Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Plaintiff prompt to continue unbeaten record
Blueblooded Plaintiff (Zoustar) went two for two at Rosehill Gardens on Sunday when sent out by Peter Snowden to contest the fifth race on the card. The 3-year-old daughter of G1 Tattersalls Tiara victress Prompt Response (Beneteau) had been a winner on debut last month at midweek metropolitan level, and took the step up in grade entirely within her stride.
Given an easy transit under Jordan Childs, she was only made to fight over the closing stages when challenged by Nitro (Deep Field) - the filly dug deep to get her head in front at the line, with a half-length back to Sanctified (NZ) (Super Seth) in third.
Fourth place went to United States (Snitzel), a $1.75 million yearling purchase for connections; the colt has yet to break his maiden, but did run fourth in the G3 Pago Pago Stakes as a juvenile.
“I thought Nitro had her (Plaintiff) cold,” Snowden said post-race. “But she just kept fighting and it’s a really good thing to see. I love horses that keep turning up, keep fighting and sticking their head out, it’s a really good sign to see.
“I love horses that keep turning up, keep fighting and sticking their head out, it’s a really good sign to see.” - Peter Snowden
“She really does look above average.”
All roads lead to black-type in the autumn for the promising filly, but Snowden did suggest that there may be one more run this preparation before she is sent for a freshen-up.
Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Sales: James Harron Bloodstock secured Plaintiff for $2.2 million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, and now she runs in the Fairway Thoroughbreds colours. Her year older half-sister Sister Cynane (I Am Invincible) was a $1.3 million purchase for Wexford Stables and was sent to New Zealand.
Pedigree: Bred by Widden Stud and partners, Plaintiff is one of two winners out of Prompt Response, whose other victories include a trio of Group 2 events and Listed contest that saw her win stakes races across three states. She also racked up a bevy of black-type placings before retiring to stud. After slipping twice to Zoustar, she unfortunately passed earlier this year.
Prompt Response is a full brother to G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Prompt Return - making them two of the 10 stakes winners sired by Beneteau during his short stud career, and two of four stakes winners for dam Prompt (Exceed And Excel). Prompt’s dam Amnesia (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) never struck at stakes level, but was black-type placed on nine occasions.
Port Lockroy’s little brother lifts to second victory
Mortal Halo (Better Than Ready) has returned as a 3-year-old more furnished and ready to hit his straps, as demonstrated by a win at Rosehill Gardens on Sunday, which is his second victory this preparation. The colt won a Super Maiden at Scone in October before proving himself worthy of city class with a midweek metropolitan second last month ahead of his step up in grade.
Trained by big brother Port Lockroy’s same trainers Annabel and Rob Archibald, the colt was given a patient ride by Reece Jones, stalking early leader Automne Tree (The Autumn Sun) until straightening. Given the signal to quicken, the colt surged past to score a half-length victory, with The Mona Lisa (Under The Louvre) finishing fast into third spot.
“If you look at his replays as a 2-year-old, he had no idea where to put his legs,” Annabel Archibald said after the race. "The talent was always there, but it all happened too quickly for him.”
“The talent was always there, but it all happened too quickly for him (Mortal Halo).” - Annabel Archibald
Connections now look to the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas for the progressive colt, who also counts Group 3-winning sire Alpine Edge as a full brother. The stable won the same race last year with Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}).
“I think he has the makings of a really nice horse,” Archibald said. “He's a horse with a massive stride. He's pretty untapped, I think. He's a Magic Millions horse so you have to head north with him.
“That win today will help his rating, but we might need to win something else to get him into a race like the Guineas.”
Sales: Mortal Halo passed in when offered as a yearling at the Gold Coast, and is raced by a syndicate led by Yarramalong Park.
Pedigree: Mortal Halo is the seventh foal to run and seventh winner from dual Listed-placed Freezethemillions (Freeze), whose dam is a full to G3 Champagne Classic winner Golden Fox (Foxhound). She has a yearling filly by Supido, and visited Better Than Ready again this spring.
Nullarbor Jane knocks maiden off in red hot style
Placed in a midweek metropolitan maiden in her last preparation before an unsuccessful tilt at the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes, 3-year-old filly Nullarbor Jane (Too Darn Hot {GB}) resumed in the opener at Hawkesbury on Sunday, and set about blitzing her competition.
Sent out the red hot favourite, the John Sargent trainee took control of the race early and set about widening her margin in the home straight to break her maiden by six and a half lengths. Fellow debutante Fire ‘N’ Storm (Farnan) finished second, with Infant Warrior (Anders) in third.
Sales: JC Racing purchased Nullarbor Jane’s dam Lakkari (Adelaide {Ire}) for $6000 in a 2020 Inglis Digital online auction, and sent her first to Stratum Star, then Too Darn Hot (GB) after she slipped to the former. Nullarbor Jane did not go through public auction, and is raced by a syndicate.
Pedigree: While Lakkari was unraced, her dam Money Tree (Fastnet Rock) links her and Nullarbor Jane to a grand family, being a half-sister to Listed Dulcify Stakes winner Moqueen (Uncle Mo {USA}) and to Aforethought (Encosta De Lago), dam of twice Listed ATC Cup winner Malice (Teofilo {Ire}) and grandam to last season’s Listed Cinderella Stakes victress Gin Spirit (Spirit Of Boom).
Nullarbor Jane shares her fourth dam Gainesville (Can) (Afleet {Can}) with the likes of Criterion, Bittercreek (Snitzel), and Charm Stone (I Am Invincible).
Widden Stud will offer Lakkari’s Portland Sky colt as Lot 125 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, and she delivered a Harry Angel (Ire) colt this spring, before visiting Zousain.
Wakefield next challenge posed for Lara Antipova
The best bred crops of Russian Revolution are starting to hit the ground running, as proven when another member of his 2023 crop - bred at a fee of $71,500 inc GST - struck on debut at Te Aroha on Sunday. Lara Antipova did her sire proud with an audacious eight-length victory in the opening race on the card courtesy of a little encouragement from jockey Craig Grylls, who unleashed the filly at the top of the straight.
It would have been an easy enough watch for the punter who placed $10,000 on the filly to win, as well as for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, who train the filly on behalf of Fortuna Syndications.
“She was electric,” said Bergerson after the race. “Her trials leading in had been good. There is still plenty of improvement and furnishing up, we think, (as) she still does a little bit wrong at home. She was very professional today and hopefully there are some nice targets for her over the summer.”
“She (Lara Antipova) was very professional today and hopefully there are some nice targets for her over the summer.” - Sam Bergerson
One of the targets that looms up in mind first is the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes, run on December 20.
“While they are up and going, it is good to carry on,” Bergerson said. “The Wakefield is a quick turnaround, or the Eclipse (on New Year’s Day). They look like two nice initial potential targets.
“We will get her home and see how she pulls up and have a good chat with John (Galvin, Fortuna), Mark (Walker), Dave (Ellis), and the team, and work it out from there.”
Sam Bergerson | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Sales: GTS Bloodstock signed the docket for Lara Antipova at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, securing the filly for $100,000 from Vinery Stud’s draft.
Pedigree: Lara Antipova becomes the latest winner for five-time metropolitan winner Artistic Lass (Myboycharlie {Ire}), a half-sister to G2 Edward Manifold Stakes victress Sistine Angel (Testa Rossa) and G3 Victoria Handicap winner Sistine Demon (Excites). This is also the immediate family of G2 QTC Cup winner Gallopini (Canny Lad) and Listed Maribyrnong Trial winner Land Speed Record (Bluebird {USA}).
Vinery Stud will offer Lara Antipova’s half-brother by In The Congo as Lot 641 at next year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Artistic Lass delivered a colt by Stay Inside this spring.
