Cover image courtesy of Racing SA
Morphettville: G1 Robert Sangster S., $502,250, 1200m
Taking on the older mares - and some pretty good ones too - Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) had her happy owners on their feet adding a Group 1 win to her Group 1-second in the Surround S. in late February.
Bred by Go Bloodstock and purchased by Ciaron Maher Racing for NZ$90,000 from Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, Ruthless Dame hails from the final crop of her late high-achieving Cambridge Stud-based sire.
One of his 44 stakes winners - and his tenth Group 1 winner, Ruthless Dame is the third foal and second winner for the stakes placed winner Ruthless Lady (NZ) (Keeper). Also dam of the two-time winners Peerless Warrior (Savabeel) and Tafika (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), she is a daughter of the G2 Matamata Breeders' S. winner Lady Dehere (NZ) (Dehere {USA}).
Served last spring by Sword Of State having foaled an Ocean Park (NZ) colt in October, Ruthless Lady has a Super Seth yearling filly whilst her 2-year-old Langmore (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) has run second at two of her first four starts.
Ruthless Lady is a half-sister to the South African-based triple Group winner Oracy (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the Listed winners The Lady (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) and Lady Maroal (NZ) (Power {GB}).
A descendant of the famed matriarch Cinna (GB) (Polymelus {GB}), Ruthless Dame can boast amongst her relations the Group 1 winners Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock), Hold That Smile (Haulpak), and the Group winners Carry A Smile (Haulpak), Oratorio and Chabaud (NZ) (Lookin At Lucky {USA}).
G2 Tobin Bronze S., $202,250, 1200m
Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy) was only just beaten by today's G2 Queen of the South S. winner Caste (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) in the Listed Nitschke S. last time out and that form held up very nicely today.
Going one better coming back 200 metres, Royal Merchant became the second stakes winner for her dual Group 1-winning sire who recently moved to Kooringal Stud.
Bred by Ian Smith and sold by his Edinburgh Park to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $160,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Royal Merchant is the first foal for the dual city winner Seventhchic (Seventh Reason).
Served last spring by Palace Pier (GB) having foaled a Graff filly in late August, Seventhchic has a yet to race Rubick 2-year-old (Turn The Corner) in the Tony Gollan stable and a yearling colt by The Autumn Sun.
A half-sister to the stakes placed Alburq (Rubick), Seventhchic has as her fourth dam the terrific mare Eau d'Etoile (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) - dam of the Group 1 winners Bint Marscay (Marscay), Filante (NZ) and Kenny's Best Pal and ancestress of another 23 stakes winners.
G2 Queen of the South S., $202,250, 1600m
Having her first start at the mile, Caste (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) was strong to the line winning her fourth race (and her second at stakes level) from only six starts.
Bred by Conquered By None Racing and Breeding and sold by Cornerstone Stud to Lindsay Park for $90,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Caste is one of the 13 stakes winners for her Cornerstone Stud-based shuttling sire.
She is one of the five winners produced by the triple city winner Boat Quay (Belong To Me {USA}), also dam of the metropolitan winner Kirinia (Good Journey {USA}).
Boat Quay died last winter with her last two foals being full sisters to Caste - the yet to race 2-year-old Splash Landing and a yearling.
Boat Quay's dam is the Listed Gimcrack S. winner Speedy Bell (Brocco {USA}) who did a great job with her eight winners including the triple Group winner Silverstream (Al Maher), the dual Listed winner Calanda (Snitzel) and the Group 3 galloper Speedy Natalie (Al Maher), in turn dam of the G3 Vanity S. winner Sweet And Speedy (Street Cry {Ire}).
G3 DC McKay S., $127,250, 1100m
Savatoxl (Kuroshio) is back in the form that saw him win this race two years ago and he is set for the same Group 1 he also won that year - the Goodwood H.
Below his best this time last year, the tough 7-year-old showed that he was back in action with a soft first up victory at Alice Springs (his home track) late last month.
The winner of 19 of his 39 starts, Savatoxl became Australia's newest equine millionaire with this success, his fifth at stakes level.
One of the four stakes winners for his Compas Stallions (Ireland)-based sire who spent five seasons at Darley's Victorian base, Savatoxl was bred by Carrington Park and purchased from Stonehouse Thoroughbreds for just $8000 by the Alice Springs Turf Club at the 2017 Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale.
He is a son of the placed Li'L Miss Hayley (NZ) (Savabeel), also dam of the multiple city winner Karpacz/Pretty Bauhinia (Danzero) who has been successful in Melbourne and Hong Kong - as well as the Doomben winner Bengal Bandit (Brazen Beau.
Served last spring by The Autumn Sun, Li'L Miss Hayley is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Total Response (NZ) (Kheleyf {USA}) and to the dam of the Group 3 winners Perfect Start (NZ) (Perfectly Ready) and Art Beat (NZ) (Captain Rio {GB}); in turn dam of the Listed winner Art de Triomphe (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}).
Within seven generations Savatoxl boasts duplications of the outstanding mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Flower Bowl (USA) (Alibhai {GB}) and Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}).
Listed Without Fear S., $107,250, 1050m
Showing good heart wearing down the leader and put her nose down late, Chilled (Shalaa {Ire}) earned valuable black-type winning her second race from just five starts.
The 15th stakes winner for her sire who this spring relocates from Arrowfield Stud to Woodside Park, Chilled was bred by Valiant Stud, Joe Motherway and Lloyd Walker and sold by Valiant Stud to Snippets Racing Syndications, Peter Morgan and Matt Laurie Racing for $125,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She is the first foal for the lightly-raced Sauvignon whose sire Pierro has made a most encouraging start to his career as a broodmare sire - this filly the fourth stakes winner amongst the first 11 winners.
Sauvignon is a granddaughter of the stakes-placed Perfect Halo (Don't Say Halo {USA}), dam of the dual Group 2 winner Cats Whisker (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), in turn dam of the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Catchy (Fastnet Rock).
Served last spring by Farnan having foaled a colt by that same stallion in October, Sauvignon has a yearling colt by So You Think (NZ) who sold for $45,000 to Proven Thoroughbreds and Kerry Parker Racing at the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Gosford: Listed Gosford Gold Cup, $250,000, 2100m
It is not often we see Hungarian-bred horses racing in Australia and it was fun to see one win a feature - Esti Feny (Hun) (Pigeon Catcher {Ire}) was tough to the line adding an Australian stakes race to his record of several features at Kincsem Park.
Named Hungarian Horse of the Year in 2018, Esti Feny won six races at home (including the Hungarian Derby and the Hungarian St Leger which both carry local Group status) before venturing south in late 2019; this win his first on Australian soil.
Bred by Babolna Nemzeti Menesbirtok Kft, Esti Feny is the first stakes winner for his sire who calls Bábolna Nemzeti Ménesbirtok home - standing at that Hungarian stud alongside other thoroughbred stallions as well as Arabians.
Named Hungarian Broodmare of the Year in 2018, Esti Feny's dam Ejtihaad (Ire) (Nayef {USA}) has produced another four winners and and she is a granddaughter of the dual Listed winner Ashraakat (USA) (Danzig {USA}) whose Group 2-winning dam Elle Seule (USA) (Exclusive Native {USA}) is a highly successful daughter of the prolific matriarch Fall Aspen (USA) (Pretense {USA}).
Esti Feny is that great mare's 66th stakes winning descendant and the second in the last eight days in Australia - she also being the third dam of last weekend's G1 Australasian Oaks winner Affaire A Suivre (Astern)
Listed Takeover Target S., $200,000, 1200m
What a great will to win Think About It (So You Think {NZ}) has, this success - which came at his first run since late February - is his fifth in a row.
Now a dual stakes winner having taken out the G3 Liverpool City Cup last time out, Think About It is one of the 51 stakes winners for his Coolmore Stud-based sire.
Bred by Lightning Thoroughbreds and sold through the Newgate Farm draft for $70,000 to Proven Thoroughbreds and Joe Pride Racing at the 2020 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Think About It is the second foal and second winner for the city placed winner Tiare (Flying Spur), a half-sister to the G2 Gilgai S. and dual Listed winner Keen Array (Bel Esprit).
Last spring foaling a colt by Wootton Bassett (GB) and the year before a Pierro colt, Tiare is a granddaughter of a half-sister to the Hong Kong Group 1 winner The Duke (Danehill {USA}) from the family of another Hong Kong Group 1 winner in Sky Field (Deep Field).
