Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
A romping win by Ndola at Sandown marked him as a Caulfield Guineas prospect, while Theblade's (Toronado {Ire}) debut win looked very special at Randwick-Kensington.
Raceday Recap
Justify (USA) colt Ndola heads to the G1 Caulfield Guineas after Sandown win.
Theblade wins impressively on debut at Randwick-Kensington.
An emotional win by Aeliana (NZ) for her connections, as she becomes Castelvecchio’s third winner.
Yorkshire (Snitzel) wins but can improve further.
Consistent Sparkling (The Autumn Sun) made it two in a row.
Two nice 3-year-old fillies, by Hellbent and Frosted, win at Murray Bridge.
Ndola heads to Caulfield Guineas after strong win
Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes have a G1 Caulfield Guineas contender with 3-year-old colt Ndola (Justify {USA}) who took his record to two wins from three starts at Sandown on Wednesday. The colt sat poised at the rear of the field, then cruised home strongly to cover the rest of the field easily and win by 2.25l for jockey Luke Currie.
In second place was the Robbie Laing-trained 3-year-old colt Pieris (Snitzel) while third went to the Michael Mehegan-trained 3-year-old filly Bossy Benita (So You Think {NZ}).
“Luke (Currie) did a good thing, just let him balance, get into his rhythm, went wide around the bend and his final 100 metres was very impressive, he was running away from them. He’s a horse we believe will be better out to 1400 (metres) or a mile. I think he’s very, very good,” said Ben Hayes.
“There’s lovely 3-year-old options. In two and a half weeks, there’s the Exford plate, which is a nice step up to 1400 metres, and now he’s our number one seed for the Caulfield Guineas. Exciting times ahead, he’s a lovely lengthy colt, beautiful horse and to see him win like that gives us a lot of confidence.
“... he’s (Ndola) our number one seed for the Caulfield Guineas. Exciting times ahead, he’s a lovely lengthy colt, beautiful horse and to see him win like that gives us a lot of confidence.” - Ben Hayes
“Getting back on a good surface was a positive. He’s got a good mind, a sensible colt, exciting times ahead for the whole team. To get a win for the Devitt and Gordons, they’ve been our biggest supporters for years and years and to get a horse like him is super exciting for them.”
A winner on debut at two, Ndola ran second at Caulfield at his second start on an unsuitable wet track. This was his first start as a 3-year-old and took his record to two wins from three starts. Additionally, he holds a nomination for the G1 WS Cox Plate.
Ndola was the second winner for Justify (USA) on the card with 4-year-old gelding Delivering winning the first. Justify’s oldest foals are 4-year-olds and he has an impressive 34 stakes winners with his best in Australia being Group 2 winners Learning To Fly and Storm Boy.
Justify (USA) | Standing at Coolmore America
Bred by Mr Devitt, Ndola wasn’t offered at auction. He is the third foal and third winner for G3 Thoroughbred Club S. winner Hear The Chant (Nicconi) whose first two foals are by Zoustar and have won six races between them. Hear The Chant is out of a winning More Than Ready (USA) half-sister to the Group 1-placed winner Star Karen (Camelot {GB}).
Theblade wins on debut at Randwick-Kensington
In the famous Chautauqua colours, 3-year-old colt Theblade (Toronado {Ire}) made his debut at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday for trainers Team Hawkes. The colt was a little wayward in the straight as he ran down the centre of the Kensington surface, but eventually figured out what he needed to do and sprinted clear for jockey Tommy Berry to win by an impressive 5.68l while looking like he was cruising.
Godolphin’s 3-year-old colt Alpine Ski (Exceed And Excel) was second for jockey James McDonald, while the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Johnny The Kid (Trapeze Artist) was third for jockey Nash Rawiller.
“He’s still learning, and Tommy’s had to try and get to the best part of the ground. It’s very frustrating, you’re trying to win as a 2-year-old because you’ve got the right colt at home, and that won’t detract anything. We haven’t seen the best of this horse yet, he’s a very immature horse with a big motor,” said Michael Hawkes.
“Look it was all about trying to win as a 2-year-old with him, but once that backfired with him two weeks ago, we’ve had to opt for this race and we didn’t expect the rain. I’d like to thank the owners, they’ve been a big support in this horse, there’s a great crew. We’ve always said the horse has plenty of ability and we’ve just yet to see it. Today we’ve seen it. With us it’s all about how the horse pulls up as to where we go and what we do, but I do know he’s the real deal and hopefully he can go on to bigger and better things.”
“We haven’t seen the best of this horse (Theblade) yet... but I do know he’s the real deal and hopefully he can go on to bigger and better things.” - Michael Hawkes
This was the first start for Theblade at the races, although Hawkes did hint that he’d been nominated and scratched due to wet tracks as a juvenile. Bred by Gilgai Farm, Theblade wasn’t offered at auction and is raced by a large syndicate led by R&C Legh Racing and includes Gilgai Farm.
Theblade has a stallion’s pedigree being the third foal of Brigite (Casino Prince), an unraced full sister to All Too Hard, and a half-sister to unbeaten Champion Mare Black Caviar (Bel Esprit). Another half-sister is the dam of Group 1 winner Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) and Group 3 winner Gimme Par (Not A Single Doubt). The stallions Hanseatic and Magnus also come from this family.
Toronado (Ire) is the sire of 39 stakes winners including six at Group level with both Victor The Winner and Bois D’Argent (GB) winning at the highest-level last season.
Well-related Castelvecchio filly wins with powerful run
In the 3-year-old fillies maiden over 1150 metres at Randwick-Kensington, Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) became her sire’s third winner when she came from well back and powered towards the line between runners to win by 1.2l for trainer Chris Waller and jockey Jason Collett in the Star Thoroughbred colours. In second and following the same pattern of racing was the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Diddle Dumpling (Deep Field) for jockey Nash Rawiller with the Team Hawkes-trained Gansta Granny (Written Tycoon) holding on from the front pair for third place.
“A brilliant win. We lost one of the partners in the horse last week, Judy Hudson, which was very sad. Her husband is here today, Brent, so she might have had a bit of extra help,” said Waller. “It was a good first-up run at Hawkesbury and she backed it up today. We know she’s going to get over a bit further with Castelvecchio, who was a very good horse, and she’s got a bright future.”
As mentioned by Waller, Aeliana was having her second start, having run fourth on debut at Hawkesbury on the first day of this season. Purchased by Star Thoroughbreds from Rich Hill Stud at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$180,000, she is one of three winners for her young Group 1-winning sire, Castelvecchio, who has also sired the stakes-placed El Castello.
Aeliana (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
She is the second foal and first winner for Temolie (Star Witness) who is a half-sister to the tough Group 1 winner Invincibella (I Am Invincible) who won 12 races, and to Group 3 winner Secret Blaze (Sizzling) and Listed winner Extreme Flight (Extreme Choice). Aeliana’s 2-year-old half-sister by Proisir was purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$250,000.
Invincibella earned over $3 million as a race mare and was purchased by Coolmore as a broodmare for $1.3 million in 2020. Her first foal, 3-year-old filly Mergeila (Justify {USA}) ran third in July at her first start.
Green Yorkshire has plenty to learn
John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have an autumn prospect with 4-year-old gelding Yorkshire (Snitzel) who won the 1300-metre event at Randwick-Kensington by an impressive 3.14l for jockey Jason Collett who had also won the previous race aboard Aeliana.
Mad Deel (Dundeel {NZ}) ran on well from the back for second and the Peter Snowden-trained gelding is entered for the upcoming Magic Millions August Virtual Sale. In third was 4-year-old gelding Kadall (Capitalist).
“When he got into his gears, and got rolling, he was strong late. He’s still learning, not the finished article at all. A better horse next preparation and a horse that will definitely make Saturday grade and maybe a bit more,” said Charlton who hinted that Yorkshire will still need more time.
“We’ll get him home and have a look and see what John thinks. Could be another race (this campaign) in there for sure.”
“He’s (Yorkshire) still learning, not the finished article at all. A better horse next preparation and a horse that will definitely make Saturday grade and maybe a bit more.” - Tom Charlton
Now the winner of two of his three starts, Yorkshire’s connections have shown patience. He won on debut as a late 3-year-old in June 2024, before running third at his second start. Wednesday’s win was his third raceday appearance.
A son of Champion Sire Snitzel, Yorkshire was a $575,000 purchase by PR Funds from Newgate Farm’s 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He is the first foal of G3 Keeneland Franklin County S. winner Chanteline (USA) (Majesticperfection {USA}) who won nine races, and if she’s passed on that toughness to Yorkshire, we will be seeing much more of him. Chanteline is a half-sister to Listed winner Kell Paso (USA) (Divine Park {USA}). Chanteline has a 2-year-old filly by Exceed And Excel.
Sparkling shines at Sandown
From one of Australia’s best families, consistent 4-year-old mare Sparkling (The Autumn Sun) made it two wins in succession with a strong front running win for jockey Mark Zahra at Sandown. She led down the straight and held on for a 0.5l victory over the fast-closing 4-year-old mare Lowlands (Exceed And Excel) with She Daresthe Devil (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) rounding out the minor placings.
Trained by Matt Laurie, Sparkling now has three wins and three seconds from eight starts, with her only misses being on debut and in the G2 Angus Armanasco S. Her race record adds to her broodmare value, and she was a $975,000 yearling purchase by Matt Laurie, ARJB Racing, and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) from Arrowfield Stud’s 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
By The Autumn Sun, who will unfortunately miss the 2024 covering season with an injury, Sparkling is a member of The Autumn Sun’s outstanding first crop which included three Group 1 winners, Autumn Angel, Coco Sun, and Vibrant Sun.
A half-sister to Group 3 winner Flying Evelyn (Not A Single Doubt) and stakes-placed winner Crystal Eyes (All Too Hard), Sparkling is one of five winners for her winning dam Champagne Run (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}).
Champagne Run’s first two dams are the Group 1 winners Bollinger (Dehere {USA}) and Bint Marscay (Marscay). Bollinger’s first four foals were born in America and include Group 2 winner Fresian Fire (USA) (A.P Indy {USA}) and Champagne Run. On her return to Australia, Bollinger also produced Group 2 winner Villermont (All Too Hard). Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay produced three Group winners from her first four foals, led by Bollinger as well as the Group 1-placed, Group 3 winner Mannington (Danehill {USA}) who produced Group 1 winner Benecio (More Than Ready {USA}) and two other Group winners.
Murray Bridge 3-year-old winners led by half to Group 1 winner
Two 3-year-olds won the first two on the card at Murray Bridge on Wednesday with the Matthew Seyers-trained In Love (Hellbent) winning the first for jockey Anna Jordsjo by 1.6l, while the second went the way of the Darren Magro and Aimee Bush-trained Truly Esla (Frosted {USA}) who won impressively by 2.5l for jockey Alana Livesey.
Truly Elsa was having her second start, having run third on debut leading into this win, and is a half-sister to Hong Kong and Dubai Group 1 winner Amber Sky (Exceed And Excel). Truly Elsa is the final foal for her dam, Group 2 winner Truly Wicked (Rubiton) who won five races. Amber Sky is the best of her eight winning foals.
Hellbent filly In Love was having her fifth start, having run twice in Listed races as a juvenile last season, she is the first foal of the stakes-placed winner Equal Love (Equiano {Fr}). Neither were offered at auction.
