Cover image courtesy of Yulong
Trial winner is Gold for Lucky Vega
Yulong Stud-based Lucky Vega (Ire) produced another juvenile trial winner across the Tasman on Tuesday when That’s Gold won his Avondale heat by 1.25l, running the 800 metres in a tidy 48.09s. The 2-year-old colt was having his first public trial under the watchful eye of trainer Chris Wood and displayed a lovely turn of foot in the last 100 metres to accelerate away from runner up Curzon Park (Ribchester {Ire}).
Bred by Yulong Investments, the colt was offered at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale this year where Chris Wood Racing, Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman combined to pay $57,500 for him.
His dam Longmu (Sebring) is a winning daughter of Listed Redelva Classic winner Hooness (Exceed And Excel), and the family traces back to triple Group 1-winning Tidal Light (NZ) (Diagramatic {USA}). Lucky Vega returns to Yulong this year for his fourth season, standing for $16,500 (inc GST). Longmu produced a full brother to That’s Gold last spring and is due to foal to Written Tycoon next month.
Cool Boy a cool customer at Avondale trials
The Heavy 10 track was no issue for Cool Boy (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), who put 1.5l on his competition in a 600-metre juvenile trial at Avondale on Tuesday morning, running home in 37.34s. The gelding jumped from the inside barrier and quickly found the rail, before showing the pack his heels in the home straight.
Offered by Hallmark Stud at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, the Fairdale Stud bred gelding was purchased for $220,000 by Jamie Richards and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA), and is now trained by Paul Richards, father of Hong Kong trainer Jamie. His dam Saoirse (NZ) (Ifraaj {GB}) has already produced one stakes winner in Brando (NZ) (Savabeel), who was bought as a Ready to Run 2-year-old by David Ellis CNZM for $500,000 before winning a pair of Group 2 contests last year. Granddam Eire Hostess (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) won the Listed Talindert S. and two other juvenile races in only five starts. Saoirse produced a filly by Proisir late last year and was not served afterwards. Resident of Little Avondale Stud, Per Incanto (USA) is available at $50,000 (plus GST) this spring.
Staphanos colt coming on leaps and bounds for Donoghue
Tulsa King (NZ) (Staphanos {Jpn}) improved on his debut trial to win the last juvenile heat at Avondale on Tuesday over She’s The Dream (Turn Me Loose). Trained by Barry Donoghue, the colt travelled well into the home straight and just needed a little urging by Joe Doyle to hit the line strongly. This is a stark improvement over his first outing at the end of September, where he ended up at the back of the field in a trial where the winner put 2.5l on the runner up.
Not offered at public sale, Tulsa King is bred and raced by Chequers N.Z. Ltd and is out of Lilies (Encosta De Lago), a two-time winning half-sister to Soriano (NZ) (Savabeel), who counts the G1 Zabeel Classic and the G1 Herbie Dyke S. among seven black type victories. Her 4-year-old son Alsonso (Zoustar) was third in the Listed Springtime S. behind Schwarz (Zoustar) earlier this year before export to Hong Kong. Soriano's 2-year-old daughter, a filly by Written Tycoon, set the record at the Inglis Ready2Race sale on Tuesday selling to Yulong from Baystone Far for $1 million. Tulsa King is the last foal of his dam before she retired from stud duties. Standing at Novara Park, Staphanos produced the 2023 victor of the G1 Manawatu Sires Produce, Pignan. His son Medatsu (NZ), stakes placed as a juvenile, was an emphatic winner at Rosehill at the weekend, bringing up his third win in five starts.
Strictly Business strictly professional in debut Ballarat jump-out
Strictly Business (Grunt {NZ}) put on a good show on the Ballarat synthetic track on Tuesday morning, where he won a jump-out of mixed 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. Stepping out publicly for the first time, the juvenile travelled professionally round the track and let down well on the home straight, soundly beating stablemate War Vows (Churchill {Ire}).
The son of Yulong Investments’ flagship sire was slated to be offered at the Inglis Great Southern Sale as a weanling by Erinvale Thoroughbreds, but was withdrawn. Now trained by Thomas Carberry, the juvenile is owned by a syndicate managed by Mhumhain Racing, the racing arm of his breeder’s thoroughbred operations. He is the second foal from winner Tivoli Lass (Uncle Mo {USA}), who is descended from Geraniums Red (GB) (Brigadier Gerard {GB}), dam of G1 Caulfield Cup winner Affinity (NZ) (Zamazaan {Fr}). Tivoli Lass produced a filly by Royal Meeting (Ire) last year and was not served that season. Grunt has sired two stakes winners, with his son Veight winning the G2 Sires' Produce S. at his second start.
Rain not a problem for Amor Victorious in tick over trial
Bjorn Baker’s Amor Victorious (Caravaggio {USA}) and Tyler Schiller got quite wet at Warwick Farm on Tuesday, with the gates opening for their 1200-metre heat during the middle of significant falling rain. The 5-year-old gelding still closed in to 1.77l off trial winner Felix Majestic (Smart Missile) by the time they passed the post, despite the latter pulling several lengths on the pack from the turn. Amor Victorious is the last start winner of the G2 Shannon S. and post-race Baker indicated they may head to the $1,000,000 Five Diamonds Prelude at the end of the month.
Withdrawn from the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Weanling sale by Bhima Thoroughbreds, Amor Victorious was offered again at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale the following year, where syndicators Darby Racing purchased him for $180,000 in partnership with Will Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA). He is the fourth foal of Koizora (Snitzel), a daughter of dual G3-winning Sky Love Octagonal {NZ}), herself a half-sister to three stakes winners headed by G1 Emirates S. winner Sky Cuddle (Snippets). Amor Victorious is a product of Coolmore stallion Caravaggio’s (USA) single season standing in Australia.
Amor Victorious | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Trained by Gary Nickson, six-time winner Felix Majestic ran third in the G3 Bill Ritchie H. at his most recent start. He is the second named foal of placed mare Lauren's Magic (Beneteau), and was retained to race by his breeders, Mr P and Mrs E Katos. Third dam Zazinta (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) is a full sister to the dam of dual Listed winner Galizani (Galileo {Ire}) and Mull Over (So You Think {NZ}), dam of dual Group 1 winner Fireburn (Rebel Dane) and G2 Queensland Guineas victor Kintyre (Hallowed Crown). Lauren’s Magic has revisited Smart Missile the past two seasons, producing a filly last year and is due to foal a full sibling later this spring. Smart Missile stands at Twin Hills Stud for $13,200 (inc GST).
Dynamite explodes in speedy Warwick Farm trial
Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) lived up to his name at Warwick Farm on Tuesday, finding the front early and skipping away in the home straight to win his trial by 4.67l over Ringarosa (Sebring), seemingly unbothered by the Heavy 8 conditions on course. The Bjorn Baker trained 3-year-old has only raced twice before, claiming a green win in a Goulburn maiden in May before spelling, and resumed in a Rosehill trial earlier this month, finishing 3.21l behind Remarque (Snitzel). He has more than just found his feet in between trials, shaving a full second off of Remarque’s last 600-metres to run home this time in 33.48s. He showed early promise as a 2-year-old, running second to subsequently stakes placed Embassy (I Am Invincible) in a March juvenile trial.
Redwall Syndicate purchased Midnight Dynamite for $100,000 as a weanling when Rheinwood Pastoral Co offered him at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale. He passed in at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he was in the draft of Widden Stud, who re-offered him at the Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale later that year. Darby Racing purchased the son of Talented Miss (Al Maher) there for $48,000 and sent him to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, before transferring him to Bjorn Baker ahead of his first juvenile trial last December.
Midnight Dynamite is the third named foal from Talented Miss, a full sister to Acouplamas, the stakes-placed dam of G1 Australian Derby winner Quick Thinker (So You Think {NZ}) and G3 Birthday Card S. victress Season (Sebring). The family also features West Australian sire Blackfriars and G3 Dark Jewel Classic H. winner Rocha Clock (Pierro). After him, his dam has produced a 2-year-old filly by Zousain and a yearling colt by Portland Sky, and is due to foal to Kermadec (NZ) this spring.
Blueblooded filly is invincible in the Warwick Farm wet
Well-bred Chisholm (I Am Invincible) made short work of her rivals in a Warwick Farm juvenile trial on Tuesday, jumping well and extending her lead over the line to score by 2.67l over Outcast Ally (Pariah) and fast finishing Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}), who made good ground in the home straight. Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, the 2-year-old filly took vast improvement from her first trial at Rosehill earlier in the month, closing off the last 600 metres in 33.34s on a Heavy 8 track.
The fifth named foal from G1 Lightning S. victress Snitzerland (Snitzel), Chisholm was offered by Vinery Stud on behalf of Encompass International and Werrett Bloodstock at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, where Kia Ora Stud took her home for $500,000. She is a half-sister to G3 Maribyrnong Plate victor Hard Landing (All Too Hard) and Group 3-placed Saas Fee (All Too Hard), and her dam, who also set the 1000-metre course record when winning the G2 Challenge S., is a full sister to sire Sooboog, who departed for Indonesia ahead of the breeding season this year. Yarraman Park resident I Am Invincible has sired 109 stakes winners, with his son Airman adding to that record by taking out the G2 Premiere S. earlier this month.
A half-sister to Listed winner Pericles by first season sire Prague, Aliza, finished fifth for Stephen O’Halloran. Prague serves his fourth book at Kia Ora Stud this season for $13,200 (inc GST).
Smart trial winner for Zoustar out to emulate juvenile stakes winning brother
Space Rider (Zoustar) was offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Longwood Thoroughbred Farm, where Mick Price, TFI, and Dermot Farrington Bloodstock purchased him for $500,000. Fuddle Dee Duddle has already produced one stakes winner by Zoustar in G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Brereton, and has returned to him both years after foaling Space Rider, producing a colt and a filly. In 10 seasons at stud, Zoustar has amassed 58 stakes winners, and had a quinella in the recent G2 Gilgai S. with Right To Party and runner up The Astrologist.
The youngest offspring of G3 W.A. Champion Fillies S. victress Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom {USA}) to hit the track won his juvenile trial convincingly on Tuesday morning. Space Rider (Zoustar), trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, could not be caught by the other runner in Kia Ora’s two tone blue colours, Hillier (Zoustar). Another one to take improvement from his debut Rosehill trial, where he was beaten by Burma Star (Exceed And Excel), he put 0.73l between him and second place as he quickened in the home straight.
Capitalist filly is electric at Warwick Farm
The first foal of dual Group 3 winner Life On The Wire (Pluck {USA}) showed she’s ready to run in a Warwick Farm heat later on Tuesday morning, posting 33.48s for the last 600 metres of her trial. Three-year-old Highwire Flyer (Capitalist), having her fourth trial for Bjorn Baker without a race day outing, extended her already comfortable lead in the last furlong to put 4.73l on second placed Bombard (Spirit Of Boom).
Highwire Flyer as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
On behalf of Aston Bloodstock, Newgate Farm offered Highwire Flyer at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale last year, where Baker and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) secured her for $80,000. Life On The Wire foaled a filly by Tiger Of Malay last year and produced a colt by dual Group 1 winner Artorius this spring. Family member I’m A Hussy (West Quest) was one of the first winners of the then Listed Vamos S. in 2010, upgraded to a G3 when Life On The Wire won it in 2018. Capitalist is the sire of 20 stakes winners to date, and sired a juvenile winner at the weekend when Capitola, out of Rio del Mar (Magnus), took out the $80,000 Drummond Golf 2YO Plate at Ascot.
Daughter of Power secures juvenile trial win on the wet
Secure Bell (Power {GB}) relished the Heavy 8 track on the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday to score a 1l victory over Ritualize (Written By) in the first juvenile heat of the morning. Trained by Belinda Mair, she was having her first public outing and finished the fastest of two juvenile trials over 850 metres, in 52.21s despite the conditions.
Purchased by Mark Webb for $40,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale from the draft of breeders Oaklands Stud, she is the first foal of four-time winner Five Star Gal (Epaulette), herself out of a half-sister to Listed Centaurea S. winner Come Fly With Me (More Than Ready {USA}). Oaklands Stud proprietor has taken a share in her ownership. Five Star Gal produced a filly last year by recently deceased Exosphere, before returning to barn mate Power (GB) and foaling a full sister to Secure Bell last month. A son of Juddmonte sire Oasis Dream (GB), Power was a dual group winner as a juvenile, before claiming the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas as a 3-year-old. Retiring to stud in 2013, he shuttled between Ireland and New Zealand for his early breeding career, before moving to Oaklands Stud in 2018, where he stands for $13,200 (inc GST). His 27 stakes winners worldwide have claimed their black type across four continents.
La Bella goes Boom in Sunshine Coast trial
The second juvenile trial at the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday was taken out by La Bella Boom (Spirit Of Boom). She finished 0.1l ahead of Love To Torque (Maurice {JPN}), with a further 1.3l between them and third placed Happy Coffee (Cosmic Force). Offered last year as part of the Strawberry Hill Stud dispersal, La Bella Boom was purchased by Alice Berry for $200,000, who then re-offered her at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale through the draft of Sledmere Stud. Gollan Racing, John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), and Blacksoil Bloodstock teamed up there to buy her for $300,000. She is the first foal from race winning La Girl (Not A Single Doubt), daughter of a half-sister to G3 Ming Dynasty H. winner Addictive Nature and dual Group winning Savvy Nature (NZ) (Savabeel).
Sold at the same dispersal as her daughter for $320,000, La Girl resides at Yulong Stud, where she foaled a colt by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) last spring, and visited Yulong’s Diatonic (Jpn), delivering a filly by him in August. Spirit Of Boom, sire of 27 stakes winners, stands for $38,500 (inc GST) this season at Eureka Stud.
Makybe Diva relation debuts at Foxton trial morning
Marton-based Fraser Auret may have unearthed a fast one when the smart Charli’s Water (Headwater) won his juvenile trial at Foxton on Tuesday morning. The chestnut gelding was first out of the gates and first into the home straight, winning by a clear 1l over In The Air (Embellish).
The first foal of Ay Jay Charli (Pride Of Dubai), Charli’s Water was offered by Two Bays Farm on behalf of Makybe Racing & Breeding at this year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, where he was purchased by his trainer for $16,000 and transported across the Tasman. Ay Jay Charli, out of an unraced half-sister to two-time Australian Horse of the Year Makybe Diva (Desert King {Ire}) and three other stakes winners, has not produced a live foal since, and was served by Lofty Strike in September. Her half-sister Believe (Fastnet Rock) ran third in the G1 Australian Oaks. Headwater stands on the Vinery Stud roster this year for $9900 (inc GST).
