Cover image courtesy of Racing Victoria
Race-Day Recap
The Lindsay Park-trained Sneaky Sunrise (The Autumn Sun) is showing an affinity for Flemington, posting her second victory at the venue from three starts.
The well-related Cindersea (Deep Field) posted an exciting result for connections that includes Emma Freedman and Katelyn McDonald.
Despite not doing every right, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Hedged (Capitalist) was too classy in Ipswich’s $120,000 Schweppes T L Cooney.
September Born (Playing God) raised some eyebrows with his debut victory at Belmont on Saturday. The 2-year-old is a full brother to the Group 1 winner Kay Cee.
Woodside Park Stud’s Rich Enuff posted his 72nd individual winner this season, with the promising debutant Riche D’amour.
Imptee (Impending), a $14,000 Inglis Great Southern Weanling purchase showed he was an astute purchase breaking his maiden at start two on Saturday at Riccarton Park.
Progressive New Zealand-based 3-year-old Did The Trick (Iffraaj) could be one to follow as he continues to go through his grades after he romped in at Tauranga on Saturday.
Sneaky Sunrise shines at Flemington again
Sneaky Sunrise (The Autumn Sun) made a name for herself on debut at Ballarat in April, finishing second to Snack Bar (Frosted {USA}). She followed this up with an unlucky run at Flemington in the Listed Anzac Day S., where she placed behind the unbeaten Epimeles (Dundeel {NZ}).
Trained by Ben, Will, and JD Hayes, the filly returned to Flemington on May 18 and recorded an impressive victory. This performance prompted her trainers to consider taking her to Queensland for the G1 JJ Atkins S. Opting against that and pulling the right rein, with the event being dominated by Godolphin’s Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Sneaky Sunrise returned to Flemington on Saturday for the Ken Cox H. over 1420 metres.
Daniel Stackhouse guided the filly to victory, presenting her at the 200-metre mark of the vast Flemington straight. Sneaky Sunrise had enough in hand to hold off Godolphin’s consistent Pisces (Frosted {USA}). Catching the eye and finishing strongly was Henlein (Dundeel {NZ}), a half-brother to the dual Group 1 winner Magic Time (Hellbent), while Jenni’s Meadow (Brutal {NZ}) also made a late surge.
Co-trainer Ben Hayes expressed his satisfaction to Racing.com: “It was a very tough effort today (Saturday). Stacky (Daniel Stackhouse) had to use her a little bit to get a spot and it looked like he was going to get it but ended up three-wide. That’s just the way the race panned out, so it was really tough that she (Sneaky Sunrise) was able to sit three-wide and then hold off the second horse (Pisces) and was strong through the line; it’s a very good trait for a horse."
“I’m very happy. We’ll see how she pulls up first, but our plan was always to wait a month between runs and hopefully win here, which we’ve done, and then go to the Taj Rossi Series Final to get some black type. That will be the most likely plan but obviously depends on how she pulls up and comes through this race before we cement that path. However, we really like her, I think she’s got more to come and only has more improvement.”
“She (Sneaky Sunrise) was able to sit three-wide and then hold off the second horse (Pisces) and was strong through the line; it’s a very good trait for a horse.” - Ben Hayes
Sneaky Sunrise, bred by Bowness Stud, is the second foal from the winning So You Think (NZ) mare Schifty Thinker. Schifty Thinker is a daughter of the speedy Snitzel mare Schiffer, who won the Magic Millions Sprint and was placed in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Additionally, Sneaky Sunrise hails from the family of the Group 3 winner and multiple Group 1-placed Eric The Eel (Olympic Glory {Ire}), who races under the moniker of Tourbillon Diamond in Hong Kong.
Sneaky Sunrise was a $180,000 purchase by Lindsay Park Racing and MyRacehorse from the draft of Bowness Stud at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Connections of Sneaky Sunrise | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
Schifty Thinker has an unraced colt by The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, named Come Mr Talllyman. She foaled a filly by Acrobat last spring and subsequently missed to Tiger Of Malay.
Freedman’s Cindersea scores on debut
Michael Freedman’s Cindersea (Deep Field) displayed impressive speed and natural ability to win on debut at Newcastle on Saturday over 900 metres. Partnered by Keagan Latham, the 2-year-old filly navigated the Heavy 8 conditions to defeat Flying Argyle (Flying Artie) by 0.7 lengths, with Tasoraay (Tassort) a length further back in third.
Cindersea was purchased for $250,000 by the Michael Freedman Racing Ladies Syndicate, which includes Freedman’s niece Emma Freedman, a prominent media personality and co-host of 7HorseRacing. Presented by Newgate Farm at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Cindersea is the daughter of the now-pensioned Deep Field.
Her dam, Ocean Embers (Beneteau), was a talented runner, winning six races, including the G3 Cockram S., the G3 Bow Mistress S., and the Listed MSS Security Sprint H.
Initially purchased for $23,000 by Eden Racing at the 2014 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Ocean Embers was later acquired by Newgate Farm for $525,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale upon her retirement.
Ocean Embers has had a mixed start to her stud career. Her first foal by Written Tycoon died after birth, and she missed to both Deep Field and Brutal (NZ) before foaling Cindersea, her first live foal. After missing to Zoustar, Ocean Embers foaled a filly by Home Affairs last spring and was served by Newgate Farm’s globetrotter, State Of Rest (Ire).
Tactic change pays dividends
A change of tactics allowed the well-performed Hedged (Capitalist) to show his best in Saturday’s feature race for 3-year-olds at Ipswich. Partnered by Vlad Duric, Hedged didn't need to be asked twice to take up the running in the 1350-metre race. He maintained his lead throughout, coasting away from the Queensland representative Cifrado (Encryption), who finished best in second.
Over 2l away in third was Golden Decade (Sooboog), with the Victorian raider Miss Aria (Zoustar) finishing in fourth.
Vlad Duric told 7HorseRacing that despite the visually easy win, it was far from straightforward: “It wasn’t that easy because he (Hedged) hung the whole race; he was on one rein the whole way. Ipswich is a little turning track, so I let him go to the front because there wasn’t much tempo and he just stayed on that one rein. He took a bit of riding, so I deserve at least my riding fee there.
“However, it was a very solid win because it’s never easy to win a feature race racing like that. Very good effort and he’s a horse going places.”
Hedged was a $140,000 purchase by Mick Price Racing and Breeding, Roll The Dice Racing, and Rogers Bloodstock from the draft of Yulong at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
“It was a very solid win because it’s never easy to win a feature race racing like that. Very good effort and he’s (Hedged) a horse going places.” - Vlad Duric
He is the second foal from the well-related Fastnet Rock mare Acing Shamrock, who was unraced. A $400,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling graduate, Acing Shamrock is from the North American Group 3 winner Decelerator (USA) (Dehere {USA}), who is from the family of City Of Light (USA), a victor of the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, the G1 Triple Bend S., the G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and the G1 Malibu S. before beginning a promising stud career.
Hedged has won four races and has been placed in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint and the Listed Queensland Day S. The son of Capitalist is the best runner for Acing Shamrock, who has an unraced Blue Point (Ire) colt named Yankee Ace. She also has a colt by Yulong’s G1 Blue Diamond victor Tagaloa, who was passed in at the 2024 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, and was served by the Champion Sire Written Tycoon last spring.
Full brother to Kay Cee makes a impression on debut
Darling View Thoroughbred’s Champion Western Australian stallion, Playing God, posted a new winner with the Neville Parnham-trained September Born, who made his debut at Belmont on Saturday.
The 2-year-old colt, ridden by Brad Parnham, in the 1000-metre race was 1.9l winner over Scenic George (Snippetson) and Skull Bone And Pig (Grunt {NZ}). September Born, bred by GJ Edwards, is the fifth foal from the McFlirt (NZ) mare Flirt ‘N’ Hope, who has already clicked with the Playing God, producing Kay Cee.
Kay Cee, won seven races, including the G1 Kingstown Classic, the G2 Lee Steere S., the Listed Belmont Guineas (held on this program), the Listed Raconteur S. and the Listed Burgress Queen S.
McFlirt has a yearling by the late I’m All The Talk, named Let’s Talk Legs and returned to Playing God last spring.
Rich Enuff's Riche D'amour wins on debut
Woodside Park Stud’s Rich Enuff, a son of Champion Sire Written Tycoon, celebrated his 72nd individual winner for the 2023/24 season when his debutant son, Riche D’amour, triumphed at Morphettville on Saturday.
The 3-year-old, trained by Roslyn Day and ridden by Samuel Payne, secured victory in Race 2 over 1050 metres, defeating Halliwell (NZ) (Niagara) and Grint (Winning Rupert).
Rich Enuff | Standing at Woodside Park Stud
Post-race, Payne told Racing.com, “It’s always easy (to ride winners) when you have the stock underneath you. This horse (Riche D’amour) we’ve known about for a while, but it’s just taken a little bit to get him here. Roslyn (Day) has done a great job. He's a really nice horse and was very professional today (Saturday). I probably got going a bit too early on him but I had that much horse underneath me and I just wanted to make sure I got the job done. I think this horse is going places.”
Riche D’amour is from the Dash For Cash mare, La Poupee, who won three races, predominantly in South Australia. Bred by Joynt Holdings, he is the last-named foal from La Poupee, who has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Shamus Award and hasn't been served the past two seasons.
Rich Enuff, who stands at a value fee of $13,200 (inc GST), has enjoyed another fantastic season. In addition to his 72 individual winners, he has also sired five individual stakes winners and seven stakes performers.
Imptee triumphs on Heavy 10 surface
Despite the challenging Heavy 10 surface at Riccarton Park in New Zealand, Imptee (Impending) from the Danny M. Crozier stable ploughed through the conditions to secure a 3l victory over Read About It (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) and Ten Shillings (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}).
Ridden by Lemmy Douglas, the 2-year-old gelding was making his second start after finishing third at Wingatui on his debut earlier in June. Imptee is the second foal and the first runner and winner produced by The Kipling Girl, a daughter of High Chaparral (Ire) who won three races.
The Kipling Girl is a daughter of Mrs Kipling (Exceed And Excel), a dual winner as a juvenile, including the Listed Elwick S., and was placed in the G3 Breeders’ S. Mrs Kipling is also the dam of the Group 3-placed See Me Exceed (Sebring).
Imptee was an astute $14,000 purchase by Paul Willets Bloodstock and Ainsley Downs from the draft of Supreme Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale. The Kipling Girl has a yearling by Nicconi and was served by Windsor Park Stud’s Turn Me Loose (NZ) last spring.
Imptee’s sire, Impending, a dual Group 1-winning son of Lonhro, began his stud career at Darley but has been relocated to the Victorian-based Larneuk Stud for the 2024 season. He is available for a fee of $6,600 (inc GST).
Progressive son of Iffraaj wins again
Wayne Hillis’ progressive 3-year-old, Did The Trick (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), secured his second consecutive win at Tauranga in New Zealand on Saturday.
The 3-year-old gelding, ridden by Sam Spratt, defeated Cornelia (NZ) (Swiss Ace) by 3.3l on Heavy 8 conditions over 1300 metres. Did The Trick was unplaced in his first three starts over 1200 and 1230 metres but showed significant improvement when stepped up to 1400 metres at Taupo last start, followed by Saturday’s success.
Did The Trick powers away from his rivals to score in Saturday’s Gartshore Construction 3YO | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Did The Trick, bred by M E A Evans and raced under the Evans Breeding banner, is from the Don Eduardo (NZ) mare Nailed It (NZ), a winner of nine races and a half-sister to Deals In Heels (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), who won six races, including the Listed Matamata Cup, and was placed in Group 3 company.
Additionally, the son of Iffraaj (GB) hails from a distinguished family that includes Group 1 winner Dezigna (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) and his full brother, Izonit (NZ), who won the G3 Manawatu Classic and was placed in the G1 Levin Classic and the G2 Hollindale S. Their half-brother, Watch This Space (NZ) (Elusive City {USA}), won nine races, including the G2 Japan-New Zealand International Trophy, and was placed in the G1 Thorndon Mile.
