Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix
Ascot: G2 Karrakatta Plate, $500,000, 1200m
It was his third win from four starts and his most impressive so far, Bustling (Frosted {USA}) racing away to a dominant victory as a short priced favourite.
The Oakland Park Stud home-bred is one of the 27 stakes winners for his former Darley shuttling sire and is one of the three winners (from as many live foals of racing age) for the stakes placed dual city winner Bisimiss (Key Business).
Also dam of the city winner Via Monte (Street Boss {USA}), she was served last spring by Sessions having foaled a filly by that same stallion in October.
Bisimiss is one of the six winners produced by the dual city winner Danana Smoothie (Danetime {Ire}) whose half-brother Pushin’ Shapes (Viscount) won the Listed Northam Cup.
Bustling's sire and dam are both descendants of the 1926 born mare Arena (USA) (St James {USA}) whose half-sister produced the G1 Kentucky Derby hero Shut Out (USA). Arena is also ancestress of More Than Ready's (USA) sire Southern Halo (USA) (and Miswaki {USA}).
Riccarton Park: G3 Canterbury Gold Cup, $120,000, 2000m
Showing plenty of heart digging deep along the rails, Green Luck (Street Cry {Ire}) was in the winner's circle for the tenth time - breaking his black-type duck as a 9-year-old at his 59th start.
Bred by J Drake, he was purchased by Magus Equine Hong Kong for $300,000 at the 2016 William Inglis Easter Yearling Sale - winning two races at Ipswich before venturing to Hong Kong where he won five races.Back in New Zealand in June 2022, winning first up at Riccarton, he had not won since - but had been sparingly raced.
The 135th stakes winner for his late high achieving sire, Green Luck is the second stakes winner for the four times winner Damah Lady (Mukaddamah {USA}) whose son Luckygray (Bradbury's Luck) won three Group 1 races in Perth.
Green Luck is the second last foal for his dam whose half-brother Diego Garcia (Catbird) won the G2 Todman Slipper Trial and the Listed Canonbury S. before also heading to Hong Kong where he was a two times winning Group 3 placegetter.
Listed Great Easter S., NZ$80,000, 1400m
A mare who finds plenty when challenged, Sassy Merlot (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) broke through for a well deserved first victory at stakes level.
Bred by Advantageous Ventures, she was sold by them to Paul Moroney and Ballymore Stables for $24,000 at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 3).
The 12th stakes winner for her late sire, she is one of four winners for the unplaced Saveadance (Savabeel) whose half-sister Fire Song (NZ) (Senor Pete {USA}) won the G2 Sapphire S.
Saveadance's three times winning dam Dance On Fire (NZ) (Volksraad {USA}) is out of the Group placed Echotastic (NZ) (Prince Echo {Ire}) whose nine winners include the Group winners Coup Ray (NZ) (Exploding Prospect {USA}), Singalong (NZ) (Danasinga) and Penny Arcade (NZ) (Straussbrook).
The latter two are also stakes producers, the former being the dam of the G3 VRC Carbine Club S. winner Zacroona (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the latter of the Listed Matamata Slipper S. winner Al Strada (NZ) (Perfectly Ready).
Listed Warstep S., NZ$80,000, 2000m
Appreciative of a rise in distance, No Rain Ever (NZ) (No Nay Never {USA}) put a disappointing run over 1600 metres at her previous outing behind her.
The 60th stakes winner for her Coolmore Ireland based former shuttling sire, she is out of the G2 Isuzu S. winner November Rain (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
Served last spring by King's Legacy having foaled a colt by that same stallion in November, November Rain had her Yes Yes Yes yearling colt purchased by Mailbag Bloodstock for $80,000 at this year's Magic Millions.
The Goodson and Perron Family Trust home-bred No Rain Ever is line-bred to the lovely mare Tamerett (USA) (Tim Tam {USA}) via her grandson Gone West (USA) and son Tentam (USA).
November Rain is a granddaughter of the Listed winner Lady Reiko (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}) whose Listed winning dam Willamae (Can) (Tentam) produced the Group 1 winners Will's Way (USA) (Easy Goer {USA}) and Willa On The Move (USA) (Assert {Ire}).
Mornington: Listed Mornington Cup, $300,000, 2400m
It is not often we see Hungarian bred horses racing in Australia and it was fun to see Esti Feny (Hun) (Pigeon Catcher {Ire}) record his second stakes race on Australian soil.
Last year's Listed Gosford Gold Cup winner also won several features at home - aka Kincsem Park - and was named Hungarian Horse Of The Year in 2018.
His six races in Hungary included the Hungarian Derby and the Hungarian St Leger which both carry local Group status.
Bred by Babolna Nemzeti Menesbirtok Kft, Esti Feny is the sole stakes winner for his sire who calls Bábolna Nemzeti Ménesbirtok home - standing at that Hungarian stud alongside other thoroughbred stallions as well as Arabs.
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}).
Listed Hareeba S., $200,000, 1200m
Part of a big day for the Grahame Begg stable, Maharba (Pride Of Dubai) had her nose out in an exciting finish that saw four across the track.
Bred by Newhaven Park Stud, he is one of the 23 stakes winners for his in-form Coolmore Stud based sire.
His Listed Keith Mackay H. winning dam Blizzardly (More Than Ready {USA}) has produced another six winners including the G3 BJ McLachlan S. and the Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Unencumbered. Also dam of the city winner Stormy Rock (Fastnet Rock), Blizzardly is out of a half-sister to the dam of the Listed Sale Cup winner First Course (Snitzel).
Served last spring by Pride Of Dubai after foaling a Churchill (Ire) colt in September, Blizzardly missed the previous season with her latest named foal being the yet to race Adam Duggan trained 2-year-old Tikiroo (Xtravagant {NZ})/Maharba boasts multiple strains of the prolific Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer)/Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) family... Halo (USA), Northern Dancer (Can), Danehill (USA) and Machiavellian (USA).
Eagle Farm: Listed Daybreak Lover, $160,000, 1400m
It is an impressive record being compiled by Exotique Miss (Under The Louvre) - a stakes winner at her first attempt at that level; recording the fourth win of her nine start career.
Bred by the Nolan family, she is the first stakes winner for her former Grandview Park now Misneach Stud based sire, a G1 Stradbroke H. winning son of Excellent Art (GB).
She is one of the four winners (from as many named foals) for the three times placed (from just five starts) Outlandish (Redoute's Choice) whose sons Patches (Whittington) and Uncommon Valour (Heroic Valour) are city winners.
A granddaughter of the high class race and broodmare Slight Chance (NZ) (Centaine), Outlandish died young with Exotique Miss being her final foal.
Listed Ascot H., $160,000, 1000m
Last year's Ramornie H. winner The Big Goodbye (Host {Chi}) got up along the inside of his stablemate Prince Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom) and was strong to the line recording the 11th win of his 37 start career.
Bred by Ralph Satchwell, he was sold by that highly successful breeder's Willow Grove Stud to Neerim Lodge for $52,500 at the 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
One of the eight stakes winners for his late sire, The Big Goodbye is the second last foal produced by the multiple city winner Penny Opera (NZ) (Danasinga). She has been well represented by another five winners including the stakes placed Singapore based galloper Special King (Magnus) as well as the dam of the stakes placed multiple city winner Flying Krupt (Krupt).
This is the family of the Group 1 winners Vision And Power (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}), Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}), Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Dom To Shoot (Shooting To Win) and Espiona (Extreme Choice).
The Big Goodbye boasts a cross of the G2 Kentucky Oaks heroine Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
