3-Year-Old Summary: Spring hots up in Furious Stakes

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

The Furious heats up the spring challenges

All the talk before the G2 Furious Stakes was about last start stakes winners Pembrey (Prague), who was sent out as a $2 favourite and Chilly Girl (Trapeze Artist), but in the end it was the $8.50 chance Bangkok Hottie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) who won in a tight finish.

Pembrey led down the straight, moving off the fence under pressure to allow Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Chilly Girl to sneak through, while David Payne-trained Bangkok Hottie pushed up alongside her on the outside. With Pembrey fading, Bangkok Hottie and Chilly Girl duked it out with Bangkok Hottie victorious by half a length.

The rest of the field closed strongly, except Pembrey who finished in sixth. Former West Australian, now Chris Waller-trained Striking Alibi (Hanseatic) claimed third. The expensive filly Chayan (I Am Invincible) could only manage eighth but excuses could likely be found for her less than a length covering fourth to eighth.

“We gave them a lot of start the other day and I said to Kerrin, 'have her a bit handier today. We don't want her in front, but a bit handier.' He was just worried about getting her some cover,” Payne said.

“She goes 14 (1400m in the Tea Rose Stakes) and then the Flight. We will be riding her a bit differently. She is fit now. She's ready. I just hope all goes well.”

A dual winner at two, Bangkok Hottie was second to Pembrey in the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes. With three wins from six starts, she took her earnings over $390,000. She becomes stakes winner number 37 for Too Darn Hot (GB), whose oldest progeny in Australia are 5-year-olds.

Sales: A homebred for the Thompson family.

Pedigree: The second foal of seven-time winner Bangkok (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) who placed in the G2 Sapphire Stakes and G3 Birthday Card Stakes, Bangkok Hottie is the first stakes winner in four generations of her family.

Bangkok has produced a 2-year-old full brother to Bangkok Hottie and this year had a colt by City Of Troy (USA).

More to come for Blind Raise

Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High) resumed in Saturday’s Listed Mitchell McKenzie Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings. Punters installed the gelding as a soft $3 favourite after a strong juvenile campaign that saw him win his first two starts including the Listed Anzac Day Stakes before signing off with a disappointing effort in the G2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Given a quality ride by Blake Shinn, Blind Raise sat comfortably behind the speed before gathering himself and galloping freely past the leaders to win by 1.75 lengths. Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained colt Wolf Gap (Palace Pier {GB}) came from near last to fly home late for second while Dom Sutton-trained colt Shooting Brake (Home Affairs) was strong in third.

“It was pretty comfortable and the second horse was pretty good. The watch was pretty good so we're pretty happy. It's either the Prelude or the Stutt Stakes and just with him being a bit fresh and keen, I would a two week turnaround will do him the world of good,” Busuttin said.

On the horse sweating up before the race, Busuttin was concerned about it but in the end it didn’t matter.

“That's not him, he's been bombproof all the way through. It was genuinely a concern and even in the running, in the first furlong, he was trucking a bit, but he had had only the one trial since Brisbane, so that will bring him on.”

Shinn was also impressed by how much Blind Raise should continue to improve.

“He's a lovely, big, scopey horse by Ace High and he's got a beautiful action on him (and) he's quite light on his feet. We came here pretty confident and it's just nice to see him deliver,” Shinn said.

“It's great for the stable, Trent and Natalie, they're really great judges of horses and he's only had the one jumpout leading into today, so I think there's improvement to come and it's exciting for everyone involved.”

Already a stakes winner at two, Blind Raise is one of six stakes winners for Ace High. Blind Raise took his record to three wins from four starts with earnings over $250,000.

Sales: Blind Raise (NZ) was bought by his trainers for NZ$70,000 from The Oaks Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft.

Pedigree: From one of The Oaks Stud’s great families, Blind Raise is the second foal of Away Cruising (Darci Brahma {NZ}), a daughter of Horse Of The Year Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}) who won seven Group 1 races for the farm.

Away Cruising won twice and is a half-sister to G3 Bendigo Cup-placed Divan (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and juvenile winner Pelican (Fastnet Rock), who is the dam of Group 2 winner and G1 Golden Slipper-placed Storm Boy as well as Group 3 winner and G1 Spring Champion Stakes-placed Shangri La Boy (Pierro).

Away Cruising’s first foal, Usir (NZ) (American Pharoah {USA}) has won eight times in Philippines, while she has a 2-year-old full brother to Blind Raise and a yearling colt by Almanzor (Fr). She is due to Almanzor this spring.

Pretty Baby is pretty special

Winner of the Listed Oaklands Plate at two, Gordon Richards & Damien Moyle-trained Pretty Baby (Barbados) made it look easy when cruising to a 3.75 length win in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes at Sandown for 3-year-old fillies. Ridden by jockey Jamie Melham, she sat mid-field before striding past the front runners to extend out towards the line under a quiet ride.

The favourite Ciaron Maher-trained Ghana’s Akan (Street Boss {USA}) was second with the Hayes brother’s Portinari (Home Affairs) in third. Pretty Baby has now won four in succession and took her earnings over $300,000.

“We think a lot of her and it's good to see her perform over here and I think we'll be coming back,” Moyle said.

“She had three weeks off (in May). Her first win was 1050 (metres) and it was really a trial for her as with the weather we couldn't get a trial into her. We're pretty happy with how things are going and let's hope they keep going that way.

“We're undecided (about the G1 Thousand Guineas) and we'll be taking one run at a time, but I think we're on track. We could come back in a fortnight for the Prelude or the Sunday after there's another filly's race for her.”

She is one of four stakes winners for her sire, who is a son of Redoute’s Choice. Jockey Jamie Melham was successful on Pretty Baby’s dam, Louisiana (Southern Image {USA}) at Strathalbyn in 2016.

“The owners reminded me, I feel really old, I used to ride the mum a lot. She was a bit difficult and this filly is the same, but she's got a lot more talent. She's something else this horse,” Melham said.

“She did it at home at Morphettville really easily, but obviously, she had to step up with the field around her. She looked like she was doing things wrong still, hanging out, hanging in back in Adelaide, and today she was a little professional. She did everything right, I stopped the whip just because I know she has a tendency to lay in but she never gave me that feel today.

“She's improved a lot since her last start, but she's got a lot more improvement in her.”

Sales: Pretty Baby was bred by Mr J McKinnon and is raced by him and his family.

Pedigree: Pretty Baby is the third foal to race, and third winner, for Louisiana who won twice up to 2050 metres. Louisiana’s first foal Dixie Whistler (Rebel Raider) was an eight-time winner up to 2500 metres.

Louisiana’s dam, Atwell (Flying Spur), is a half-sister to Listed winner Miss Cummings (Magnus), the dam of G1 Canterbury Stakes winner Mizzy (Zoustar) and the G2 Dane Ripper Stakes winner She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar).

Louisiana has a yearling filly by Cool Aza Beel (NZ) and wasn’t served in 2025.

Pounce puts Wexford Stables on the board

Over a month into the new season and Wexford Stables trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott had yet to record a victory, but this all changed in impressive style when 3-year-old filly Pounce (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) lined up in the G3 Sunline Vase at Ellerslie.

Jockey Craig Grylls gave her the perfect ride in the one-one spot before she came wide on the turn to cruise to the lead with a furlong to go. She kept extending until she crossed the line 1.5 lengths over Cody Cole-trained Silhouette (NZ) (Armory {Ire}) who provided her second season sire with his first black type. It was another long head back to Queensland raider, Liam Birchley-trained Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca) in third.

“We got her back on quick ground, aided by a beautiful ride by Craig today. She got all favours in the run. She had to level up to them and she was good in the last bit, she really ran out the 1200m strong, which gives us a good bit of hope going forward. Hopefully she runs a little further,” Scott said.

“It’s a huge thrill for the team. It’s been a long winter, and it is the first win of the season. It’s good to be on the board and it’s a good race to win, and it is good to be winning at Ellerslie.”

She is dual nominated for both the Guineas races in November. A winner at two, she has now won two of her four starts and over NZ$111,000.

“The summer is her time, but she is three and they have all got to lead to Christchurch at this stage. We just want to celebrate today and enjoy today and hopefully we crack on and she has a good summer ahead of her.”

Almanzor (NZ), who now has 32 stakes winners, clocked up a pair of wins on the card with Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained 3-year-old filly Asturia (NZ) winning on debut.

“She is nominated for the Guineas and we think even past that she will get over a bit further. She still has plenty of upside, so I am really excited for the ownership group. It is a great way to start her career,” Bergerson said.

Sales: Cambridge Stud sold Pounce for NZ$110,000 to Wexford Stables at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Pounce is the first foal of dual winning mare Caminata (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) whose 2-year-old filly Alta Via (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) is followed by a yearling full brother to Pounce. Caminata is in foal to Almanzor again.

Caminata is a full sister to Listed winner and G2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes-placed Summer’s Day (NZ) and stakes placed Dagny (NZ). This is the family of G1 Auckland Railway Stakes victrix Cannsea (Canny Lad) and G2 Wakeful Stakes winner Beachside (NZ) (Crested Wave {USA}).