Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Randwick: G1 Doncaster Mile, $4,000,000, 1600m
Celestial Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) was so game weaving through the field to reassert his legendary trainer’s claims that he is the best he has trained.
One of the eight Group 1 winners and 26 stakes winners for his Arrowfield based sire, he was bred by that stud and sold by them to Legend Racing/Avenue Bloodstock for $220,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
He is the first foal produced by the unraced Sarraqa (Snitzel) whose second foal National Code (Written Tycoon) was purchased by MDK International/Griffiths de Kock Racing for $160,000 at last year's Inglis Melbourne Premier.
Again served last spring by Dundeel having missed to his son Castelvecchio the previous season, Sarraqa has a yearling colt by Maurice (Jpn)... Lot 260 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Sarraqa is a daughter of the outstanding mare National Colour (SAf) (National Assembly {Can}) - a triple Group 1 winner in South Africa who also raced well in Dubai and England.
Five of her six foals to race are winners including the Australian bred, South African based Group 1 sprinters Rafeef and Mustaaqeem - both sons of Redoute's Choice. Also grandam of the Group 3 winner Full Velocity (SAf) (Philanthropist {USA}), National Colour is out of the Listed winner Rainbow Cake (SAf) (Mr Eats {Ire}).
G1 TJ Smith S., $3,000,000, 1200m
Going right on with after finding winning form in the G3 Birthday Card S., Chain Of Lightning (Fighting Sun) was determined as she held off challengers from high class sprinters.
One of the five stakes winners for her late sire (a lightly raced Listed Canonbury S. winner who stood six seasons at Sun Stud), Chain Of Lightning is a home-bred for Ramsey Pastoral out of the city placed winner Magic Art (Perugino {USA}).
Served last spring by Jacquinot after missing to Magna Grecia (Ire), Magic Art has a 2-year-old called Jaddaf by that same sire in the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable whilst her yearling is a daughter of Better Land.
Magic Art's dam is the G2 Magic Night S. winner Mardi's Magic (Kenny's Best Pal) whose full sister Surrealist produced the multiple Group 1 winner Racing To Win (Encosta de Lago) and the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Purrealist (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) - as well as the dam of the Group 2 winning sprinters Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) and Aethero (Sebring).
Mardi's Magic is also the grandam of Glint Of Silver (Rubick) who won last year's G2 Autumn S.
A descendant of the great mare La Troienne (Fr) (Teddy {Fr}), Chain Of Lightning boasts an interesting pedigree with her dam sire Perugino hailing from the same prolific Rough Shod II (GB) (Gold Bridge {Fr}) family as Fighting Sun's sire Northern Meteor, his great grandsire Fairy King (USA) and his second dam sire Geiger Counter (USA).
G1 Australian Derby, $2,000,000, 2400m
Proving himself to be the country’s best staying three-year-old, Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) backed up his G1 VRC Derby success with a second major Classic.
One of the 45 stakes winners for his former Coolmore shuttling sire, Riff Rocket is the second foal produced by the stakes placed multiple city winner Missile Coda (Smart Missile) who was also raced by Debbie Kepitis.
Her first foal Quintillion (Deep Field) is a lightly raced metropolitan maiden placegetter and she was served last spring by Home Affairs having also visited him (no online stud return as yet) the previous season.
Her third foal is the Michael Freedman trained 2-year-old Codetta (Nicconi).
Missile Coda is out of the triple city winner Rain Melody (Lonhro), a half sister to the Listed Toy Show H. winner Walk Alone (Honour And Glory {USA}) from the family of the stakes winners Rain Affair (Commands), Ranges (Shooting To Win) and Wayupinthesky (Snitzel).
A descendant of the 1945 G1 Melbourne Cup winner Rainbird (The Buzzard {GB}), Riff Rocket boasts a cross of the terrific mare Crimson Saint (USA) (Crimson Satan {USA}) via her grandson Storm Cat (USA) and son Royal Academy (USA).
G1 Inglis Sires', $1,000,000, 1400m
Continuing the great run of the fillies, Manaal (Tassort) was tough to the line providing her young Newgate based sire with a Group 1 winner in his first crop.
An Emirates Park home-bred who was also Tassort’s first runner, she is out of the imported Listed winner Red Lodge (USA) (Midshipman {USA}) whose first two foals are both winners - Fightertown (Snitzel) breaking his maiden for the Chris Waller stable at Warwick Farm late winter whilst Badr (USA) (Kitten's Joy {USA}) is a four times winner in Saudi Arabia.
Red Lodge - who was served last spring by Justify (USA) after foaling a Zoustar filly (and an I Am Invincible filly the year before) - is a half-sister to the Listed Deville S. winner Good Like Magic (USA) (Good Magic {USA}). Her grandam is the dual Group 1 winner Memories Of Silver (USA) (Silver Hawk {USA}) whose five winners include the dual Group 1 winner Winter Memories (USA) (El Prado {Ire}), the Group 3 winner La Cloche (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}) and the Storm Cat (USA) Listed winners British Blue and War Trace.
Manaal has no male duplications within six generations of her pedigree but within seven is line-bred to the outstanding mares My Charmer (USA) (Poker {USA}) and Flower Bowl (USA) (Alibhai {GB}) - the former appearing via her sons Lomond (USA) and Seattle Slew (USA) and the latter via her sons (and full brothers) His Majesty (USA) and Graustark (USA).
G2 Chairman's Quality, $300,000, 2600m
The lightly raced and promising Circle Of Fire (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}) really put in the big strides late, relishing a step up in distance at just his third local outing.
Bred by The Queen, Circle Of Fire is the 13th stakes winner for his Cambridge based shuttling sire.
He is a half-brother to the G3 San Francisco S. winner Evening Sun (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) out of the winner Fiery Sunset (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) whose half-brother Absolutely Win (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is a Listed winner in Macau.
Fiery Sunset’s dam is the G3 Prix Corrida winner Diese (USA) (Diesis {GB}) whose three stakes winners include the dual Group 1 winner Senure (USA).
Diese’s grandam is the famed matriarch Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) who has had such great influence in this part of the world as ancestress of Redoute’s Choice - and of whom Circle Of Fire’s grandam boasts another strain in El Gran Senor (USA).
Circle Of Fire is yet another nice horse boasting a cross of the great mare Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}), Circle Of Fire via Nureyev (USA) and Sadler’s Wells (USA).
G3 PJ Bell S., $250,000, 1200m
The second stakes for the day for both jockey and sire, Facile (Trapeze Artist) gave a good kick in the run, holding on gamely when challenged late.
Bred by the Vieira Group and sold by Widden Stud (home to his sire) to Ryan and Alexiou Racing for $420,000 at the 2022 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, he is the first foal for the Listed Reginald Allen H. winner I Like It Easy (Pierro) who was also bred by Vieira.
Visiting Trapeze Artist (also bred by Vieira!) at each of her five years at stud, I Like It Easy has had four fillies by him with the second of those being Facile’s 2-year-old stablemate Elegant Artist who has run second and last at her first couple of outings.
His sire’s third stakes winner, Facile is a grandson of the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic winner Gai’s Choice (General Nediym), half-sister to the Listed winners Atmospherical (Northern Meteor) and Peron (Husson {Arg}) - the latter being the dam of the G3 WJ Healy S. winner Juan Diva (Snitzel).
Gai’s Choice’s stakes placed dam Faster Pussycat (Flying Spur) is out of the triple Listed winner Presina (Prego {Ire}) whose grandson Eagle Falls (Hussonet {USA}) won the G1 Oakleigh Plate.
G3 Adrian Knox S., $250,000, 2000m
The third stakes winner on a great day for her late sire, Good Banter (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) dug deep with her weight advantage to out-bob a gallant Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun).
Stakes winner number 49 for Tavistock, Good Banter was bred by the Bax family and sold by Blue Gum Farm to Astute Bloodstock for $280,000 at the 2022 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
She is the second foal and first winner for the three times winner Danza Kuduro (NZ) (Savabeel), half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Danzdanzdance (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and the Listed Glasshouse H. winner Le Gai Soleil (NZ) (Tavistock).
Hailing from the same family as the triple Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel), Danza Kuduro was served last spring by State Of Rest (Ire). Good Banter is another of the Tavistock stakes winners line-bred to Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}).
G3 Carbine Club S., $250,000, 1600m
Down a notch in class having contested the G1 Randwick and G1 Rosehill Guineas, Ducasse (Trapeze Artist) showed a good turn of foot over the final stages.
Bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds who remain in the ownership after selling him to Michael Freedman Racing and Julia Blaxland Bloodstock for $280,000 at the 2022 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Ducasse is the second stakes winner for his Widden Stud based multiple Group 1 winning sire.
He is the third stakes winner for the Listed Oaklands Plate winner Custard (Lonhro), also dam of the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. winner Serene Majesty (Fastnet Rock) and the Listed winner Curdled (All Too Hard).
The former is the dam of the stake placed California Surreal (I Am Invincible) whilst Custard is also dam of the stakes placed Brulee (Hinchinbrook) and Panna Cotta (Fastnet Rock).
Missing last spring to Anamoe having produced Zoustar fillies two years running, Custard is out of the stakes placed multiple city winner Serene Look (NZ) (Seattle Dancer {USA}) - also dam of the dual Listed winner Russian Caravan (Dehere {USA}).
Serene Look is also ancestress of the Group winners Fravashi (Falbrav {Ire}), Pure Joy (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), Alegron (Teofilo {Ire}) and Stretan Angel (Harry Angel {Ire}).
G3 Kindergarten S., $250,000, 1100m
A favourite kicked off a big day’s racing at Randwick, Espionage (Zoustar) showing no signs of concern in regards to handling the heavy going as he found plenty to win his second Group 3 race.
Last spring’s G3 Breeders Plate winner was bred by Gerry Harvey and sold by his Baramul Stud to the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for $1,000,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
One of the 52 stakes winners for his Widden Stud based dual Group 1 winning sire, he is the third foal for the dual city winner In Times Of War (Street Cry {Ire}) who was again served last spring by Zoustar after foaling a colt by him in October.
In Times Of War is a daughter of the RL Magic Millions, G2 Reisling S. and G3 Gold Coast Guineas winner Military Rose (General Nediym whose third dam is the influential mare Summoned (Crowned Prince {USA}). Espionage is one of Summoned's 37 stakes winning descendants with the best of his relations being the Group 1 winners Zeditave, Greys Inn (USA), Smart Call (SAF) (Ideal World {USA}) and Norzita (NZ) (Thorn Park).
A member of the great Chelandry (GB) (Goldfinch {GB}) family, Espionage is bred on a 4 X 5 cross of Danehill (USA) and a 5 X 5 cross of the lovely mare Rolls (USA) (Mr Prospector {USA}) who appears via her grandson Encosta De Lago and son Flying Spur.
Morphettville Parks: Listed Dequetteville S., $120,000, 1000m
One of the three debutants in the race, Lincolnshire (Starspangledbanner) proved too strong for her rivals - making her owner/breeder Rosemont Stud very happy.
The 39th stakes winner for her Coolmore Stud based sire, Lincolnshire is the fourth foal to race - and the fourth winner for unraced dam Furnival (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}).
Also dam of the stakes placed Rampant Lion (Frankel {GB}), she is a daughter of the dual Group 3 winner Wild Queen (Loup Sauvage {USA}) - dam of the Listed Chief de Beers H. winner Varda (Lonhro) and grandam of the Group 1 winners Kementari and Telperion.
A descendant of the wonderful mare Denise’s Joy (Seventh Hussar {Fr}), Furnival missed to Starspangledbanner last spring having produced a Bivouac filly in mid-August.
