Cover image courtesy of Perth Racing
Race-Day Recap
Jojo Was A Man (Al Maher) returned to form to claim a maiden stakes success in the Listed Winter Challenge S. at Rosehill.
Weeraechoux provided his sire Jimmy Choux (NZ) with his sixth stakes winner, when he won Saturday’s Listed Belmont Classic in Western Australia.
Emma-Lee and David Browne-trained Le Zebra (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) blitzed his rivals at Flemington on Saturday, making a strong return to the winner’s circle.
The Gooree Park-bred and owned Lonhro’s Queen (Lonhro) was impressive winning on Saturday at Rosehill, after posting victories in provincial New South Wales.
The well-related Llanddwyn (Deep Field) took her record to 11 starts and three victories at Rosehill on Saturday and gave Tommy Berry a perfect return to race riding.
Jojo rises to the Challenge
John Thompson’s Jojo Was A Man (Al Maher) was a surprise winner of Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge S. at Rosehill. Having not won since December 2021, the 6-year-old, with Reece Jones in the saddle, was sent out as an outsider.
Yet where it mattered, the son of Al Maher, dug deep to hold out the fellow outside More Secrets (More Than Ready {USA}), while Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}).
The Winter Challenge S. is the eighth victory and first stakes success for Jojo Was A Man, who had placed in this race in previous years, and recorded placings in the Listed Ladies Day Cup and the G3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup.
“He has been going well so it has been pretty frustrating,” Thompson admitted to Racingsnewsandsport.
“It has been too wet. He gets through it alright but all his gallops going into his last runs were on really heavy grasses and Reece (Jones) galloped him on Tuesday on a somewhat drier grass and the difference was incredible.
“It has been too wet. He (Jojo Was A Man) gets through it alright but all his gallops going into his last runs were on really heavy grasses and Reece (Jones) galloped him on Tuesday on a somewhat drier grass and the difference was incredible.” - John Thompson
“Even Reece said, ‘He will be hard to beat on Saturday.’ You could see him today, he accelerated, that’s the difference.”
Jojo Was A Man was bred by Hoboken Stud Syndicate, the Tait family, A Warner and S Munro. He is the first foal from the Reset mare Jojo Girl, who won six races and was fourth in the Listed WJ McKell Cup.
Jojo Girl has a colt and filly by Shamus Award and was served by Kermadec (NZ) in the spring. Jojo Was A Man is the 39 stakes winner for Al Maher.
Weeraechoux takes out Belmont Classic
Brian Kersley’s Weeraechoux (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) was placed in the Listed Aquanita S. last start but got his own taste of stakes success in Saturday’s Listed Belmont Classic. With Chris Parnham in the saddle, Weeraechoux defeated the hot favourite Petrouchka (More Than Ready {USA}) and Manzor Magic (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}).
The Listed Belmont Classic was the third win from 15 starts for the son of Jimmy Choux (NZ), who was bred by T Rodwell. He is the second foal from the unraced Pentire (GB) mare Rae’s Rae (NZ), who is also the dam of the winning Queensland Diesel (Maschino).
Connections of Weeraechoux | Image courtesy of Perth Racing
Weeraechoux is from the family of the G3 Port Adelaide Cup winner Voodoo Beat (NZ) and Savanna Amour (Love Conquers All), who won the G2 Angus Armanasco S. and the G3 Cockram S. among her seven victories.
Rae’s Rae has been practically married to Jimmy Choux, her last two foals are by the stallion and was served by him in the spring. Weeraechoux is the sixth stakes winner for Jimmy Choux (NZ).
Zebra back with a bang
The son of Rip Van Winkle (Ire) stepped up to 1700 metres in the VRC Member Michael Murphy Trophy after finishing fourth last start.
Trained and Emma-Lee and David Browne-trained 4-year-old gelding, ridden by Damian Lane, Le Zebra (NZ) defeated My Roca Fella (NZ) (El Roca) and Pariah Pearl (Pariah).
“We’ve got a brilliant ownership group involved with this horse,” Emma-Lee Browne told Loveracing NZ.
“They’ve had to be very, very patient and they’ve stuck it out through some ups and downs. It’s just fantastic to see the horse back doing what he should be doing.
“David rides him every day and has done a huge amount of work to try to get him to settle better and do things right. It’s been a real team effort.
“Damian (Lane) gave him a beautiful ride to get into that spot, and he won very well. We’re over the moon.
“Damian (Lane) gave him (Le Zebra) a beautiful ride to get into that spot, and he won very well. We’re over the moon.” - Emma-Lee Browne
“We’ll just take him home now and look after him, and hopefully we can keep him going into the spring.”
Le Zebra was a NZ$60,000 purchase by Sparta Racing from Windsor Park Stud at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. He is out of the My Halo (Arg) mare Angel Del Dinero (NZ), who was placed in the G3 Desert Gold S. She is also the dam of Le Zebra’s stablemate Bifrost (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}).
Angel Del Dinero has a colt by Turn Me Loose (NZ) and was subsequently served by Circus Maximus (Ire).
Progressive filly scores in the City
Cameron Crockett’s Lonhro’s Queen (Lonhro) came from the back of the pack to secure her third victory from seven starts in Saturday’s TAB Highway H. (Class 2) at Rosehill. The 3-year-old filly, with Jason Collett in the saddle, launched late and ran away from Consenza (Zoustar) and Super Norwest (Rich Enuff).
Bred and owned by Gooree Park Stud, Lonhro’s Queen had previously won at Mudgee and Tamworth before Saturday’s metropolitan breakthrough. She is the final foal from the Danehill (USA) mare Queen Of The Hill, who won the G3 Thoroughbred Club S., the G3 How Now S., and the Listed Talindert S.
The well-related Queen Of The Hill is a half-sister to the late Northern Meteor and Comical Smile (USA) (Comic Strip {USA}), who is the dam of Smart Missile and the Listed winners Kiss From A Rose (Encosta De Lago) and Surge Ahead (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Additionally, this is the family of the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara victress Palaisipan (So You Think {NZ}).
Consecutive victories for Llanddwyn
Three-year-old filly Llanddwyn (Deep Field) posted back-to-back victories on Saturday for the Chris Waller stable. Llanddwyn came into the Rosehill contest, having won in BM72 company at Canterbury over 1250 metres on a Heavy 9.
Encountering a better surface (Soft 7) at Rosehill, the daughter of Deep Field dug deep for Tommy Berry to post a 1.9l success over Jewellery (Lonhro) and Acappella Sun (Sebring Sun). Llanddwyn’s success was also significant, as it was the first for Berry, who has been out of the saddle since June 29.
“It’s pretty blustery today (Saturday) so she got a bit of cover out of that wind and it was a confident ride from Tommy (Berry),” Waller told Racenet.
“He got her out into clear running and rounded them up. She has come a long way in her 3-year-old year, she has continued to take steps and here we are in the middle of winter, running for really good prizemoney.
“The filly has done a great job for Sir Owen Glenn and the team. I’m hopeful we can run in some black-type races when she turns four.”
Llanddwyn was a $340,000 purchase by Go Bloodstock from the draft of Sledmere Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is from the Listed winner Caricature (NZ) (Power {GB}), who was fourth in the G1 New Zealand Oaks, and is also the dam of this season’s 2-year-old stakes winner, Depth Of Character (Deep Field).
“The filly (Llanddwyn) has done a great job for Sir Owen Glenn and the team. I’m hopeful we can run in some black-type races when she turns four.” - Chris Waller
Caricature comes from a family that includes G2 Wakefield Challenge S. victress Pussy Willow (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) and Positivity (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}), who claimed the G3 Sunline Vase and the G3 South Australia Fillies Classic, and was placed in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.
She has a filly by Zoustar and was served by Russian Revolution last spring.
Daughter of Oaks winner breaks maiden
Laspirit Deeler (Dundeel {NZ}) broke her maiden at start two on Saturday at Wyong. The Lee and Cherie Curtis-trained filly was seventh on debut at Hawkesbury over 1500 metres, but improved stepping up to the 1600 metres and on a Soft 7 surface.
Ridden by Mitchell Beel, Laspirit Deeler, defeated Ta Set Neferu (American Pharoah {USA}) and Annoint (The Autumn Sun).
“Ridden by Mitchell Beel, Laspirit Deeler, defeated Ta Set Neferu and Annoint.”
The filly is the second foal and winner from Lasqueti Spirit (Beneteau), who thrilled when she led all the way to win the G1 VRC Oaks over 2500 metres at Flemington. She was also placed in the G1 Chipping Norton S. and the G3 Australian Oaks.
Her first foal, Pogacar (Pierro) won as a 2-year-old, and his full brother was sold to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing, Kestrel Thoroughbreds and Byron Rogers for $300,000 at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Lasqueti Spirit has a colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) and was served by Anamoe last spring.
