G1 Coolmore Classic, $600,000, 1500m
Race summary:
Imported mare Con Te Partiro (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) greatly enhanced her value with a Group 1 triumph at rain-soaked Rosehill on Saturday.
The 6-year-old handled the testing conditions with ease, sitting in third place for jockey Tim Clark as Invincible Gem (I Am Invincible) set the pace.
When others began to struggle in the gruelling ground in the straight, Con Te Partiro found another gear. She powered to the front and opened up a big break on the field.
Miss Fabulass (Frankel {GB}) and Noire (Foxwedge) both produced sustained finishing bursts from near the back of the field, but there would be no catching Con Te Partiro. She kept going strongly to win by 1.25l from Miss Fabulass, with a short neck back to Noire in third.
They were the only three in the finish, with more than 5l back to the fourth-placed Benitoite (Americain {USA}).
Con Te Partiro is trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott for owners Newgate S F. She began her career in the United States, where she placed at Grade 3 and Listed level, and she also won the Listed Sandringham H. at Royal Ascot. She won the G3 Dark Jewel Classic at Scone in May of last year.
She has had a total of 22 starts for five wins and three placings, earning $816,475 in stakes.
Pedigree notes:
Con Te Partiro is by Scat Daddy (USA), who died in 2015 at the age of only 11 but has still made a huge impact at stud, mostly through US Triple Crown winner Justify (USA).
Scat Daddy has sired 781 winners from 1007 runners worldwide, with 129 individual stakes winners. Con Te Partiro became his 31st individual Group or Grade 1 winner. In Australia, Scat Daddy has been represented by four winners from just seven runners.
The dam of Con Te Partiro is Temple Street (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}), who won five races and placed in the G1 Humana Distaff S. and G2 Fleur de Lis H.
She is out of a three-quarter-sister to the Grade 2 winner Meteore (USA) (Pulpit {USA}), while another half-sister is the dam of stakes winners Watch This Cat (USA) (Eskendereya {USA}) and Stylish Citizen (USA) (Proud Citizen {USA}).
Temple Street’s granddam is a three-quarter or half-sister to 11 individual stakes winners, including G1 Vosburgh S. winner A Phenomenon (USA) (Tentam {USA}) and G1 Spinaway S. winner Seattle Meteor (USA) (Seattle Slew {USA}).
Temple Street is the dam of four foals to race, all of them winners. Donworth (USA) (Tiznow {USA}) won the Listed Stanton S. and placed in the G2 San Diego S., G2 San Antonio S., G2 Charles Town Classic and G3 Lexington S.
G2 Chandon Phar Lap S., $200,000, 1500m
Race summary:
Arch-rivals Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) and Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) went to war yet again, and this time Funstar regained the top spot.
The Chris Waller-trained Funstar won both of their battles in the spring, beating Probabeel in a tight finish to the G2 Tea Rose S. before romping to victory by three lengths in the G1 Flight S.
Probabeel turned the tables when they resumed their rivalry in last month’s G1 Surround S., relishing the Good 4 ground and finishing over the top of Funstar in a tight finish.
On Saturday they were back on rain-affected footing, and Funstar handled those conditions far better than her foe.
Rider James McDonald, Funstar led for most of the race and opened up a big advantage at the top of the straight.
Probabeel and Kerrin McEvoy dropped back to last before producing a strong finish on Funstar’s inside through the last 300 metres, but Funstar responded to the challenge and pulled away to win by 1.25l.
Quick Thinker (So You Think {NZ}) finished third, 1.5l behind the first pair. The remainder of the field finished more than 6l away.
The Chris Waller-trained Funstar has now had five starts for seven wins and two seconds, earning $745,450 in stakes.
Part-owner Anton Koolman bought the star filly for $80,000 from Bowness Stud’s draft at the 2018 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes:
Funstar was bred by Jack and Karen Sheather.
She is by the Cox Plate winner Adelaide (Ire), who stands at Coolmore at a service fee of $11,000. With two crops of racing age, he is the sire of 10 winners from 31 runners to date. Funstar is his only stakes winner.
The dam of Funstar is Starspangled (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), who is also the dam of G1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) and stakes-placed Eleven Seconds (Encosta De Lago). She is also the granddam of the Group 3 winner Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
Herself a winner in Ireland, Starspangled is a daughter of the G1 English Oaks, Irish Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks, St Leger and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner User Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}). She is the dam of eight winners, headed by Group 3 winner Downtown (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) and the multiple stakes placegetter Two Miles West (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).
Starspangled is the dam of six winners from seven foals to race. She had a colt by Dissident in 2017 and a colt by Pierro in 2019, and she returned to Adelaide.
G2 Hyland Race Colours Ajax S., $200,000, 1500m
Race summary:
Chris Waller trained the quinella in the traditional lead-up to the G1 Doncaster Mile, and the winner Imaging (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) put his hand up as a likely contender for the time-honoured Randwick feature.
Jockey James McDonald had the 5-year-old close up behind the pacemakers Vegadaze (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Quackerjack (Not A Single Doubt), then swooped around outside them to take over at the top of the straight.
Imaging kicked clear, then withstood the late challenge of stablemate Yulong Prince (Saf) (Gimmethegreenlight) to win by a neck.
Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) struck some traffic trouble but still finished the race off well to run third, two lengths behind the first pair.
Racing in the colours of major Waller stable client Noel Greenhalgh, Imaging is now the winner of six of his 14 starts and $375,606 in prizemoney.
He won the G3 Gladness S. and two Listed races in Ireland, then placed in the G2 Badener Meile and G3 Concorde S. before he was imported into Australia. He finished an unlucky eighth on his Australian debut in last month’s G3 Liverpool City Cup.
Pedigree notes:
Imaging is by Oasis Dream (GB), who is the sire of 812 winners from 1198 runners worldwide, including 120 individual stakes winners.
While he has never stood in Australia, he has made an impact with his imported runners, with 18 winners from 25 runners. His five individual stakes winners in Australia include the G1 Metropolitan H. winner Opinion (Ire).
The dam of Imaging is Mirror Lake (GB) (Dubai Destination {USA}), who won four races including the Listed Alice Keppel H. and Gillies S. She also placed in the G3 Select S.
Mirror Lake is out of a half-sister to four stakes winners, while three of her siblings are dams of stakes winners.
The best of those is Ventura (USA) (Chester House {USA}), out of Mirror Lake’s stakes-placed half-sister Estala (GB) (Be My Guest {USA}). Ventura won 10 races including the G1 Woodbine Mile, Just a Game S., Matriarch S. and Santa Monica H., and she is already the dam of three winners including Fount (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at Group 3 level.
Mirror Lake is the dam of four winners from five foals to race. Imaging’s year-older half-brother Super Titus (GB) (Dansili {GB}) won this season’s Listed Heatherlie S. for David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.
G3 TAB Sky High S., $350,000, 2000m
Race summary:
The G1 Ranvet S. has been mentioned as a possible target for Master of Wine (Ger) (Maxios {GB}), who lived up to his favouritism with an impressive win at Rosehill.
A dominant last-start winner of a BM 100 H. at the same venue, the 5-year-old settled in third place on Saturday as last season’s Australian Derby winner Angel Of Truth (Animal Kingdom {USA}) set the place.
Master of Wine lengthened stride stylishly in the straight, cruising clear for jockey Tommy Berry and clearing out to win by 3.5l.
Mustajeer (GB) (Medicean {GB}) produced a big finish from second-last to fill the runner-up spot, just ahead of Carif (So You Think {NZ}).
Master of Wine races in the recognizable colours of R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd and is trained by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes. He has now won four races in a row, and five overall from 14 starts.
Pedigree notes:
Master of Wine is by Maxios (GB), a Group 1-winning son of the influential Monsun (Ger) who has himself sired 97 winners from 165 runners from his first three crops. He has three individual stakes winners, headed by G1 Preis der Diana winner Diamanta (Ger). He has sired two winners from two runners in Australia.
Master of Wine’s dam is Magma (Ger) (Dubai Destination {USA}), who was placed and is a half-sister to the multiple Group 3 winner Matchwinner (Ger) (Sternkonig {Ire}).
Magma’s dam is a stakes-winning half-sister to the Group 1 winners and sires Dolphin Street (Fr) (Bluebird {USA}) and Saffron Walden (Fr) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).
Master of Wine was Magma’s first foal.
G3 Bowerman’s Furniture Pago Pago S., $175,000, 1200m
Race summary:
English jockey Tom Marquand jetted back into Sydney on Friday and wasted no time in making an impact, guiding Prague (Redoute’s Choice) to a superb win in Saturday’s crucial Golden Slipper trial.
Marquand gave the talented colt a perfect run, trailing the early leader Postcode (Vancouver) before going for gold at the top of the straight.
He surged to the front and maintained a clear advantage over Kumasi (Snitzel) to win by 1.5l. Kumasi was having just his second start and is likely to be aimed at the G1 Sires’ Produce S.
I Am Swerving (I Am Invincible) finished strongly from third-last to run third, 0.5l behind Kumasi.
Victorian visitor Ilovemyself (Ilovethiscity) was the favourite but made little impression from the back of the field, finishing sixth and 6l behind the winner. Jockey Nash Rawiller said he was checked at the start, raced greenly and didn’t handle the ground.
Prague is trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace for owners Aquis Farm and Phoenix Thoroughbreds, who paid $1.6 million to buy him from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Prague has now won three of his four starts and $214,700 in stakes.
Pedigree notes:
Prague was bred by G S A Bloodstock Pty Ltd.
He is by the late, great Redoute’s Choice and on Saturday he became his sire’s third Pago Pago winner after Stratum in 2005 and Tickets in 2009.
The dam of Prague is Purely Spectacular (NZ) (Pins), who placed as a 2-year-old and is a full-sister to the well-performed Raid (NZ) (Pins), a Listed winner who placed in the G1 Diamond S., G2 Matamata Breeders’ S. and Restricted Listed Karaka Million. Raid is the dam of black-type placegetters in South Africa and Macau.
Purely Spectacular is also a half-sister to the stakes-placed Cruising Speed (NZ) (Savabeel).
Purely Spectacular’s dam is a half-sister to the Hong Kong Derby placegetter Hamlets Ghost (NZ) (Danasinga), while granddam Principation (NZ) (Prince Echo {Ire}) is a half-sister to the dams of Virage De Fortune (Anabaa {USA}) and Railings (Zabeel {NZ}).
Purely Spectacular is the dam of five foals to race, all of them winners. Stratum Star (Stratum) has won eight races including the G1 Rupert Clarke S. and Kingston Town Classic, while Serenade (Star Witness) placed in the G3 Champagne S., Listed Bright Shadow H. and Restricted Listed Inglis 2YO Classic.
G3 Antler Luggage Magic Night S., $175,000, 1200m
Race summary:
Godolphin did the Magic Night-Golden Slipper double 12 months ago with Kiamichi (Sidestep), and a repeat could be on the cards in 2020.
In contrast to the front-running Kiamichi, this year’s Magic Night winner Thermosphere (Exosphere) dropped well back in the early stages of the race behind the front-running Kaakit Akit (Artie Schiller {USA}) and Embeller (Super One).
But the race changed dramatically in the straight as Kaakit Akit and Embeller both tired and faded right out to finish near the back of the field.
Thermosphere was one of a flurry of back markers who produced a big finishing burst, and hers was the strongest burst of all. With James McDonald in the saddle, she hit the lead inside the last 100 metres and stretched out strongly to edge out Time Is Precious (Snitzel) and Jemss (Exosphere) in a tight three-way finish.
The favourite Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt) finished fifth, a 1.5l from the winner.
Trainer James Cummings said a decision will be made in the coming days on whether Thermosphere will back up into the Golden Slipper next Saturday.
The Godolphin filly has now had four starts for two wins and a placing, earning $128,165 in prizemoney.
Pedigree notes:
Thermosphere was bred by Godolphin Australia and headed a big result for Darley’s first-season stallion Exosphere, who is also the sire of the third-placed Jemss. Thermosphere is Exosphere’s only winner from seven runners to date.
The dam of Thermosphere is Glows (Canny Lad), who won the Listed Typhoon Tracy S. and placed in the G3 WW Cockram S. and Listed Kevin Hayes S.
Glows is out of a half-sister to Falaise (Grand Lodge {USA}), who won 10 races including the G3 Newmarket H. and the Listed Hall Mark S. and JRA S. He also placed in the G2 Sir Byrne Hart S., G2 Apollo S., G3 Victoria H., G3 Cameron H. and two Listed races.
Another half-sibling, Tahitian Black (Lonhro), placed in the G3 Maurice McCarten S. and Listed Canterbury Classic.
Thermosphere is the first winner out of Glows, who is the dam of two foals to race. She had an Exosphere colt in 2018 and a colt by Pierro in 2019.
G3 Canadian Club Maurice McCarten S., $160,000, 1100m
Race summary:
Talented Queenslander Zoustyle (Zoustar) set up an exciting race, charging out to a clear lead and rounding the home turn with a 6l advantage.
But that effort began to take its toll and he started to toil in the wet ground, with challengers warming up ominously in behind him.
As the labouring Zoustyle was swamped in the last 100 metres and dropped back to seventh, four others burst to prominence – Star Of The Seas (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), River Bird (Epaulette), Spending To Win (Snitzel) and Greyworm (Master Of Design).
Star of the Seas produced the strongest finish, edging ahead of the other three to win by a length in the hands of James McDonald.
River Bird took second in a three-way photo finish with Spending to Win and Greyworm.
The Chris Waller-trained Star Of The Seas has now had 18 starts for seven wins, eight placings and $645,600 in stakes. He races in the colours of long-time Waller supporter Tony Muollo.
Star of the Seas was a strong performer in the spring, finishing third in the G1 Epsom H. and the $1 million The Gong.
Pedigree notes:
Star Of The Seas was bred by Trelawney Thoroughbreds Ltd, whose colours have enjoyed a rich run this season with the likes of Group 1 winner Loire (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) and the multiple Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}).
The sire of Star Of The Seas is Cox Plate winner Ocean Park (NZ), who stands for a service fee of NZ$15,000 at Waikato Stud. He has made a big impression with 132 winners from 217 runners, with Star Of The Seas becoming his seventh individual stakes winner. That list is headed by Kolding (NZ), who won the G1 Epsom H. and the $7.5 million Golden Eagle.
Star Of The Seas is out of Stella Livia (GB) (Titus Livius {Fr}), who won two races and is a half-sister to G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen winner Ransom O’War (USA) (Red Ransom {USA}). Her dam is a three-quarter sister to two stakes winners and a half-sister to another two stakes winners.
Stella Livia is the dam of five winners from seven foals to race, headed by Spieth (NZ) (Thorn Park), who won five races including the Listed Lightning H. and placed in the G1 Darley Classic and Lightning S.
