Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Race-Day Recap
Vinery Stud’s exciting first-season sire Exceedance sired his second stakes winner when his talented daughter Flyer took out the G3 David Coles AM S. at Morphettville on Saturday.
Yulong’s Champion stallion Written Tycoon sired his 63rd stakes winner when his progressive son Althoff dug deep to salute in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial S.
Darley’s outstanding shutter Too Darn Hot sired the ninth individual winner from his debut Southern Hemisphere colt when his Kia Ora Stud-raced son Tropicus won at Caulfield.
Frosted’s progressive son Pisces swam through the Heavy 9 conditions at Newcastle to score his second career victory for Godolphin and James Cummings.
Jungle Cat’s Zatanna was a 6.88l winner at Ipswich on Saturday for Proven Thoroughbreds and Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted.
Exceedance off to a Flyer
Vinery Stud’s Exceedance sired his second stakes winner when his talented daughter Flyer wore down the classy Karavas (Alabama Express) to win the G3 David Coles AM S. on Saturday.
Exceedance | Standing at Vinery
The Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Karavas looked to have the G3 David Coles AM S. in her keeping. However, Flyer from the Mornington-based stable of Jason Warren continued to find under a well-timed Craig Williams ride. Finishing in third was The Dabble Effect, a daughter of another first-season sire Zousain.
Warren told Racing.com, “We put Flyer to the side this preparation, but she’s just kept soldering on. She was put in the deep end in her second start in the G1 Blue Diamond.
“We came to South Australia to try and get some black type with her being a filly and she showed up today (Saturday) and has won a nice race.”
It was a good day for Rosemont Stud colour bearers with Guerite (Shamus Award) scoring earlier on Saturday at Donald. Flyer, bred by Rosemont Stud and Brett Charman was an impressive winner at Sandown-Lakeside on debut and then was unplaced in the G1 Blue Diamond S.
Flyer returned to run third in the G3 Breeders’ S. before Saturday’s success. She is the second foal from the four-time winner Miss Toorak Flyer (Toorak Toff). Her first foal, Treasurway (Starspangledbanner) won the G3 Breeders’ S. in South Australia and was placed in several other stakes contests. Miss Toorak Flyer has a yearling colt by the pensioned Exceed And Excel and foaled a colt by Shamus Award in August before visiting Starspangledbanner in the spring.
“We put Flyer to the side this preparation, but she’s just kept soldering on. She was put in the deep end in her second start in the G1 Blue Diamond.” - Jason Warren
The filly is the second stakes winner for the G1 Coolmore Stud S. victor Exceedance and one of his four individual winners. Exceedance is available at a fee of $33,000 (inc GST).
Another stakes winner for Tycoon
Althoff provided his Champion Sire Written Tycoon with his 63rd individual stakes winner when he saluted in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic on Saturday at the Sunshine Coast.
The Chris Waller-trained colt, carrying the bottle green silks of Yulong responded to riding from James McDonald to keep his nose in front of a charging Silva ‘N’ Suave (D’Argento) and Gin And Tonic (Better Than Ready).
Representing Chris Waller Racing was Brett Killion, who told Sky Racing post-race, “Lovely colt. He’s very laid back, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from him but we put the blinkers on.
“Althoff put himself in the race, travelled great but I’m just not sure if he got lost a bit in the front or got tired late. However, he did enough.
“Althoff put himself in the race, travelled great but I’m just not sure if he got lost a bit in the front or got tired late. However, he did enough.” - Brett Killion
“Providing Althoff pulls up well, I’d say we would head to the Sires’ and I think the 1400 metres would be suitable.”
Althoff, having his second start, is the sixth foal from St Miss Tropez (Magnus). Five of her six foals to race have been winners, including the Group 3-placed Scheelite (Real Steel {Jpn}).
St Miss Tropez has a yearling filly by Maurice (Jpn) and visited Admire Mars (Jpn) last spring. She is closely related to the classy Don’t Doubt Mamma (Not A Single Doubt), a multiple Group 2 winner and the Listed-winning 2-year-old Risen From Doubt, a full brother to Don’t Doubt Mamma.
Althoff as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Althoff was a $500,000 purchase by Yulong from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Written Tycoon will stand the 2024 breeding season privately at Yulong.
Nine for Too Darn Hot
Darley’s shuttler Too Darn Hot (GB) sired his ninth winner from his debut Southern Hemisphere crop when his son Tropicus stormed to success at Caulfield.
The Kia Ora-owned colt, trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, showed tenacity under Daniel Moor to hold off the race-experienced Stormbourg (Strasbourg) and Just For Show (Showtime).
Co-trainer Sam Freedman told Racing.com, “I think the most pleasing part of Tropicus’ victory today (Saturday) was he spat the bridle out at about the 500 metres and then really picked up and chased the line.
“One thing he’s always shown us is he’s got way more off the bridle than he has on it: often it’s the opposite. Tropicus was challenged late, and he really had to dig into his reserves and was strong on the line.”
“Tropicus was challenged late, and he really had to dig into his reserves and was strong on the line.” - Sam Freedman
Speaking of future engagements for the colt, Freedman said, “It’s never easy to win in town on debut but we’re mindful he’s a colt going places with a very bright future. The spring comes up pretty quickly and we’ve got to look after him. There’s every chance we will put him away and aim for the G1 Coolmore Stud S. in the spring.”
The colt was bred by D Kelly and J Kelly and Kia Ora Stud, who has retained Tropicus and races him under Kia Ora Stud W S. Tropicus is the third colt from the Group 3-placed Exceed And Excel mare Extensible, she is a full sister to the Listed winner Cathay Lady and a half-sister to My Sugar (Deep Field), a Group 3 placegetter and the Listed winner Cutadeel (Dundeel {NZ}).
Extensible has a yearling filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) and a foaled a colt by that sire in October before visiting Justify (USA).
Tropicus (blue silks) stormed to success at Caulfield | Image courtesy of Melbourne Racing Club
Too Darn Hot, who has sired the G1 Champagne S. winner Broadsiding in his first Southern Hemisphere crop will return to Darley’s Kelvinside property standing at a service fee of $110,000 (inc GST).
Pisces swims at Newcastle
The aptly named Pisces (Frosted {USA}) swam through the Heavy 9 conditions at Newcastle on Saturday to record his second career victory from four starts.
Bearing the royal blue silks of Godolphin, Pisces, ridden by Zac Lloyd, defeated Omnic (NZ) (Proisir) and Harlem Queen (Brutal {NZ}) both who finished strongly over the 1200 metres.
Representing James Cummings at Newcastle on Saturday was Paul Reid, who told Sky Racing after Pisces success, “He swam well here today (Saturday). Pisces showed nice improvement; we felt he ran well first-up but was probably in the inferior part of the track at Rosehill.
“We expected him to run well today (Saturday). We weren’t sure whether Pisces would handle the conditions, but you have to find out. He’s a nice little horse heading the right way and does everything right.”
Pisces is the seventh foal from the Redoute’s Choice mare Pleiades, who won three races and was placed in the G3 Belle of the Turf. She is a full sister to Glissade, who is the dam of the G1 The Thousand Guineas victress Flit (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
“We expected him to run well today (Saturday). We weren’t sure whether Pisces would handle the conditions, but you have to find out. He’s a nice little horse heading the right way and does everything right.” - Paul Reid
Pleiades is also the dam of Seven Sisters (Street Boss {USA}), a fourth placegetter in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies). The daughter of Redoute’s Choice has a yearling colt by Astern named Hot Blue and foaled a filly in September by Victor Ludorum (GB). Pleiades was served by Hellbent last spring.
Guerite (Shamus Award) was an easy winner on Saturday at Donald in the 2YO Classic for Rosemont Stud and trainer Lindsay Smith.
Rosemont homebred salutes at Donald
Guerite (Shamus Award) a homebred for the Victorian-based Rosemont Stud was a visually easy victress of the Donald 2YO Classic on Saturday.
The Lindsay Smith-trained filly, ridden by Fred Kersley, was too slick for Bushann (Stratum Star) and Vino Grande (Vino Rosso {USA}).
Guerite is the second foal from the Empire Maker (USA) mare Rare Virtue (USA), who is a granddaughter of the blue hen mare Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), the dam of the outstanding sire Dansili (GB) and several other high-class performers.
Rare Virtue hasn’t had the best breeding record, she has missed the last three seasons to Strasbourg and Starcraft (NZ) and wasn’t served last spring.
Rosemont Stud’s Shamus Award will stand the 2024 breeding season at a reduced fee of $38,500 (inc GST).
Dominant new winner for Jungle Cat
From limited runners Telemon Thoroughbred’s Jungle Cat (Ire) sired his ninth individual winner courtesy of the Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted-trained Zatanna, who saluted at Ipswich on Saturday.
Zatanna lining up for her first start, ridden by Emily Lang, was a dominant 6.88l victress over the experienced Invading Jilly (Invader) and Aratiri (Grunt {NZ}).
The filly is the first foal from Brook Magic, a daughter of Hinchinbrook. She won five races, including twice as a juvenile and retired with earnings of $325,185.
Brook Magic is from the family of the Champion 3-Year-Old Colt Shamus Award, a victor of the G1 Cox Plate and the G1 Australian Guineas. Zatanna is Brook Magic’s sole live foal, with the mare’s failing to conceive to Street Boss (USA) and her Zoustar colt passing after birth.
Brook Magic was served by Spirit Of Boom last spring. Zatanna was a $95,000 purchase by Proven Thoroughbreds and O’Dea Hoysted Racing from the draft of Telemon Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The dual Group 1 winner Jungle Cat stood for $13,200 (inc GST) last season. A 2024 fee has yet to be announced.
