First winner for Ace High
The Ken Rae and Krystal Williams-trained Bezique (NZ) provided her Rich Hill Stud-based sire Ace High his first winner.
The 3-year-old filly was having her third start at Ruakaka over 1200 metres and saluted with Jasmine Fawcett in the saddle. Ace High, a son of High Chaparral (Ire), was a classy proposition winning the G1 Victoria Derby and the G1 Spring Champion S.
“That was great, it’s really exciting and a fantastic feeling. That’s going to be the first of many winners for the stallion,” studmaster John Thompson said.
“We’ve had great feedback on the Ace Highs and he’s had five trial winners and a number of placegetters,” Thompson said.
“Some of those trial horses have gone to Australia and they know all about him over there.”
Bezique was bred by Gordon Cunningham and sold through his Curraghmore draft for NZ$20,000 at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
“Ace High was a dual Group 1 winner in Australia, and he won the Spring Champion Stakes, which horses like Dundeel and Savabeel have won, so it is a sire making race,” Thompson said.
Ace High will stand the 2023 breeding season for NZ$10,000 (plus GST).
Hosier wins Premier’s Cup
The Mark Minervini-trained Hosier (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) took out Saturday’s G3 Premier’s Cup at Randwick. The 7-year-old gelding was ridden by Jason Collett to beat Military Mission (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) by 1.18l, while Bois D’argent (GB) (Toronado {Ire}). Hosier provided his trainer with his first Randwick winner since moving from Adelaide, South Australia to Newcastle four years ago, and his first stakes success in just over a decade.
Talented mares quinella at Caulfield
The Catanach’s Jewellers H. Race 4 at Caulfield was won by the James Cummings-trained and Godolphin-owned Va Via (Astern) from the Phillip Stokes-trained Climbing Star (Zoustar).
The newly turned 4-year-old mares showed considerable ability in their 3-year-old preparations, with Va Via winning her last three starts and Caulfield and Climbing Star running second in the G2 Moonee Valley Classic.
New stakes winner for Zoustar in Europe
The Widden Stud-based and Tweenhills Stud shuttler Zoustar sired a new European stakes winner overnight and his 39th stakes winner overall, in the form of the Owen Burrows-trained Miaharris (GB).
The unbeaten 2-year-old filly was successful in the Listed St Hugh’s S. at Newbury, impressing her trainer who holds the filly in high regard.
“We took a punt as Miaharris has run only once. She was inexperienced early on and wasn't as quick into her stride as we'd have liked, but - as Oisin said – ‘You didn't want to rev her up too much or set her alight’. She hit the line strong and probably wants six,” said Burrows. “There's the Dick Poole (G3) and she's not in the Cheveley Park (G1), although I considered it and it's encouraging that she handled that bit of cut. We were pleased she'd come forward from Sandown and I think she'll always be a sprinter, while she's got a touch of class; she's pretty smart.”
Zoustar was also represented by the 3-year-old filly Zouky (GB) who won her third race from six starts overnight.
Amenable returns in style
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Amenable (Lonhro) was impressive in winning upon resumption at Caulfield on Saturday.
The 4-year-old entire was ridden by Damian Lane and showed too much class for Devoted (Xtravagant {NZ}) and the imported Carini (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).
Co-trainer Kent Jnr indicated Amenable would be given his chance to win a Group 1 this campaign.
White Marlin Cup bid under a cloud
Racing.com reported on Saturday that the long-time G1 Melbourne fancy White Marlin (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, has injured both front tendons and will not race again for at least 12 months.
White Marlin (Ire) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
However, the claims have not been verified by the 6-year-old gelding’s trainers or connections on the status of the promising stayer.
Winx to visit Snitzel
Fittingly on the Saturday the G1 Winx S. is run in honour of the Chris Waller-trained Champion daughter of Street Cry (Ire) at Randwick, her ownership group announced the lucky stallion set to court Winx this season. The multiple Champion Sire Snitzel, who stands at Arrowfield Stud, will cover Winx in the 2023 breeding season. As well documented, Winx heartbreakingly lost her first foal by I Am Invincible and was given a year off in 2021 before foaling a filly by Pierro last year, who is now a yearling.
Classy White Noise returns a winner
Andrew Forsman’s classy White Noise (NZ) (El Roca) returned from a spell at Ruakaka on Saturday to record a seventh career success in Race 3 the Harcourts Whangarei H. over 1400 metres.
Donovan Cooper rode the 5-year-old gelding to beat Trigon Lad (NZ) (Towkay).
White Noise had previously won the G3 Wellington S. and the G3 TR Easter H. He had also placed in the Listed Sale Cup in Australia and was unplaced behind Hitotsu in the G1 Australian Derby.
Desert Hero to tackle Melbourne Cup?
King Charles III and Queen Camilla may be represented in November’s G1 Melbourne Cup with the progressive stayer Desert Hero (GB), a son of Sea The Stars (Ire). The G3 Gordon S. winner is trained by William Haggas, who has achieved success in Australia recently through the deeds of Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai).
“I think Desert Hero is pretty good, and he stays well, so we’re going to put him in the Melbourne Cup. That could be different, couldn’t it,” Haggas said.
“Two Northern Hemisphere 3-year-olds have won the Melbourne Cup, and it’s a genuine entry. He wouldn’t run in a preparation race in Australia and would need to enter quarantine pretty quickly after the St Leger. My team is great at quarantine, though, as we’ve done it a lot with Sydney.”
Haggas also revealed that Dubai Honour is set to return to Australia next year but will need to travel with two or three horses.
First winner for Demarchelier at Clairefontaine
Claiborne Farm's first-crop sire Demarchelier (GB) by Dubawi (Ire) was off the mark at Clairefontaine on Friday as White Birch Farm's homebred colt De Sica (Fr) captured the Prix de Roncheville over a mile. Runner-up on debut at Dieppe last month, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained 4-1 shot raced behind the leading trio early and took time to warm up as the dash began in early straight. Building a head of steam to reel in Mister Fernando (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) inside the last 50 metres, the bay asserted the landmark winner for the owner-breeder's G3 Pennine Ridge S. winner.
The winner is also the first runner for the dam Stella Di Camelot (Ire), by Camelot (GB), who was a stakes winner and was placed in the G3 Premio Regina Elena, G2 Noble Damsel S. and G3 Intercontinental S. Also connected to the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte-winning sire Blu Constellation (Ity) (Orpen {USA}) and the G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Eclipse S.-winning sire Oratorio (Ire), her yearling daughter of Sottsass (Fr) is catalogued in the upcoming Tattersalls Ireland September Sale.
