Cover image courtesy of Michael McInally Photography
Sunshine Coast: G2 Hollindale S., $500,000, 1800m
Class prevailed as Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) wrote his name into the history books as the first three-time winner of this feature contest - and the latest horse to take his prizemoney tally to beyond $10 million.
Bred by Lanwades Stud's high-achieving Kirsten Rausling, Zaaki is one of the 25 stakes winners sired by the late multiple Group 1 winner Leroidesanimaux (Brz) who at one stage was touted to shuttle to Australia.
Zaaki is out of the two-time winning Sadler's Wells (USA) mare Kesara (GB) whose other five winners include the stakes placed Singapore-based galloper Kirks Ryker (GB) (Selkirk {USA}) and the dam of the Listed winner Kawida (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}).
Kesara is a half-sister to the French two-time Listed winner Persona Grata (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) whose daughter Lovely Esteem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) was Group 2 placed in Ireland before heading to Australia - winning at Doomben in January for the Chris Waller stable.
Zaaki's stakes placed third dam Minya (USA) (Blushing Groom {Fr}) is the dam of the dual Group 1 winner Altieri (GB) (Selkirk {USA}) who earned the title of Italian Champion Older Male.
Kesara is still a much cherished resident at Lanwades with Kirsten Rausling - who described Zaaki as “a marvel”, telling TDN that “she has a lovely yearling colt by Study Of Man.
“She was rested last year but is back in foal to the same horse.”
This is the prolific Marchetta (GB) (Marco {GB}) family which features further in Zaaki's pedigree via Borealis (GB), Turn-To (Ire) and Klairon (Fr) to whom he is line-bred 5 X 6. Also boasting a 3 X 4 Blushing Groom (Fr) cross, Zaaki was a 40,000gns (AU$78,600) yearling and later purchased for the Annabel Neasham stable for 150,000 gns (AU$294,800) at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale.
G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic, $200,000, 1200m
Beaten only once in six starts, Russian Alliance (Russian Revolution) really wanted this race, digging deep to prevail in a tight finish.
A $65,000 graduate of the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale (Book 2) where she was sold by Noble Bend Farm to Paul Reedy, he was bred by Chesapeake Thoroughbreds and Grand Lodge Thoroughbreds.
The eighth stakes winner for her Newgate Farm-based sire, Russian Alliance is the second foal for the placed import Sea Dweller (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) whose first foal is the two-time winning 3-year-old Ruby Chicks (Rubick).
Now in New Zealand where she was served last spring by Vanbrugh having foaled a filly by him in September, Sea Dweller is out of the G2 Maribyrnong Plate winner Langoustine (Danehill {USA}) whose G3 VRC Thoroughbred Breeders S.-winning full sister One World produced the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner One Last Dance (Encosta De Lago).
Bred on a 5 X 5 cross of the great mare Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}), Russian Alliance hails from the same family as the 2016 Japanese Champion 2-year-old colt Satono Ares (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
G3 Gold Coast Guineas, $200,000, 1200m
What an excellent record Yellow Brick (The Mission) is building with this win - his first at stakes level - the sixth of his eight-start career.
Bred by the Aquis Sha Tin Syndicate, he was a $20,000 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale purchase by Tony Sears Racing and Paul Moroney Bloodstock from the Waylon J Stud draft.
The first stakes winner for Aquis' G1 Champagne S. winner The Mission, Yellow Brick is out of the dual city winner Magical Mist (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and he is that terrific mare's third stakes winner... the G3 Rough Habit Plate winner Ballistic Boy (Smart Missile) and the G3 Premier's Cup winner Splendiferous (Pride Of Dubai) the others.
Served last spring by Maurice (Jpn) after foaling a Smart Missile filly, Magical Mist has a yet to race 2-year-old (Hotchi) by Performer.
Her dam Fairy Tipsy (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA}) is a Group 2-placed dam of seven winners including the G1 Levin Classic winner Distill (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) and the dual Listed winner Mr Tipsy (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Yellow Brick boasts a nice link to racing history, his 10th dam Raphis (NZ) (Night Raid {GB}) being a full sister to Phar Lap (NZ).
Listed Gold Coast Bracelet, $160,000, 1800m
She was only second-up, rising in distance and she had little luck in running - but still Renaissance Woman (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) was too good charging home late to record her third win from 10 starts and her second at stakes level.
The winner of last spring's G3 Ethereal S, Renaissance Woman was bred by Gerry Harvey who also bred today's two juvenile stakes winners in New Zealand.
He sold Renaissance Woman through his Westbury Stud draft at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale for NZ$250,000 to Attunga Stud. She is one of the 20 stakes winners for her Westbury Stud-based dual Group 1-winning sire.
She is the third foal and second winner for Mrs Kennedy (Fastnet Rock) who is one of the 10 winners produced by the terrific broodmare Miss Jakeo (Unbridled's Song {USA}) who has been so well represented by four stakes winners - the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Mrs Onassis (General Nediym), the G3 How Now S. winner Miss Judgement (Strategic), the G3 Matron S. winner Fifth Avenue Lady (Encosta De Lago) and the G3 Ming Dynasty winner Aussies Love Sport (Redoute's Choice).
Also grandam of the stakes winners Missrock (Fastnet Rock), Passive Aggressive (Fastnet Rock) and Pearl Green (Fastnet Rock), Miss Jakeo as her name suggests is a daughter of the G1 Blue Diamond S. and G1 Australia S. winner Lady Jakeo (Last Tycoon {Ire}) whose 11 winners include the G3 Los Angeles H. winner Red Arrow (Red Ransom {USA}) and the Hong Kong stakes winner Able Choice (Dehere {USA}).
Not served last year, Mrs Kennedy foaled a full brother to Renaissance Woman in late November having missed the two previous seasons.
Listed Silk Stocking H., $160,000, 1400m
Another stakes race, another winner bred by Gerry Harvey - his fourth stakes winner for the day!
And the second by his Westbury Stud-based stallion Reliable Man (GB), the promising Essonne (NZ) is the stallion's 21st stakes winner.
Racing at stakes level for the first time, the six-time winner from twelve starts is out of the dual city winner Riviere (Redoute's Choice), half-sister to the Group 2 winners First Command (Commands) and Oneworld (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Served last spring by Tarzino (NZ) after foaling a Telperion filly in November, Riviere is a granddaughter of the Listed mare Ride The Rapids (River Rough {NZ}) whose 10 winners include the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove (Hurricane Sky) .
Ancestress of another eight stakes winners including the stallions Captivant and Headwater, Ride The Rapids hails from the same prolific Simon's Shoes (GB) (Simon Square {GB}) family as Reliable Man's dam sire Sadler's Wells (USA).
Listed Australian Turf Club Trophy, $160,000, 1200m
At the age of seven recording his first win at stakes level, Fifteen Rounds (I Am Invincible) dug deep in a close finish to the day's last stakes race.
The 95th stakes winner for his Yarraman Park-based reigning Australian Champion Sire, he was bred by R S & R W Dufficy and sold by Yarraman Park to Pride Racing for $200,000 at the 2017 Inglis Australian etresEaster Yearling Sale.
Resold online (Inglis) for $30,000 in August 2020, Fifteen Rounds is out of the imported mare Sugar Bay (Can) (Syncline {USA}) who won five Listed races in Canada.
Served last year by Cosmic Force, she was purchased for $8500 by Coel Hunter -from another Inglis Digital sale in January this year.
Also dam of the city winners Sugar Bay Leonard (Encosta De Lago) and Amaryliss (Commands), Sugar Bay slipped the previous season with her most recent foal being an All Too Hard colt who was purchased by Azzurro Bloodstock for $52,000 at this year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
A half-sister to the durable (11 wins) Listed winner Blurricane (Can) (Rebellion {GB}), Sugar Bay is a granddaughter of the triple Listed winner Autumn Slew (Can) (Slew O'Gold {USA}).
Riccarton Park: Listed Champagne S., NZ$65,000, 1200m
Holding off all challengers with this gritty performance, Illicit Dreams (NZ) (Vancouver) made it two in a row, doing a good job stepping straight up from maiden class.
Bred by Gerry Harvey and sold by his Westbury Stud to Rae Racing for NZ$30,000 in Book 2 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale, Illicit Dreams is the tenth stakes winner for her Woodside Park-based G1 Golden Slipper S.-winning sire.
She is the first winner for the lightly raced Illicit Romance (Snitzel), full sister to the Macau-based stakes placed five-time winner Oneofthegreats. Sadly she died young having produced just one other foal.
Illicit Dream's grandam is a half-sister to the Group 3 winners Saint Encosta (Encosta De Lago), Sheer Talent and Kittens (Redoute's Choice) and her fourth dam is the classy broodmare St Klaire (Bletchingly) whose seven winners include the big race winners Bonanova (NZ) (Star Way {GB}), Fraternity (NZ) (Star Way) and Telesto (NZ).
Ancestress of another eight stakes winners, St Klaire is out of a half-sister to the famed matriarch Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}).
Illicit Dream's sire is bred on a Sadler's Wells (USA)/Danehill (USA) cross whilst her dam is bred on the opposite.
Listed Great Easter S., NZ$65,000, 1400m
They were stretched across the track over the final 200 metres with the widest runner - Lightning Jack (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) - able to get clear over the final stages, in doing so recording his third win at Listed level.
Bred by Ms G E Kenny & the Estate of the late J D Georgetti, Lightning Jack was purchased by Relyt Farm for just NZ$8000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka May Sale.
One of the 28 stakes winners for his Little Avondale Stud-based sire, he is out of the winner La Petite (NZ) (Savabeel) whose dam is the G1 Avondale Gold Cup winner Creil (NZ) (Frenchpark {GB}).
Hailing from the family of the high class race and broodmare Skating (At Talaq {USA}), La Petite was served by Derryn last spring, foaling a colt by him in October. She missed the previous season with her previous foal being a Derryn filly.
Te Rapa: Listed 2YO S., NZ$65,000, 1200m
This was the second of two juvenile stakes races in New Zealand today - and the second won by a horse bred by Gerry Harvey with Illicit Dreams (NZ) (Vancouver) doing the job at Riccarton.
She is a promising youngster and so is this fellow who recorded the second win of his three-start career.
Originally passed in for NZ$50,000 as a New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka yearling, Solidify (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) made his way to the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale where Westbury Stud sold him to Rogerson Bloodstock for NZ$140,000.
The 12th stakes winner for his Westbury Stud-based sire, Solidify is out of the Australian dual city winner The Warrior Woman (Redoute's Choice) who has produced another two winners. Her dam is the G2 Hill S. winner Mulan Princess (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}), dam of the G1 ATC Oaks winner Royal Descent (Redoute's Choice) and grandam of the stakes winners Ho Ho Khan (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) and East Asia (NZ) (Swiss Ace).
Solidify's third dam is the Group 3 mare Madam Valeta (NZ) (Palace Music {USA}) whose 11 winners (from as many foals to race) include the four-time Group winner Falkirk (NZ) and the Listed winner Luscilla (NZ) (Entrepreneur {GB}).
The Warrior Woman was served last spring by Reliable Man (GB) having missed the previous season. Her yearling is a son of Reliable Man.
