as Snowden has plotted a course to the G1 Golden Rose Stakes via the G2 Run To The Rose in two weeks’ time.
Yankee Rose | Image courtesy of Sportpix
As for Miss Loren, her Captivant yearling sold for $30,000 at this year’s Classic Sale, providing another positive return based on the Kia Ora Stud resident’s service fee, and McClenahan confirmed she will be repeating her most successful cross this breeding season.
“She’s empty this year, she missed on one late cover last year, but she’s going back to Cosmic Force tomorrow (Monday) morning for a 6am cover,” he said.
