Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Bred by Eden and Jenni Harrington and sold by Vinery Stud, Lara Antipova became the third Group 1 winner for Russian Revolution when she took her unbeaten streak to four when winning the G1 Sistema Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday. The $100,000 graduate of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale comes from the sale farm that also sold her sire as a yearling.
Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson and ridden by jockey Mick Dee, Lara Antipova is the seventh winner of the G1 Sistema Stakes for Te Akau Racing. David Ellis bought her in conjunction with long term client John Galvin’s Fortuna Racing.
Lara Antipova as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She is unbeaten in four starts, winning a maiden juvenile race in early December, followed by the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at the end of December. She won the G2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes in mid-February, and culminated the quartet on Saturday in the G1 Sistema Stakes. Her four victories have earned her connections over NZ$550,000 in a little over 12 months since her purchase on the Gold Coast.
All about balance as a type
Lara Antipova is a character in the 1965 film Doctor Zhivago, set in Russia during the time period that covers WWI and the Russian Revolution. In winning the G1 Sistema Stakes, Lara Antipova becomes the third Group 1 winner for Snitzel’s son Russian Revolution, joining G1 Randwick Guineas winner Communist and G1 Winterbottom Stakes winner Libertad.
“She was a filly who was very correct. In my notes, I put that she was average size and scope with beautiful balance and a good shoulder. Very strong down through her gaskin and just looked a racehorse,” said David Ellis. When asked about the sire, Ellis said she was probably the first one by Russian Revolution that he’d bought.
“She (Lara Antipova) was a filly who was very correct. Very strong down through her gaskin and just looked a racehorse.” - David Ellis
“We’ll see how she comes through the race first, and there’s a good chance she could go to Australia next, but that’s up to Mark Walker and John Galvin. She ate up well last night. The vets have checked her and she’s perfect.”
The G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring was touted by co-trainer Mark Walker as the long term target after the race, and she may head to Te Akau Racing’s Cranbourne stable to target the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Flemington next.
David Ellis | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Seven G1 Sistema Stakes wins
The victory gave the Te Akau Racing team seven victories in the G1 Sistema Stakes since 2016 when Heroic Valour won.
“She was beautifully trained by the team and it’s just a massive thrill. It’s a big thrill to win for John Galvin who has been a client for 23 years. He raced Melody Belle who won 14 Group 1 races too.”
Ellis mentioned that she’d be “right up there” with his other six winners of the race. Ellis won the race last year with Return To Conquer (Snitzel) who was recently announced by Waikato Stud for his first season at stud in 2026. Cambridge Stud’s exciting young sire Sword Of State is another, as is Newhaven Park Stud’s Cool Aza Beel (NZ) who already has sired a Group 1 winner himself. Yourdeel (Dundeel {NZ}), Summer Passage, and the aforementioned Heroic Valour are the other three.
“It was a very good field yesterday, and a really good effort. She was well ridden by Mick Dee who worked for us as an apprentice, so we’ve had a long background with him, and he’s doing a really good job.”
“It was a very good field yesterday, and a really good effort. She (Lara Antipova) was well ridden by Mick Dee and he’s doing a really good job.” - David Ellis
One mare, one Group 1 winner
Breeders Eden and Jenni Harrington have only one mare at Vinery Stud. Artistic Lass (Myboycharlie {Ire}) was a tough race mare winning five races from 1800 metres to 2200 metres including two in Sydney, but hardly the type of race record that suggests a precious 2-year-old Group 1 winner.
“We are always grateful for the support from clients. Eden and Jenni only have the one mare, so it's quite a special achievement for them to have bred a Group 1 winner from her,” said Vinery Stud’s Harry Roach.
Digging a little deeper into Artistic Lass’ race record and the precocity is there. Artistic Lass was seen out very early in her career, running fourth in a 2-year-old trial in early September. She debuted as a November 2-year-old, running fourth and then third in her two starts before Christmas. Placed again in April, she ran fourth in the Listed Fernhill Stakes and ended her juvenile season with two placings from eight starts.
Artistic Lass | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She improved at three, winning two city class races in the spring, and adding three more wins as a 4-year-old. It’s an ominous sign for Lara Antipova, if the same improvement continues for her.
“She was born and raised on the farm. I went back through and looked at my notes and some old videos of her last night, just out of interest, which is always nice to do just to see what those good ones were like when they were younger,” said Roach.
“She was a really straightforward filly that always continued to improve. She was a good average size and correct and always had a nice touch of quality. As she grew out, she went to another level and was always above average. It’s hard to predict that they're going to be the level of filly that she's gone to, and I probably didn't anticipate she would be as early as she was.
Harry Roach | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She was obviously forward enough to go to the Gold Coast, and she had quality and strength, but I wouldn’t call her a typical early 2-year-old type. It’s very much like her female pedigree as well. So it’s probably ominous and suggests that she can improve again as a 3-year-old.”
Artistic Lass is a half-sister to Group 2 winner and G1 Robert Sangster Stakes-placed Sistine Angel (Testa Rossa), Group 3 winner Sistine Demon (Excites) and stakes-placed pair of Scully (Shooting To Win) and Themoonlitegambler (Good Journey {USA}).
“She's got a Stay Inside weanling colt who is a strong imposing colt, and I'd like to think he'd be a little bit more forward than what Lara Antipova has been. He's going to have a few different sale options next year. She's back in foal to Stay Inside, and we sold the In The Congo yearling brother to Gai Waterhouse’s team at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.”
In The Congo x Artistic Lass colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds purchased the In The Congo colt for $150,000. The first five foals from Artistic Lass were all fillies, and her first foal is the only non-winner among them. Her other three winners are Bubbly Lass (More Than Ready {USA}) who won four races, one at Caulfield, and has a Tagaloa yearling colt as her first foal. Tony Gollan-trained Mehretu (Deep Field) was a winner in Brisbane last season at three, and Caring Lass (Sebring) has won five races in Canberra and surrounds.
Full circle with Russian Revolution
Vinery Stud’s client John Stuart Investments bred Russian Revolution, and he was raised at Vinery Stud, going through their Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft in 2015 where China Horse Club purchased him for $320,000.
“There’s a touch of sentiment there with our affiliation through Russian Revolution, and Eden and Jenni's association through China Horse Club and Russian Revolution,” said Roach.
Russian Revolution | Standing at Newgate Farm
“It all tied together really nicely and we were proud to present the filly (at the sales) with all that in mind. Russian Revolution was probably a little bit against the grain at the time (commercially), and she was a bit of an unassuming filly at the sale, which is obviously reflect in her sale result. She was well identified by the Te Akau team.
“Russian Revolution is a good example of those stallions that do a fantastic job, and his success is not necessarily reflected commercially in the sale ring.”
Russian Revolution won seven of his 11 starts and over $1.2 million, with wins in the G1 Galaxy Handicap and G1 Oakleigh Plate. At stud, his oldest crop are 6-year-olds and he has 14 stakes winners, with three of those at Group 1 level.
