Ipswich: Listed City of Ipswich Eye Liner S., $200,000, 1350m
Another Queensland carnival winner for the Annabel Neasham stable, Holyfield (I Am Invincible) may not at first have justified his purchase price of $800,000 but he is doing a good job for his current connections.
Bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds and purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Aquis Farms at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the now triple-stakes winner is one of his high-achieving Yarraman Park-based sire’s 79 stakes winners.
His dam is the terrific racemare Hurtle Myrtle (Dane Shadow), winner of four of her 24 starts including the G1 Myer Classic, the G2 Sapphire S. and the G2 Dane Ripper S.
Also dam of the stakes-placed Vamos Baby (Holyfield’s full sister) and the dual city winner Terwilliker (Pierro), Hurtle Myrtle was served last spring by Capitalist having previously slipped to I Am Invincible.
Her previous foal, a Deep Field filly, fetched $240,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale - purchased by Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA).
Stakes winners Whisper Bay (Royal Academy {USA}), Indian Thunder (Manhattan Rain) and He’ll Haunt Us (Time For War) are amongst Holyfield’s relations.
Listed TAB Ipswich Cup, $175,000, 2150m
The first of a Listed double for Eagle Farm trainer Chris Munce, Smart Meteor (Smart Missile) is a horse with a very interesting pedigree.
Bred by Gooree Stud and purchased by Munce Racing for $50,000 at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, he is the first stakes winner (from 10 runners, seven winners) by Smart Missile out of a mare by Northern Meteor.
And what's interesting about this is the fact that Smart Missile’s grandam Explosive (USA) (Fappiano {USA}) is Northern Meteor’s dam.
The 23rd stakes winner for his Twin Hills Stud-based sire, Smart Meteor is one of the four winners (from as many named foals) for the unraced Tempting Lady (Northern Meteor) whose dam is the dual Group 1 winner Tempest Morn (Thunder Gulch {USA}).
Now a resident of Goodwood farm, Tempting Lady was served last spring by Astern having foaled a Flying Artie filly in mid-October.
Two of Tempting Lady’s half-sisters have also produced stakes winners, the city winner Elahi (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) dam of the dual Group winner Good Standing (Artie Schiller {USA}) whilst the placed Ganda (Encosta De Lago) is dam of the Group 3 sprinter Tempt Me Not (Strategic Maneuver).
Listed Kingsley Lawson Lawyers Gai Waterhouse Classic, $150,000, 1200m
The second leg of Chris Munce’s Stakes double, Centrefire (Shooting To Win) has been a solid campaigner - this success (her first at stakes level) the eighth of her 38-start career.
Bred by Yarraman Park Stud, N. Leckie and Bell River Thoroughbreds, she is the seventh stakes winner for her G1 Caulfield Guineas-winning sire who is currently being rested by Darley.
Purchased by Munce Racing for $100,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Centrefire is one of the six winners for the three-times winner Coco Kerringle (Exceed And Excel) who ran fourth in the G2 Silver Slipper S. won by Melito (Redoute’s Choice).
Also dam of the metropolitan winners Lagerfield (Denman) and Fabulous Eight (Dream Ahead {USA}), Coco Kerringle is a half-sister to the G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Mirjulisa Lass (Danasinga).
Served last spring by Cosmic Force, having slipped to him the previous season, Coco Kerringle has a Santos yearling filly who was purchased by BM Lazzarini Racing for $40,000 at this year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Stakes winners from this family include Pembleton (Marauding {NZ}), Sharks Bay (Canny Lad), Season Bloom (Captain Sonador), Fulmonti (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}), Pride Of The Class (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) and Majestical (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Flemington: Listed A.R. Creswick S., $160,000, 1200m
Four years ago kicking off the black-type career of Nature Strip (Nicconi) and a year later Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the Listed Creswick S. has proven a strong form reference in recent years and connections of the exciting Passive Aggressive (Fastnet Rock) will be hoping that she can also reach Group 1 heights.
Remaining undefeated at her fourth start, the 189th stakes winner for her Coolmore Stud-based high-class sire was bred by Cressfield and purchased for $500,000 by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Racing in the red and white colours of Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing, Passive Aggressive is the second winner produced by the G3 How Now S. winner Miss Judgement (Strategic), also the dam of the G3 Percy Sykes S. winner Missrock (also by Fastnet Rock) who changed hands as a broodmare for $2.3 million three years ago.
Retired from stud duties having not produced a live foal since Passive Aggressive, Miss Judgement is one of the four stakes winners for the city winner Miss Jakeo (Unbridled’s Song {USA}), also dam of the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Mrs Onassis (General Nediym), the G3 Matron S. winner Fifth Avenue Lady (Encosta De Lago) and the G3 Ming Dynasty winner Aussies Love Sport (Redoute’s Choice).
Miss Jakeo, as her name suggests, is a daughter of the outstanding race- and broodmare Lady Jakeo (Last Tycoon {Ire}), the dual Group 1-winning sprinter whose 11 winners include the Australian bred US Group 3 winner Red Arrow (Red Ransom {USA}) and the Hong Kong Champion Griffin Able Choice (Dehere {USA}).
Rosehill Gardens: Listed Drinkwise WJ McKell Cup, $150,000, 2000m
Creating a good impression when recording an easy Caulfield win at his Australian debut in July 2020, Skyman (GB) (Mukhadram {GB}) has been consistent ever since, deserving of his stakes race breakthrough.
Bred by K.J. Keir, Skyman made his way through the sales ring on two occasions, fetching 90,000gns (AU$167,000) to the bid of Amanda Skiffington Bloodstock at the 2017 Tattersalls October and Yearling Sale, returning to Tattersalls for the Autumn Horses In Training Sale two years later - purchased by Go Racing for 42,000gns (AU$76,000).
The fourth stakes winner for his G1 Eclipse S.-winning Shadwell-based sire, a son of Shamardal (USA), Skyman is out of the placed Skyrider (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) whose full sister Gothic Dance (Ire) was crowned Italy’s Champion Older Female Miler in 2014.
Skyman’s third dam is the Group-1 placed dual Listed winner My Branch (GB) (Distant Relative {Ire}) whose eight winners include the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup winner Tante Rose (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and the Listed winner Bay Tree (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}).
A descendant of the G1 1000 Guineas heroine Picture Play (GB) (Donatello II {Fr}), Skyman can count amongst his close relations the Group 1 galloper Dubawi Heights (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and sire, Make Believe (GB).
Belmont: Listed Waroa-Belmont Guineas, $125,000, 1600m
What a great campaign the Peters Investments homebred 3-year-old Devoted (Xtravgant {NZ}) is enjoying, this success his third from as many runs this time in and his second at stakes level.
One of the four (and the first dual) stakes winners for his Newhaven Park-based dual Group 1-winning sire, Devoted is the third foal and third winner for the multiple city winner Morning Mist (Anabaa {USA}) whose first two have both been successful in metropolitan company - Morning Song (Bernardini {USA}) and Special Views (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) between them winning nine races.
Served last spring by Toronado (Ire), Morning Mist has a weanling full brother to Devoted whilst her yearling colt (already named Dorset Tide) is also by Xtravagant (NZ). As is her yet to race 2-year-old son Authorative.
Morning Mist was also bred and raced by the Peters’ from a family which they have enjoyed good success with.
Morning Mist’s dam is the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. winner Flaming Heart (Salieri {USA}) whose 10 winners (from as many foals to race) include the stakes winners Real Love (Desert King {Ire}), Suspicion (Mukddaam {USA}) and Heart Starter (Domesday).
Flaming Heart is also grandam of the stakes winners Morant (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) and Grey Monarch (Verglas {Ire}).
