Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Randwick: G1 All Aged S., $1,500,000, 1400m
Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) is capable of reeling off pretty impressive sectionals and he put that talent to display with this exciting performance at his first crack at the 1400 metres.
A homebred for Jonathan Munz, he is one of the two stakes winners for his G3 Up And Coming S.-winning sire who left Australian shores in 2019, putting a couple of stamps on his passport since!
Giga Kick is the 10th foal produced by the imported mare Rekindled Applause (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), a four-times winner who was four times stakes placed in Italy.
In 2021 producing a colt by Pariah, Rekindled Applause has been nicely represented by six winners with Rekindled Power and Shuffle Up (both by Scissor Kick's sire Redoute's Choice) also earning black type with Group placings.
And she is grandam of a classy galloper, her lightly raced daughter Lago Ovation (Encosta De Lago) producing Yulong's G1 CF Orr S. winner Alabama Express (also by Redoute's Choice).
It seems no accident that members of this family have been regular visitors to Redoute's Choice and his sons with Rekindled Applause's fourth dam being a half-sister to Redoute's Choice's influential fourth dam Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA})Plus her sire Royal Applause is a grandson of Try My Best (USA), Best In Show's high-achieving grandson.
Also boasting crosses of Rainbow Quest (USA) (4 X 3) and the Canadian Oaks heroine Flaming Page (USA) (Bull Page {USA}), Giga Kick boasts a pedigree of considerable depth with his sire's three strains of the great Nijinsky II (Can) complemented by his dam's strain of that horse's three-quarter brother The Minstrel (Can).
Flaming Page and Best In Show are both descendants of the wonderful mare Torpenhow (GB) (Torpoint {GB}).
Rekindled Applause is one of the seven winners produced by Rekindled Affair (Ire) (Rainbow Quest {USA}), also dam of the G2 Feehan S. and G2 AAMI Vase winner Rekindled Interest (Redoute's Choice again), the US based Group 3 winner Where We Left Off (GB) (Dr Devious {Ire}) and the French Listed winner Porticcio (Ire) (Lomitas {GB}).
G1 Champagne S., $600,000, 1600m
Militarize (Dundeel {NZ}) proved himself one of the best of the country's juveniles winning the third leg of the Sydney 2-year-old Triple Crown having also won the second leg - the G1 Champagne S. - in convincing fashion.
Bred by GSA Bloodstock and sold by Bhima Thoroughbreds to China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock/Trilogy Racing for $550,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Militarize is one of the 24 stakes winners for his Arrowfield Stud based, multiple Group 1-winning sire.
He is the second foal for the imported placegetter Amerindia (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) whose first foal Non Grata (Pariah) has not been far away at his first two runs for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable.
She was again served by Dundeel (NZ) last spring, foaling a Snitzel colt in October with her previous son a yet to be named Super Seth being a three-quarter brother to Militarize.
Amerindia's dam is the G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Satwa Queen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}), also dam of the Listed winner Important Time (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (in turn dam of the G1 Saratoga Derby winner Nations Pride {Ire} by Teofilo {Ire}) and grandam of Yulong's triple Group 1 winner Lucky Vega (Ire).
Militarize boasts crosses of the lovely mares Doubly Sure (GB) (Reliance {Fr}) via her sons Kris (GB) and Diesis (GB) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}) via her sons Bold Reason (USA) and Never Bend (USA).
G3 Frank Packer Plate, $200,000, 2000m
Osipenko (Pierro) was too classy recording his third win from nine starts winning the G3 Frank Packer Plate, proving himself up to the 2000-metre test - thus opening him up to some nice options come spring.
Third in last year's G1 Caulfield Guineas and close up taking on the older horses in the G1 Doncaster H. last time out, Osipenko has always shown plenty of talent.
Bred by Kevin Hickman, he was sold by Valachi Downs to Kaha and Chris Waller Racing for NZ$160,000 at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale.
One of the 34 stakes winners for his Coolmore Stud-based, multiple Group 1-winning sire, he is out of the stakes placed imported mare Raskova (USA) (Henrythenavigator {USA}), half-sister to the Listed winner Dogtag (USA) (War Front {USA}).
Last spring paying a return visit to Pierro, Raskova foaled a Darci Brahma (NZ) filly in mid-November.
Raskova's third dam is the G1 Irish Oaks winner Helen Street (GB) (Troy {GB}) who has well and truly made her mark as the dam of Street Cry (Ire) and the grandam of Shamardal (USA).
Bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Sadler's Wells (USA), Osipenko also boasts duplications of the excellent mares Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}), Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
G3 H B Carr S., $200,000, 1400m
Olentia (Zoustar) is building quite the record - this game performance seeing her the winner of four of her fist five starts.
Doing a great job at her black-type debut, Olentia is the 35th stakes winner for her Widden Stud-based sire and the third for her dam, the city-placed, two-time winner Mabkhara (Anabaa {USA}).
Bred by Damijack Pty Ltd and J Pritchard, Olentia was sold by Tyreel Stud to Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $310,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She is a half-sister to the G3 Newcastle Newmarket H. winner Wandabaa (Wandjina), the Listed Bob Hoysted H. winner Malkovich (Choisir) and the Group 3-placed Seewhatshebrings (Sebring).
Served last spring by I Am Invincible, Mabkhara - whose yearling Capitalist colt has already been named Shirvington - has as her fourth dam the wonderful mare Easy Date (Grand Chaudiere {Can}).
G3 Hall Mark S., $200,000, 1200m
Godolphin homebred Vilana (Hallowed Crown) added another nice race to his record having also taken out the Silver Eagle, The Hunter, the G3 Fred Best Classic and the Listed South Pacific Classic.
One of the six stakes winners for his Twin Hills Stud-based sire, he is out of the city-placed winner Retsina (Redoute’s Choice) whose three winners are all stakes winners - the other two being the six times Group winner Savatiano (Street Cry {Ire}) and the dual Listed winner Athiri (Lonhro).
Also dam of the stakes-placed Rakomelo (Lonhro), Retsina was served last spring by Victor Ludorum (GB) having foaled a Blue Point (Ire) colt. Her yearling colt by that same stallion has already been named Efharisto and her 2-year-old is Assyrtiko, a son of Street Boss (USA).
Retsina is a daughter of the G1 QTC Sires’ Produce S. winner Star Shiraz (Sequalo) whose three-quarter sister In Her Shoes (Sequalo) is dam of the Listed Ascot H. winner In His Stride (Rothesay).
G3 JRA Plate, $200,000, 2000m
Appreciating the return to 2000m - the distance at which he won last year’s G3 Summer Cup, Diamil (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) was in the winner’s circle for the sixth time from 20 starts.
Bred His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs, he is the sole Australian stakes winner (he has had just five runners here) and one of nine overall for his G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winning Derrinstown Stud based sire.
Diamil is the first winner for the lightly raced Leopardstown maiden winner Diylawa (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Her dam is the stakes placed Dibiya (Ire) (Caerleon {USA}) who did a good job producing another nine winners including the Listed winners Di Fede (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) and Dibayani (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}).
Dibiya's dam is the Listed Ballyroan S. winner Dabtiya (Ire) (Shirley Heights {GB}), grandam of the stakes winners Crimson Blossom (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Washaar (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and third dam of the stakes winners Dynasty's Blossom (SAF) (Dynasty {SAF}) and Brilliant Crimson (SAF) (Trippi {USA}).
Diamil is a descendant of - and line-bred to - the famed matriarch Frizette (USA) (Hamburg {USA}) whose most prolific descendant Mr Prospector (USA) is 6 X 5 X 5 in Diamil's pedigree.
Ascot: G2 Karrakatta Plate, $500,000, 1200m
Yet to put a hoof wrong in her four starts to date, Super Smink (Super One) raced away to an easy win, adding this to a nice resume which also includes the WA Magic Millions.
Bred by B Duncan and sold by Forest View Farm to Morton Racing for $45,000 at the Perth Magic Millions, she is one of two stakes winners for her Lincoln Farm based sire whose biggest win came in the same race - the G3 DC McKay S. - won by his sire I Am Invincible.
Super Smink is the first foal (the second a yearling Sessions colt already named No Short Man) for the lightly raced (just the one start, finishing off well as favourite in a Bunbury maiden Sminky Shorts (Snitzel).
Sadly losing her I'm All The Talk foal last spring, Sminky Shorts is a half-sister to the city winner Disco Donut (Safeguard) out of the unraced Most Joyous (Viscount) whose dam is the triple Listed winner Most Secret (Bletchley Park {Ire}).
The dam of ten winners including the G1 Railway S. winner Covertly (Metal Storm {Fr}), the Group 3 winners So Secret (Danetime {Ire}) and Crack The Code (I Am Invincible) as well as the Listed winner Secret Link (Encosta de Lago), Most Secret is also grandam of the Listed winner Bombay Blitz (Snitzel) and third dam of the Listed Singapore Gold Cup winner Big Hearted (Hallowed Crown).
Ascot: The Quokka, $4,000,000, 1200m
Holding on gamely as the favourite Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) charged, Overpass (Vancouver) gave his happy owners a big day as the inaugural winner of this $4 million slot feature.
Last year’s G2 Expressway S. winner is one of the nine stakes winners for Woodside Park’s G1 Golden Slipper S. winner.
Bred by Corumbene Stud, he made his way through the sales ring on two occasions - passed in for $140,000 at Easter 2020, sold to Darby Racing and Will Johnson Bloodstock for $75,000 at Round 2 of that Covid changed sale.
He is one of four winners produced by the two times winner Walkway (Exceed And Excel) who hails from the family of one of the best horses Western Australia has produced - the mighty Northerly (Serheed {USA}).
Served last spring by Vancouver after missing to Shalaa (Ire) the previous season, Walkway has a yearling colt by Capitalist whilst her yet to race two-year-old with the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou stable is called Inca Trail (Menari).
Sandown-Lakeside: Listed Galilee Final, $200,000, 2400m
It was a tough staying performance for this G1 South Australian Derby bound gelding - a very nice way to break his maiden!
Bred by Holbrook Thoroughbreds, Bengal Boy (Dundeel {NZ}) was sold by them to Cumani Racing and Boomer Bloodstock for $280,000 at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
The 24th stakes winner for his in-form Arrowfield Stud based multiple Group 1 winning sire, Bengal Boy is the fourth winner for the eight times winner Bengal Angel (Nadeem) whose son Eurasia (Eurozone) is a metropolitan winner.
Missing last spring to Showtime having had the previous year off, Bengal Angel has a Flying Artie yearling filly whilst her two-year-old is the yet to race Kolkata (Divine Prophet).
This is the family of the Group 1 gallopers Blackfriars, Larrocha (Danehill {USA}) and Quick Thinker (So You Think {NZ}).
