Rosehill, G2 Smithfield RSL Missile S., 1200m, $200,000
Race summary:
Triple Group 1 winning mare Alizee (Sepoy) has resumed with an eighth black-type win of her career in the G2 Missile S. at Rosehill.
The 5-year-old was heavily favoured to win the opening stakes race of the Australian season, but the race didn’t evolve as jockey Hugh Bowman would have hoped, with a farcically slow pace forcing him to take off at the 600m on Alizee.
She rounded up her rivals and charged clear at the 300m mark, but things got a bit tense as Invincible Gem (I Am Invincible), who had won this race two years ago, charging home late and closing the margin dramatically.
Alizee had enough in the bank to record a narrow win over Invincible Gem, who also lost no friends in her first run for the spring, with Le Romain (Hard Spun {USA}) working home for third.
Pedigree notes:
Alizee continues to add more black type what is already an outstanding family. Her dam Essaouira (Exceed And Excel) has already produced another Group 1 winner in Astern (Medaglia a'Oro {USA}), while the now 3-year-old Tassort (Brazen Beau) has been stakes placed and while injury-plagued, he has considerable promise.
Essaouira has a 2-year-old filly by Medaglia d'Oro called Tangier and a yearling colt by the same sire. A full sibling to Alizee is due this spring.
The grand dam is the Group 1 winner La Baraka (Euclase), who produced the multiple stakes winner Alizes (NZ) (Rory's Jester) and the stakes-placed Flouze (Zabeel {NZ}).
Rosehill, Listed Canterbury Hurlstone Park Club Rosebud, 1100m, $140,000
Race summary:
Dawn Passage (Dawn Approach {Ire}) has secured stakes success at just his third start, charging home to win a hotly contested renewal of the Listed Canterbury Hurlstone Park Club Rosebud S. at Rosehill.
Having his first run as a 3-year-old, Dawn Passage unleashed a powerful finish to edge out Let It Pour (Redoute's Choice), with Lucicello (I Am invincible) in third.
All three placegetters as well as fourth-placed Superium (Verrazano {USA}) powered home off the fast pace set by Cardiff (Snitzel).
Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse indicated post-race that Dawn Passage is headed towards the G1 Golden Rose S. in late September.
He becomes the second Australian stakes winner for Darley's Dawn Approach (Ire), who shuttled to Australia for five seasons.
Pedigree notes:
Dawn Passage was a $150,000 buy for her trainer Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse and Blue Sky Bloodstock at the 2018 Melbourne Premier Sale.
She is out of the Group 3 winning mare Raja Lane (Devaraja (NZ), who has already produced the winner of the G3 Jansz S. Dinkum Diamond (Keep The Faith) as well as four other winners.
Raja Lane, a winner of seven races and over $400,000 in prizemoney, has a 2-year-old colt by Rebel Raider but died in May last year.
Flemington, G3 Aurie’s Star H., 1200m, $160,000
Race summary:
So Si Bon (So You Think {NZ}) has caused a significant upset to win the G3 Aurie's Star Hcp. at Flemington.
A winner of 2 of his 37 starts before Saturday, So Si Bon was superbly ridden by Luke Nolen, given good cover off the pace and delivered late over the 1200m to win by a length over Malibu Style (Magnus), with Sesar (Sebring) powering home late to finish third.
It is So Si Bon's second stakes success, having won the Listed Lord S. at Caulfield late last year, which was his most recent win.
He holds an entry for the G1 Cox Plate S. but co-trainer David Hayes indicated that races like the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. and the G1 Toorak Hcp were on his radar.
Pedigree notes:
A $250,000 Easter Sale purchase for his original trainer Robbie Laing, So Si Bon is out of the Listed winner Black Minx (NZ), who has also produced the Singapore winner Man of Mystery (All Too Hard).
He is the second last foal for Black Minx, who was out of top-quality Group 2 winning mare Faith Hill (Danehill {USA}) and was a half-sister to stakes-placed More Than Faith (More Than Ready {USA}).
So Si Bon's third dam is the Group 3 winner Simply Believe (Kenmare {Fr}), who is from the same family as ill-fated stallion Lion Hunter (Danehill {USA}).
