Wednesday Racing: Shades of Storm Boy at Rosehill

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Storm Boy’s half-brother Shangri La Boy wins with ease

Coolmore stallion Storm Boy’s year younger half-brother Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 3-year-old colt Shangri La Boy (Pierro) bolted in by just over two lengths in Wednesday’s opening race at Rosehill. Ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, he hugged the rail and led into the turn, putting distance between him and the rest of the field in a bold front running performance.

The colt is owned by a syndictae consisting of X Y Huang, Mrs M N Annetts, A D Bowler, F Dimitravis, H & M Racing (Mgr: M Grogan), R Thwaite, L Caminiti, Summit Thoroughbreds (Mgr: J Dickson), J D Widdows and Ms H Mollergren.

“I was very confident coming here today. He's a nice horse and it took a while to put it together last prep, but the improvement he's made this prep has been fantastic, and there's no reason why he can't keep doing it from now,” said Hyeronimus.

“Storm Boy was a beautiful horse and it’s hard to find horses that look like him, but this colt is by Pierro and has his own good attributes. I like the way he handles himself. He's so casual, he's so relaxed. Nothing ever bothers him and I'm sure he'll build off the back of today's win.”

Hyeronimus rode Storm Boy to win the R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes, and G3 San Domenico Stakes. James McDonald was on board when he won the G2 Skyline Stakes.

“He's got a lot of ability and is obviously a well-bred colt although very different to his brother,” Bott said.

“He's going to keep improving as we get out over further and we're just beginning to scratch the surface with his ability.

“He went down as favourite in his first up run, but I think he had some genuine excuses there and today he's gotten better conditions to suit and so obviously we saw more of his ability today and I think we're going to continue to see that going forward.”

Sales Info: Sold by Coolmore Stud to the Waterhouse/Bott partnership with Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $375,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Pedigree Information: Proven sire Pierro, who has 39 individual stakes winners, stands at Coolmore Stud in 2025 for $33,000. A half-brother to Storm Boy (Justify {USA}), who is the first foal of Pelican (NZ) (Fastnet Rock), Shangri La Boy is Pelican’s second foal.

She has a St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) 2-year-old filly, a Justify (USA) yearling filly and is in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB).

Pelican won twice at two at Moonee Valley and Morphettville, and she’s a daughter of dual New Zealand Horse of the Year Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}).

Proficient wins on debut for the Hayes brothers

Godolphin sent their 3-year-old filly Proficient (Lonhro) to Lindsay Park’s Hayes brothers when they did their training reshuffle at the start of this season. In her debut run at Sandown on Wednesday, she was made to work hard for the victory.

Phillip Stokes-trained 4-year-old gelding Act Natural (Royal Meeting {Ire}) led the pack with Proficient, ridden by Michael Dee, chasing hard. Clayton Douglas-trained 3-year-old filly Final Moment (Hanseatic) also flew home and pushed Proficient hard, but she stuck her nose in front for a gritty win.

“I actually thought we might have got done, so it's nice to see a photo go our way and get her head down on the line,” said Ben Hayes.

“I thought she was good today; like she was a bit new, she got to the front and looked like she was floating a bit, and she definitely wasn't wound up for today. It was a good learning experience. I thought she travelled, did everything right, and glad Michael could lift her over the line. It was a great ride by him.

“She shows us that at home, and I think today to come out when a city maiden is quite hard to do, so she's obviously very well prepared.

“She's got a great pedigree and wouldn't surprise me with time if she gets out over a lot further. So for her to win over a thousand is all a bonus, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what her career looks ahead.

“We'll have a good talk to team Godolphin, and I think she could be one that running in the better races in maybe a couple of starts. Without talking to the team, a race on Cox Plate Day called the Crockett 1200 around the Valley, I think, would suit her."

Sales Info: Proficient is a homebred for Godolphin.

Pedigree Information: Champion Sire Lonhro had 42 live foals in his penultimate crop who are now 3-year-olds. His final crop, who are juveniles, number only 21. He is closing in on a ton of stakes winners with 97.

Proficient’s dam, three-time winner Deft (Exceed And Excel)’s first three foals are by Lonhro with Proficient and 5-year-old mare Juggle both winners. Juggle is in foal to Triple Time (Ire). Deft also has 2-year-old colt Badawi (Palace Pier {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Anamoe. She’s currently empty.

Deft is beautifully bred, being a half-sister to four stakes winners led by G1 Victoria Oaks winner Willowy (Kermadec) and G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes winner and sire Skilled. Deft is a full sister to Champion 2YO Colt in Australia in 2012/13 Sidestep who won the G2 Pago Pago Stakes and placed in the G1 Golden Slipper and is now at stud. G2 Theo Marks Handicap winner Ambidexter is another half-sibling at stud. Deft’s full sister Efficiently is the dam of recently retired G1 RC Sires' Produce Stakes winner and Group 1-placed Traffic Warden.

Too Darn Hot continues streak with Ripley

Qatar Racing and partners will be thrilled with the first up win by 3-year-old colt Ripley (Too Darn Hot {GB}) at Sandown on Wednesday. Twice placed at two in his only two starts, he was given cover by jockey Jason Collett and found a perfect gap into the straight to make his run. He galloped down the centre of the track to win by 2.1 lengths for trainer Ciaron Maher.

“He's always shown us plenty,” said Maher. “In first prep, I probably expected a little bit more, but it just didn't come to him for him. And you can see in himself he's developed a hell of a lot.

“So it was great to get a winner for Qatar, and there's a host of other local owners in there as well. He's a colt as well, by the right stallion, so hopefully he keeps progressing the right way and probably stretches out a bit further now.

“Probably just feel that way a little bit but we will see what Jase thinks. I think he will come on a lot from today. He's still pretty big and burly, but there might be a little cheeky, stakes somewhere.”

Too Darn Hot was crowned both Champion First and Second Season sire and now his first crop are 4-year-olds. He has 27 stakes winners led in the Southern Hemisphere by multiple Group 1 winner Broadsiding.

Sales Info: Offered by Segenhoe Stud at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, Ripley was purchased by Redbank North and Lang Brothers for $100,000. Redbank North brought him back to the Gold Coast for the yearling sales where Ciaron Maher and David Redvers Bloodstock put up $625,000 for the colt.

Pedigree Information: Ripley is the only live foal in seven seasons at stud for Duvessa (Street Cry {Ire}) whose three other foals were still born. She was not served for this spring’s foaling. A winner over 1400 metres, Duvessa is a daughter of G2 Salinger Stakes winner Sister Madly (Redoute’s Choice) who was Group 1-placed on three occasions.

Sister Madly is a half-sister to dual Horse of the Year in Hong Kong Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}).

English-owned Kiwi gelding has bright future

Third on debut at Mornington, 3-year-old gelding Sulek (NZ) (Super Seth) improved at start number two to power home with a withering run to win by three-quarters of a length for trainer Dominic Sutton. Debutant Jason Warren-trained 3-year-old gelding Snitz Sonic (Snitzel) was second with the early pace maker Greg Eurell-trained 4-year-old gelding Paramount Plus (Showtime) holding on for third.

“He is still doing a little bit wrong. You could see in the home straight he just wanted to lug in slightly. I think it is just immaturity more than anything, but he definitely has a nice engine,” Sutton said.

“He has done it in his trials, that is why we have put the winkers on to help him concentrate and make sure he is going as straight as possible, but with more experience under his belt, he will come good.

“It looked a little bit messy early, just trying to get a spot and he just got up on the bridle a tad. He just had to bring him back and get him into a rhythm halfway through. Once he found that spot and he dropped his head, it was a pretty painless watch from there.”

Super Seth had a breakout season in 2024/25 with four Group 1 winners among his first and second crops. With his oldest being 4-year-olds, he has seven stakes winners. Super Seth also had a 3-year-old winner in New Zealand on Wednesday with gelding Savvysuper who was resuming. He had one start at two.

“He has a contingent of UK owners in him, who are coming over for the carnival. It would be nice to be able to step him out for them when they arrive. But we will ultimately do what is best by the horse first. They are only three once, so we will just have a look at the calendar and see if there is a nice race for him over Melbourne Cup week.”

The gelding is owned by Sutton Racing Pty Ltd (Mgr: D E A Sutton), S Chappell, S Andrew, N Sutton, Monument Hill (Mgr: G P Theodore) and T Askew.

Sales Info: Originally sold by Waikato Stud at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$70,000 to TJ Askew, he was on-sold at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale through KB Bloodstock’s draft for NZ$420,000 to Sutton Racing and Byron Rogers.

Pedigree Info: Sulek is the second winner for unraced mare Tiff And Co (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) who is a half-sister to Listed winner Single (High Chaparral {Ire}). Both are out of G3 Newmarket Nell Gwyn Stakes winner Myself (GB) (Nashwan {USA}). Tiff And Co has a yearling full brother to Sulek.