Ellerslie: G1 Sistema S., NZ$240,000, 1200m
So game along the rails putting her nose out to defy the odds-on favourite Dynastic (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}), Lickety Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) did a great job winning a Group 1 race at just her second outing.
A homebred for part-owners Dean Hawkins (of Wentwood Grange) and Nick Hewson (Windsor Park Stud), she hails from the second crop of her Windsor Park Stud-based sire - a triple Group 1-winning son of Iffraaj (GB).
Her sire's third stakes winner, Lickety Split is out of the stakes-placed four-time winner She's Slinky (NZ) (Handsome Ransom) whose daughter Neon Moon (NZ) (Exosphere) won at Wingatui (her third success from 14 starts) last weekend.
Served last spring by Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) having previously missed to Darci Brahma (NZ) (Danehill {USA}), She's Slinky (who was purchased in 2016 for just NZ$7,000) has a yearling filly by Charm Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).
She's Slinky's dam She Sed (NZ) (Elnadim {USA}) is a half-sister to the G3 CJC Gold Cup winner Classic Babe (NZ) (Classic Fame {USA}) - dam of the G2 Waikato Gold Cup winner Passchendaele (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Boasting close up crosses of the great stallions Danzig (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}) and Mill Reef (USA) (Never Bend {USA}) and duplications of the influential mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}), Lickety Split hails from the family of one of the greats of the Australian turf - the 1983 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Strawberry Road (Whiskey Road {USA}) who also earned the title of 1984 German Champion Older Horse, securing his inclusion in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.
G1 Bonecrusher NZ S., NZ$240,000, 2000m
A second and easy Group 1 victory for the terrific mare Coventina Bay (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), winner of half of her 22 starts.
Bred by EVB Ltd and passed in at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, Coventina Bay's success was somewhat of an anniversary for her Windsor Park Stud-based sire who on this same weekend nine years ago won the G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington.
One of his seven stakes winners, Coventina Bay is one of the three winners produced by the three-time winner Coventina (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) who sadly died foaling in 2018.
Conventina's dam is the stakes-placed Niniane (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA}), daughter of the dual Group 1 winner Nimue (NZ) (Star Way {GB}) who produced nine winners including the dam of the G3 Colin Stephen H. winner Deane Martin (NZ) (Keeper).
Nimue is one of 11 winners for the wonderful broodmare Eustaci (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) whose other classy progeny include the G1 Easter H. winner Sirstaci (NZ) (Silver Dream {GB}), the G1 Wellington Cup winner Smiling Like (NZ) (Star Way {GB}) and the dual Group 3 winner Eurostar (NZ) (Star Way {GB}).
Boasting Northern Dancer (Can), Mill Reef (USA), Sir Tristram (Ire) and Sir Ivor (USA) crosses, Coventina Bay is also line-bred to Never Bend's (USA) (Nasrullah {GB}) influential dam Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
It was a good day for Windsor Park Stud with Shamexpress (NZ) stud mate Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) also represented by a Group 1 winner in the shape of Lickety Split (NZ).
G2 Auckland Cup, NZ$500,000, 3200m
It was a deserved Uareastar (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) breakthrough at stakes level for this consistent mare - a six-time winner from 15 starts who had shown good heart boxing on gamely in the G3 Wellington Cup at her previous start.
Bred by Dan Myers, she is the third Group winner for her sire who sadly died young having served only four books of mares at Novara Park. A quality sire of staying types, his 50 winners from just 103 runners include the G1 ATC and SA Derby winner Explosive Jack (NZ) and the G2 Edward Manifold S. winner Elusive Express (NZ).
Jakkalberry (Ire) was quite the globetrotter, winning the G1 Gran Premio di Milano as well as stakes races in Dubai and America - plus he was third in the 2012 G1 Melbourne Cup won by Green Moon (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Served last spring by Lonhro (Octagonal {NZ}), Uareastar's lightly raced Balaklava maiden winning dam Enchanteress (NZ) (Danehill {USA}) has produced another three winners and she has a yearling colt by Vanbrugh (Encosta De Lago) as well as a filly foal by Rip Van Winkle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Enchanteress is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Epopee (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}) - dam of the classy Testosterone (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), a two times Group winner in France - and grandam of the French Listed winner Caprice Des Dieux (Fr) (Declaration Of War {USA}).
Enchanteress is a regally bred mare, her grandam Idyllic (USA) (Foolish Pleasure {USA}) producing ten winners including Scenic (Ire) (the first Group 1 winner for Sadler's Wells {USA}), the G3 Prix Daphnis winner Silent Warrior (Ire) (Nashwan {USA}) and the Listed Ballysax S. winner Cupid (Ire) (Generous {Ire}).
This is one of Europe's finest families, its members including the big race winners Warning (GB) (Known Fact {USA}), Commander In Chief (GB) (Dancing Brave {USA}), Yashmak (USA) (Danzig {USA}), Rainbow Quest (USA) (Blushing Groom {Fr}) and Noblesse (GB) (Mossborough {GB}).
Canberra: G3 Black Opal S., $200,000, 1200m
Part of a very successful weekend for Sir Owen Glenn's Go Bloodstock (also breeders of Saturday's stakes winners Ruthless Dame {NZ} by Tavistock {NZ} and Rise Of The Masses {Russian Revolution}, Queen Of The Ball {I Am Invincible} - whose grandson Warby by Hellbent ran second) put on a lovely show of sustained speed winning her second race at stakes level from just four starts.
Also, winner of the G3 Widden S. in January, Queen Of The Ball is one of the 75 stakes winners for her star Yarraman Stud-based sire.
She is the first foal for the speedy Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock) - a $430,000 yearling purchase for Paul Moroney who won four of her eight starts for Go Bloodstock - including the Listed Denise's Joy S.
Served last spring by Flying Artie (Artie Schiller {USA}) after foaling a Written Tycoon (Iglesia) filly, Miss Debutante also has a yearling filly by Zoustar (Northern Meteor).
Queen Of The Ball is a member of a long line of female stakes winners - her dam a Listed winner whilst her grandam More Than Real (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) took out the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. Her third dam Miss Seffens (USA) (Dehere {USA}) was five times successful at Listed level and her fourth dam Noise Enough (Can) (Bold Ruckus {USA}) was a Listed winner at two.
Bred on a 4 X 4 Danzig (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}) cross, Queen Of The Ball also carries duplications of the excellent mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}).
Listed National Sprint, $130,000, 1400m
Showing a great will to win after getting a clear run close to home, Irish Songs (Shamus Award) made it a good weekend for his Rosemont Stud-based sire whose daughter Duais won Saturday's G1 Australian Cup.
Bred by Attunga Stud and purchased by trainer Kurt Goldman for $140,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, Irish Songs is a six-time winner of over $550,000 in stakes.
The 18th stakes winner for his G1 W.S Cox Plate and Australian Guineas-winning sire, he is the first live foal produced by the more than handy Queensland race mare Lucky Songs (NZ) (Johar {USA}), winner of eight races - three of those at Metropolitan level.
Last spring foaling a colt by Universal Ruler (Scenic {Ire}), Lucky Songs also has a 2-year-old filly by Oratorio (Stravinsky {USA}) and a yet to race 4-year-old stablemate to Irish Songs; the recent Goulburn trial runner-up Record Crop (Deep Field).
A descendant of the acclaimed matriarch Chelandry (GB) (Goldfinch {GB}), Lucky Songs is a half-sister to the G2 Challenge S. winner Captain Fantastic (NZ) (Fantastic Light {USA}) from the immediate family of the Listed winners Wings Bash (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}), Ehtfaal (Ire) (Soviet Star {USA}) and Banner Headline (Danehill {USA}).
