Cover image courtesy of Coolmore
First winner for Yes Yes Yes
Everest hero Yes Yes Yes had his first winner when Want A Winner (Yes Yes Yes)won on debut at Belmont in Western Australia on Wednesday.
Prepared by Sean and Jake Casey and ridden by Jade McNaught, Want A Winner had won two Belmont barrier trials leading into his first start.
He is from the So You Think (NZ) mare Ridicule, who in turn is a daughter of G1 Tatt’s Tiara winner Russetting (Commands).
The family traces back to the champion sprinter of the early 1990s Schillaci (Salieri) and includes the G1 Winterbottom Stakes winner Voodoo Lad (I Am Invincible).
Want A Winner was an $85,000 purchase for Hancock Quality Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2022 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale from the draft of Newhaven Park.
He is from the first crop of Yes Yes Yes and becomes the sire's first winner.
The Rubick stallion has had just the 13 starters to date and three of them have been stakes placed – Flattered had been runner-up in both the Listed Merson Cooper and Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes, Yes Lulu was third in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes and Nymphadora was third in the Listed Inglis Nursery.
Yes Yes Yes | Standing at Coolmore
Want A Winner is one of 110 live foals in Yes Yes Yes’ first crop.
He has covered strong numbers in each of his four seasons to date, most recently 149 off a $33,000 (inc GST) fee at Coolmore last year.
First Australian winner for Omaha Beach
In a day of firsts, former shuttler Omaha Beach (USA) also had a first Australian winner when Phoroneus (Rhythm {USA}) beat the older horses at Canberra.
Having start number three for Barbara Joseph and Paul and Matt Jones, the 2-year-old gelding took out the 1300 metre Maiden Plate. He is one of 71 live foals from the first crop of Omaha Beach, who stood at Spendthrift Australia at a fee of $22,000 (inc GST) in 2020 and 2021.
Omaha Beach (USA) | Standing at Spendthrift Farm
Omaha Beach was the first horse in 30 years to win a Grade 1 race at both 1200 metres and 1800 metres in the same year, affording him a Timeform rating of 127.
Phoreneus is is the sixth winner from the Rhythm (USA) mare Chrysopelia.
He is one of just three runners in Australia to date for Omaha Beach.
The stallion has had 34 winners from 82 runners worldwide, highlighted by four stakes winners, headed by the dual Group 3 winner Kopion (USA).
Promising Justify winner at Wyong
In a week where many expect Justify (USA) to notch his biggest winner in Australia to date, the US Triple Crown Champion added a new winner to his scorecard when Just Party ‘justified’ his short quote to win comfortably at Wyong on Wednesday.
Justify’s son Storm Boy is a red-hot favourite for Saturday’s $5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens, but connections believe Just Party is going to be another useful runner in these parts for the stallion.
Just Party, who is prepared by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, was narrowly beaten on debut at Newcastle 12 days earlier when he was gunned down late, but there were no mistakes over the 1350 metre at Wyong.
Tim Clark was able to slide him in behind the leaders (as opposed to leading, which he did at Newcastle) and then peel out approaching the turn and prove far too good.
The 2-year-old colt was a $110,000 buy for Ryan and Alexiou from the Coolmore draft at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“I reckon he’s a nice horse, he’s by a super stallion in Justify out of a Group 1 winning mare,” Ryan told SKY Thoroughbred Central. “He only cost $110,000, so he was okay. When I say only, $110,000 at Easter is quite a good buy.”
Gerald Ryan | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Just Party is from the New Zealand Group 1 winner The Party Stand (NZ) (Thorn Park), who has previously produced the stakes placed Petition (Foxwedge).
It is the family of last season’s Australian Group 1 winner Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante).
“You wouldn’t say he was super impressive but he got the job done,” Ryan said. “He’s still learning. He led up the other day, today he took the sit, around the corner the track looked a bit tight for him with the rail out 3m, but he got the job done and he’s a nice little horse.
“The old cliché, whatever he does now, he will be a hell of a lot better 3-year-old.
“The old cliché, whatever he does now, he will be a hell of a lot better 3-year-old.” - Gerald Ryan
“He’s quite a character at home. You’d never know he’s a colt, he has a great nature. I do think later on he will have head gear (blinkers) but we won’t be in a hurry to put that on him.”
Clark described Just Party as a “neat little horse” and believes he is capable of working his way through the grades.
“It was a pretty short turn around from his first run. I said to Gerald I reckon if this race was next week he would have won with a bit more authority,” Clark said.
“It’s good to see him get on the board after a really encouraging debut run and as I said he’s going to go through the grades.
“He’s a lovely little horse to ride, quite strong, he’s got a good demenour about him and that will help him along the way.”
Tim Clark | Image courtesy of Micheal McInally
Justify has nine yearlings catalogued for next month’s 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
His progeny averaged a tick over $500,000 at January’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with the highest price being $1,300,000 for a colt from Invincible Star (I Am Invincible), selling to Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Coolmore Stud draft.
Justify was the leading sire at this week’s Adelaide Magic Millions, having three sell for a total of $700,000.
