Weekends Best Performers

Highlighted Stallions I Am Invincible and Foxwedge

• Riziz --  The latest unlikely Australian millionaire racehorse. The 8 year old won the listed $110,000 City of Adelaide Stakes, making it 15 wins from his 56 starts. He courageously fought off all challenges down the straight to record a deserved victory and his trainer Ken Sweeney says he is willing to give the eight year old one last shot at his Melbourne Cup. The group 1 Goodwood Hcp in a fortnights time. He has had three tries at the event with his best being a third behind Smokin Joey in 2014. Sweeney says he is in career best form, right now and deserves one last chance before retirement. The Zariz gelding has nine stakes wins to his name. He is out of a Covetous mare. Zariz stands at Kooringal Stud. 

 Zariz service fee $5500

• Kobayashi -- Hotdog for the Leon Corstens stable recorded a good win in the Listed Thoroughbred Club Cup at Caulfield Saturday. Ridden well by Ben Thompson the I Am Invincible colt proved too hard to run down with the Al Maher colt Al Passem finishing two lengths away second. Owned by a group of ladies and purchased at the Magic Million sales on the Gold Coast the colt was named after a world record Japanese hot dog eater. Corstens said, they are one happy group of ladies and after being asked what''s next for Kobayashi, Corstens hinted that they were most likely to put him away for a spring campaign and a possible crack at the Caulfield Guineas. He is now the 20th stakes winner for the stallion who stands at Yarraman Park Stud for $55,000 service fee.  The sire of that brilliant little filly I''m A Star.

I Am Invincible
by the Green Desert stallion Invincible Spirit 
out of Cannarelle a daughter of  Canny Lad 

• Fox Hall -- The three year old Foxwedge gelding puts up a brave performance to score a length win in the Listed $110,000 H C Nitschke Stakes. Foxwedge, the Fastnet Rock stallion is now on top of the second season stallion earnings for 2016/17. His trainer,Tony McEvoy said the Listed Adelaide Guineas 1600m at Morphettville on Saturday on May 13 was his next target. He said the 1600 is a question mark but he has earned a shot at it.

Foxwedge stands at Newgate Farm for a fee of $22,000 

• Star Exhibit -- Recently transferred to Darren Weir the Perth Cup winner Star Exhibit has scored a brilliant win in his Melbourne debut in Saturdays Listed Thoroughbred Club Stakes 1440m at Caulfield. Its his third stakes win in a row and his record 9 wins of 18 starts has put a Brisbane carnival trip on the cards. The Statue of Liberty gelding is out of a Jeune mare.

• Wise Hero -- He made it three wins from four starts with a hard-fought victory in Saturday's Next Payments Handicap 1200m at Caulfield. The Kaphero geldings trainer John Price says he will only improve on the run. We are going to have to search out some options for his next start. He is out of a Falvelon mare. Kaphero, the Danzero stallion was foaled in 2003 and was moved to Riverdene in 2015. A bargain stallion who last year scored a double on the same day from his progeny in Singapore and always produces genuine racehorses here in Australia. Top nicks, see Scenic and his son Blevic both rating highly with Rory's Jester and Jeune mares also prominent. 

Kaphero stands at Riverdene Stud for a service fee $4400

• Fabrizio -- The Waterhouse/Bott trained gelding who was involved in the track gallop switch a few weeks back . Got to show his worth on a good Raceday track. The Hawkesbury Gold Cup was his from start to finish, ridden a treat by Jason Collett, the result never looked in doubt. Waterhouse says he is most likely to head to Queensland for the carnival. The gelding has now won 8 of 14 starts. He is by High Chapparal out the Desert King dam Desina.

• Music Magnate  -- He is on track to defend his Doomben 10,000 crown on May 13, after the Written Tycoon gelding's win in the Group 2 Victory stakes on Saturday. The heavy tracks were not his cup of tea in Sydney over the carnival. We gave him a freshen up and putting him back on a good track has surely helped him produce his best,  trainer Bjorn Baker said. This now makes his record 8 wins of 17 starts and over a million in prize money.

• Desert Lashes -- Alice Springs own Black Caviar makes it 8 wins from 8 starts in the listed Redelva Stakes at Morphetville on Saturday. The Reward for Effort filly cost 6,000 dollars at the 2015 Vobis Gold Yearling sales in Victoria. She is out of a Baryshnikov mare, Baryshnikov being three quarter brother to Nureyev. She was sold on through Alice Springs Red Centre sales for a pittance, 2,100 dollars.
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Reward for Effort --- The Exceed and Excel stallion stands at Chatswood Stud 

He has plenty of speed in his pedigree being out of a Rory's Jester mare.

• Burning Front ---- The Primus gelding passes the one million in prizemoney with another dominant win in Vobis Gold Mile at Caulfield. This made it 17 wins from his 47 starts and he rarely misses a place . Primus is a Flying Spur stallion who hasnt really produced much quality but you cant deny Burning Front. Quality with a capital Q. He has such a awesome racing style , once he gets his way in front they cant run him down. 

• French Emotion  -- Winner of the Vobis Gold Distaff. After struggling on the heavy track in Sydney.The Snitzel filly was given her chance on the better tracks in Melbourne and it proved a successful move by the Waller camp . The Redoutes Choice son Snitzel certainly produces quality. 

• Gibraltar Girl -- is by the Encosta De Lago stallion Manhattan Rain out the Rock of Gibraltor mare. After yesterdays photo finish victory, the Snowden trained mare is likely to head to the Scone carnival. Manhattan Rain is a half brother to Redoutes Choice being a daughter of the Canny Lad bluehen, Shanthas Choice.He stands at Arrowfield Stud. 

• Kenedna --Back in February the Darren Weir trained filly won the Group  3 Vanity over 1400m at Flemington and was immeadiatly set for the Australasian Oaks at Morphetville and yesterday she scored in the lead up Auraria stakes. Ridden well by John Allen she got the split right on the line to score. Group 1 Australasian Oaks is now only a fortnight away. The filly is by Not a Single Doubt out of a Falbrav mare.

• Viddora and Illustrious Lad ,I Am Gypsy -- In the Irwin Stakes at Morphettville it was a trifecta to I Am Invincible with his mare Viddora coming out on top with a convincing win.

• Rich Charm -- He won the Newmarket Gold Vobis Hcp with 250000 dollar purse at Caulfield. The 4 year old gelding has now won 411,000 in prizemoney is by Danerich a Danehill stallion out of the Rubiton mare Millrich who stands at Rangal Park Stud  

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Easter Weekends Racing

•      Well easter saturday saw two group 1s in Australia and they were both run on the diabolical Randwick track. ATC needs to get their act together and fix the track surfaces up. Its not showing thoroughbred racing off in a good light. The last time we saw a dry track in Sydney, was February 13th. If it wasnt for Winx and Chautauqua the carnival would have fallen flat. 

•      Anyway back to the racing and in the All Aged Stakes we saw Tivaci, a son of High Chapparal storm home over the top of the honest Hard Spun gelding, Le Romain. The entire, Tivaci is out of a Fastnet Rock mare, bred in the purple by the legendary Bart Cummings, at Coolmore, before he passed. Stud duties are beckoning and Waikato Stud in New Zealand has purchased his services. 

•        The big boy High Chapparal may have past in 2014 but his highest rated son So You Think stands at Coolmore in both hemispheres. He won 10 group ones in two hemispheres . Here in Australia he stands for $60,500. Check him out below.

 So You Think Coolmore 

•       Snitzel and High Chapparal progeny were standouts on the weekend and in the Japan Association Plate we saw Top of my List, one of his mares, take it out. The breed seem to need the larger tracks and being a Sadlers Wells son the High Chapparals dont mind the wet tracks either.  The other group 1 we saw the track play a big part as The Mission led all the way. The Choisir 2yo is out of the Redoutes Choice mare Lady Amelia. Finishing second was The Invader. The Snitzel colt tried hard but couldnt pick up the leader.  Other winners worth mentioning on the day were Untamed Diamond also by Snitzel, who won race two and this was a start of a race to race double, by the stallion as Redzel the Snowden trained colt, saluted in the Hall Mark Stakes.
•  Raiment won the second last race of the day, easily, and the Street Cry filly looks a promising type out of a Commands mare. Smart Amelia is a half sister to The Mission and came in third.

 Waikato Stud also stands Savabeel and Pins

•   In Melbourne we were at Caulfield and the star of the show, was the Show of Heart filly , Miss Vista. Her Apache Cat like markings have ensured, she has a large following at the track and on social media. She was out of the gates like a scolded cat over the 1100m and even though, getting tired late, held on to score her fourth win from five starts. After the race her trainer George Osbourne said she knows, she's not a normal racehorse, she wants to get the job done and perform so gets herself worked up. I believe in time she will get 1200m but not right now ,he said.

Miss Vista her first win 

•     Some of the other interesting winners, were Boom Time, such an honest gelding. When he controls the race from the front he is so hard to run down. The Flying Spur geldings owners are contemplating, having a shot, at the rerun Sydney Cup next weekend.The 3200m looks a bit far but with the track bias of late, he just might lead them a merry dance. 
•     The Bianconi mare Ma Jones got the day started at Caulfield with a win on protest. The 1600 metres is a distance they relish. Al Maher produced the second race winner with Al Passem.. This crop of his two year olds seem to hold some xfactor so i will be very interested how the go as three year olds because most of  the breed prefer the 1600 to 2000 metre distance, where they can bowl along out in front and use their tenacious fight, to hold off challenges just like Al Passem did today. In the fourth we saw Waterloo Sunset,the Fastnet Rock filly out of a Zabeel mare dead heat with Plenty to Like. I do think there is more in store for her over a little more ground maybe. 

  Al Maher stands at Emirates Park for  $16500

Al Maher by Danehill out of Dancing Show 

Dancing Show produced 11 foals before she past they included the two group winners and good stallions Umatilla and Hurricane Sky but her most important faol was the dam of Redoutes Choice her name Shanthas Choice. 

 

•      Special Notes for the day! Learnt something new about the Snitzel breed. They are barrier rogues the filly Snitty Kitty was almost scratched due to breaking through the barriers but still almost got the job done. She was just caught near the post by Merriest  The Darren Weir trained ,True Kisses another of the breeds barrier rogues finally got out of the gates at Warracknabeel on Saturday scoring her maiden win. She's a talented filly but had to be scratched twice over recent weeks refusing to load in the stalls. High Chapparals definately need the bigger tracks. 

•      The last race of the day at Caulfield was named after Greg Miles who called his last race after career of 37 years . A champion becomes a legend, its a blitz, its a Winx blitz and the call of Lonhro's Australian cup win will go down as classics. Greg said, that the horse that gave him his most fondest racing memories was a horse called Campaign King . He said when his wife and him were saving for a deposit for a home they had managed to scrape together 4000 dollars but needed around triple that amount so he ask his wife if she was willing to put the 4000 on the King at 2/1 . A nod in the affirmative saw 4 become 12 and they had their house but not before a very nervous call, as he won by a narrow margin. I just thought this was an interesting little tale and I myself have vivid memories of Campaign King and his enormous will to win.

Flashback to  Campaign Kings 
George Ryder Stakes win 1987

 

Horse Racing Randwick Sydney Championships Day 2

    Fastnet Rock and his sons had a stellar weekend on Australian racetracks but the biggest shining star of them all, was a mare, who was foaled on the 11th September 2011. The pairing of Vegas Showgirl and Street Cry produced a legend by the name of Winx. She was the big draw card at Randwick on saturday and never let the crowd of 27000 down as she cruised to her 17th straight win in the group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. This gave her a 12th group 1. Her old sparring mate Hartnell, finished a gallant second as he tried putting it to Winx rounding the turn. Hartnell's trainer, John Oshea, has revealed their strategy for Hartnell later this year, is to avoid Winx,at all cost during the spring carnival. Connections are considering a Hong Kong trip in November and hopefully he might be able to pick up another group one. Winx is now heading to the spelling paddock. An interesting study was taken out during the week to see why Winx is so fast and it revealed her stride is the key, it becomes shorter but more frequent, when she lets down.
      Next up was the Sydney Cup and after the elation of a breathtaking win of Winx all patrons on course were left stunned, when Almoonquith broke down passing the winning post the first time and Who Shot the Barman couldnt avoid the broken down stayer and crashed over him. Both Jockeys were a bit shaken but Almoonquith had to be put down. Just shows, how the racing game can change in an instant. It was just one of those freak things as the horses had only travelled about 600 metres into the race and were at a leisurely pace when the incident occurred. The stewards had to make a swift decision and rightfully, called the race off for safety reasons as they couldnt remove the fallen horse .

Winx Queen Elizabeth Stakes 

    The Australian Oaks was won by the New Zealand filly Bonneval and dominant win it was.The Makfi filly is out of the Zabeel mare Imposingly . Her rider, Hugh Bowman gave the mare a big wrap early in the week after a track gallop . Stating she is very impressive and will be hard to beat on saturday. The Murray Baker trained galloper finished very strongly down the middle of the track like most of them did on saturday and looks a future star in the spring.

    Makfi at Westbury Stud New Zealand

      In the Percy Sykes Stakes we saw the two Fastnet Rock fillies rise to the top of the prize pudding with the unbeaten Shoals and Formality ridden by Craig Williams battling out the finish. Craig was quizzed by the stewards over not using the whip on Formality. His explaination was she was doing her best under hands and heels riding and if the whip was used it may have been detrimental. Big tick for Craigs riding here . I would have to agree on seeing the footage. Shoals is out of a Hussonet broodmare from that great Shanthas Choice family. Regally bred ! 

      Derryn backed up after last weeks performance against the mighty Chautauqua, to win the Arrowfield Sprint. Derryn is by Hinchinbrook. A Fastnet Rock stallion standing at Yarraman Park Stud , Scone. Hinchinbrook is from that awesome Snippets Lass family. The mum of the brilliant sprinter and stallion Snitzel. Later in the day we saw another of Fastnets stallion sons produce the winner of the Group 1 Queen of the Turf with that genuine filly Foxplay or mini Winx as the Waller camp call her. She is by Foxwedge who stands at Newgate Farm .

Hinchinbrook 

    Interstate racing we saw the Goodwood Prelude at Morphetville , which was won by Fastnet Latina. He kept his unbeaten Australian record intact, since arriving from the states, making it four from four. His trainer Archie Alexander is planning one more start this preparation for the Fastnet Rock four year old before putting him away until the spring. After being foaled in Ireland he was purchased by USA interests and raced there before breaking down with a tendon injury. He was bought and transported for treatment in Australia for his injury and now a promising career looks possible for the colt. Desert Lashes a Reward For Effort filly won the SA Oaks prelude race. While in Melbourne a big effort from Ken's Dream gave him victory in the Selangor Turf Club Stakes at Caulfield. After missing the start the Weir trained , Yendal ridden horse weaved his way through traffic to score right on the line ! 

  

    Flashback
Fastnet Rock beats Alinghi in the Lightning Stakes 

International News  

• Rapper Dragon by the Street Cry stallion, Street Boss won the Group one Chairmans Trophy in Hong Kong . While Mr Stunning won the group one Sprint Cup. Mr Stunning is by Exceed and Excel .  

• Aintree the Grand National was won by the Scottish horse One For Arthur and for the fifth year in a row the race ended with no equine mortalities. 

• While in Chantilly France saw the Redoutes Choice colt Good Luck give the stallion his first Northern Hemisphere Group 3 success. 

Street Boss stands at Darley

 

Sydney Horse Racing The Championships Day One

       The championships began at Randwick on saturday and with Sydney still getting drenched with rain. It was another wet track. All be it, not quite the swamp conditions of the last couple of weeks.The biggest story of the day had to be the return to form of the mighty Encosta De Lago gelding Chautauqua. Since returning from Hong Kong last May, after his miraculous win in the Chairmans Sprint Prize, he had been struggling to find that amazing Chautauqua finish. The Hawkes team, a bit baffled at what to do with him, were intending on setting him for the Donacaster and in preparation, took on the champion mare Winx a fortnight ago in the George Ryder Stakes over 1500m. I believe, he was back in form the start prior, where he unluckily lost to Le Romain,when coming from last on the wrong part of the track. The run against Winx was noteworthy on a heavy track over 1500m. He finished a gallant third behind the champion. The decision was made to switch him back to the 1200m TJ Smith Stakes and magic happened. The great horse recaptured that booming finish of his and with an epic last to first finish, collaring the Encosta De Lago mare, English, right at the post. Chautauqua the Grey Flash, was back. Here is his miraculous win on Saturday to shoot his prizemoney earnings past the champion Black Caviars.

Chautauqua TJ Smith 2017 

   
      It was a great day for Encosta De Lago, with progeny from his broodmares appearing left,right and centre. In the Group 1 Doncaster , Its Somewhat by Dynapeformer from the Godolphin stable led all the way, with a gallant Happy Clapper out of an Encosta De Lago mare chasing him into second. In the Sires 1400m for 2yos. We had a Snitzel trifecta, with Invader, being the colt storming home to victory. The colt is out of an Encosta De Lago mare as was the second placegetter, Summer Passage. I think Encosta's influence on Australian racing is over shadowed because of the enormity of the Danehill dominance. The Fairy King stallion is making such an impact with his broodmares and of course there is also his majestic sprinter Chautauqua with his booming finishes. His son Manhattan Rain and half brother to Redoutes Choice sired the Slipper winning filly She Will Reign another cheap buy for a good return. Encosta was retired from stud duties in 2015 due to fertility problems but he has left a dynasty that will continue for many years.

    The ATC Derby went to the consistent son of Ifraaj, Jon Snow. It was a hard fought but well earned win over the runner up Harpers Choice who refused to give in. I think Harpers Choice is the horse to follow here. The Street Cry colt could grow into a very promising horse. There was one other race on the card other than the Group ones that I thought worth looking at, for a  rags to riches story and to bring back memories of the Champ Takeover Target. The country championship winner Free Standing is a great story. Cathleen Rodes and her husband from Coffs Harbour were looking for a cheap horse last year and for $2500 they bought a little gelding by Equiano out of Commands mare. Cathleen said it was the breeding that caught her eye . Equiano of course was the horse that beat Takeover Target in the 2008 King Stand Stakes at Ascot. Joe Janiak and Takeover Target hold a special place in Coffs Harbour and both were recently honoured at the Coffs Cup meeting. The Joe and Takeover story is the classic rags to riches story. Joe buying the broken down, Archie as he was called for only 1500 dollars. Archie took Joe around the world, winning in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and of course Royal Ascot. The great Takeover Target even took out the 2009 TJ Smith Stakes which today fell to the Chautauqua show. Cathleen said it was Equiano which court her eye plus she recognize the positive side of the Commands broodmares. Free Standing has now won 430,000 dollars in prizemoney which is definately a good return on Cathleen and her hubbies 2500 outlay. 

The following is the win of Equiano over the mighty Takeover Target at Ascot not a bad group. Nicconi and Magnus there as well ! Equiano stands at Swettenham Stud .

International News

 Arrogate the worlds number one racehorse by Unbridleds Song and his amazing Dubai World Cup victory. After missing the start circles the field to win in a breeze !

Melody Belle wins the group 1 Manawatau Sires in New Zealand . By Commands out of an Ifraaj mare ! 
Sales Ring  

    Lot 51 At the Sydney Chairmans sale this friday Flame of Sydney in foal to Megalia Dóro. The Encosta de Lago mare and mum of sires winner Invader has an impeccable pedigree ! Has Northern Dancer twice, Mr Prospector and Australias two premier sprint stallions Vain and Bletchingly ! She has it all covered .