Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Race-Day Recap
The tough Snitzanova (Snitzel) shows plenty of grit when making it three wins in the last three starts, emerging victorious in the G2 Sandown Guineas.
She's Got Pizzazz (Zoustar) shows hints of her sister superstar mare Mizzy's ability when flying home in the Listed Twilight Glow S. at Caulfield.
The well related Spicy Martini (Justify {USA}) makes it two from two when picking up the Listed Mode S. at Doomben, bringing up 38 stakes winners for her sire.
Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) breaks through into black type in Auckland to continue Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott's good run in the Listed 3YO S.
Bargain filly Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) lands her sire a third stakes winner with victory in the Listed Fillies S. at Wanganui.
Well-bred long shot Cashel Palace (Street Boss {USA}) dashed home in the Listed Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic at Ascot, to hand trainer Daniel Morton a third win in the event since 2016.
Three in a row for tough Snitzanova
Snitzanova (Snitzel) refused to go down in the G2 Sandown Guineas without a fight, and fight she did with eventual runner-up Bittercreek (Snitzel), downing Malua Racing’s Group-winning colt by 0.4l at the line at Caulfield on Saturday. The 3-year-old filly chalked up a third win in a row for Ciaron Maher and her connections at Bennett Racing, also doubling her black type record after a last start victory in the G3 Spring S. at Newcastle.
“The team in New South Wales have done a lot with her, they identified her down here to take her up to try and contest one of those $100,000 maidens,” Maher said. Snitzanova dually ticked that box, taking out a Super Maiden at Randwick-Kensington in October.
“She ticked the stakes (winner) box and now she’s Sandown Guineas winner. The team have done a fantastic job, and she’s a valuable little filly now.
“That bit of grit and tenacity is what you hope to have. Harnessing that and pointing her in the right direction is the key to ensuring she fulfils her potential.
“Harnessing that (grit and tenacity) and pointing her (Snitzanova) in the right direction is the key to ensuring she fulfils her potential.” - Ciaron Maher
“She’s got a bit of that in her. You could see that today. She hasn’t got the biggest action, and she’s not the biggest horse, but she’s got a lot of grit and determination.”
Purchased by Bennett Racing for $200,000 from Arrowfield Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Snitzanova continues to bolster the page of her dam Albanilla (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), a close relation to Champion 3YO Stayer in Europe Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Champion Older Female in Europe Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and older half-sister Chicamo (Exceed And Excel), who now resides at Yulong Stud.
Bred on Northern Hemisphere time last year, Chicamo foaled a filly by Tagaloa in January. Albanilla's last foal, a 2-year-old full sister to Snitzanova named Hiatus, was a winner at her first start in October.
Connection of Snitnova | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Mizzy's sister wins Twilight Glow with Pizzazz
Dorrington Farm homebred She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar) showed hints of her sister’s ability on Saturday with a tenacious 2.25l victory in the Listed Twilight Glow S. at Caulfield. Trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, the 3-year-old full sister to Group 1 winner Mizzy stormed home once in the straight for a convincing win over Deep Pleasure (Deep Field).
“Nothing went to plan last start,” co-trainer Coleman said. “She got herself a bit worked up behind the barriers and was slow away, and after that it was game over.
“So, today, when she began well and put herself in a beautiful spot like that, as long as she handled the conditions, it was always going to be pretty easy for her.
“It’s fantastic to get it for Rob Crabtree and all at Dorrington Farm as well, they're big supporters of our stable and fantastic clients of Pete's (Moody) for a long, long time and, I know that he'll be rapt with that.”
She’s Got Pizzazz is the second stakes winner out of Listed James HB Carr S. victress Missy Cummings (Magnus), a daughter of three-time Listed winner Lady Knockout (Serheed), who numbers nine-time winner and twice Listed victor Young Lionel (Blackfriars) among her siblings. Missy Cummings is also a half-sister to the dam of Listed Burgess Queen S. winner Laced Up Heels (Toronado {Ire}).
Connections of She's Got Pizzazz | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr train Missy Cummings’s 2-year-old filly, In A Tizzy (Zoustar), and she produced a colt last spring by So You Think (NZ). This September, she visited fledgling Newgate stallion Ozzmosis. Mizzy’s first foal Mizette (Wootton Bassett {GB}) was sent to New Zealand in April, and she has a yearling filly by Farnan and a filly foal by Snitzel to come.
Well related filly lands black type as second start
Spicy Martini (Justify {USA}) announced herself as a filly to follow with a tenacious 1.81l victory in the Listed Mode S. at Doomben on Saturday, making the jump into black type at only her second start. The Toby Edmonds and Stephen McLean-trained 3-year-old was a convincing winner on debut at Eagle Farm last month, and had no problem with the worsening Heavy 10 track when pulling clear of the more seasoned campaigner, Kahlisee (Dracarys). It was also a first black type win for co-trainer Stephen McLean since going into partnership with Edmonds.
“It’s not often you would see a second start (black type winner), especially coming from a maiden straight into a stakes race, but we were happy to do that with her pedigree,” said Edmonds to Sky Racing post-race.
“She’s got a lot of upside, she’s still quite fine. She’ll mature and grow, and she will be a much better 4-year-old.
“She’ll run 1400 (metres) - I think a race like the Tatt’s Tiara is a lovely race for her.”
“She’s (Spicy Martini) got a lot of upside, she’s still quite fine. She’ll mature and grow, and she will be a much better 4-year-old. I think a race like the Tatt’s Tiara is a lovely race for her.” - Toby Edmonds
A $8000 purchase from Coolmore Stud, offered on behalf of Katom, through Inglis Digital’s online platform for Edmonds Racing, Spicy Martini is the fourth winner from four runners for G3 Vanity S. placegetter Extra Olives (Redoute’s Choice), a granddaughter of Australian Champion 3YO filly Alinghi (Encosta De Lago), whose 11 wins include the G1 Blue Diamond S., G1 Newmarket H. and G1 Thousand Guineas. Alinghi is of course a full sister to Slice Of Paradise, dam of Beneteau, who left seven stakes winners in just two crops of foals.
Extra Olives has a yearling and a foal at foot by Home Affairs, the latter of which was purchased at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale for $260,000 by Fernrigg Farm and will be offered at the Gold Coast in January as Lot 382. She was served by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) in October. Spicy Martini awards her sire, who did not shuttle to Australia this season, a 38th worldwide stakes winner.
Toby Edmonds
Checkmate topples opponents at Auckland
Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) made the step up in class and distance at his third start look easy with a 1.5l victory in the Listed 3YO S. at Auckland on Saturday. Trained by Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, the 3-year-old gelding broke his maiden at start two over 1400 metres earlier in the month, and was given an expert steer by Warren Kennedy through the drizzle to victory. O’Sullivan and Scott have used the Listed contest as a springboard for Group 1 success in the last couple of years, with the 2023 runner-up Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and 2022 winner Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) both subsequent winners at the top level.
“He was certainly very impressive today,” co-trainer O’Sullivan said. “It was encouraging to see him get around the Ellerslie track well. For a fair bit of the race, he was parked out three deep, so it was a good performance by the horse.
“We think he’s certainly going to get a strong mile. His pedigree suggests that, and he has a good racing style where he can take a spot and then quicken.
“He’s going to have quite a few options available to him through the rest of the season, so that’s a good problem for us to have. He’s got a good future. We’ll go home now and make a decision next week about where we will go with him next. We’ll certainly be aiming for something pretty good.”
“He’s (Checkmate) going to have quite a few options available to him through the rest of the season. He’s got a good future. We’ll certainly be aiming for something pretty good.” - Lance O'Sullivan
Bred and raced by Okaharau Station, Checkmate is the third stakes horse for Signorina (NZ) (Conatus) and is a full brother to G3 Anniversary H. winner Banker’s Choice, as well as a half-brother to G2 Foxbridge Plate placegetter Jodelin Gal (Swiss Ace). Signorina’s dam Donna Rossa (Testa Rossa) is a half-sister to 10-time winner Boy’s Talk (Clay Hero) and from the family of dual Group 1 winner Magic Flute (Adraan {GB}). She has a 2-year-old unnamed filly by Ace High, a yearling by Vadamos (Fr), and was served by Staphanos (Jpn) last spring.
Lance O'Sullivan | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Hitabell rings in first black type victory
Stephen Marsh’s Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) took her maiden racing campaign to the next level with a win in the Listed Fillies S. at Wanganui on Saturday, putting 0.8l on runner-up Celestial Wonder (Xtravagant {NZ}). A winner on debut, the 3-year-old filly has since narrowly missed out on the placings twice, including a 2.1l fifth placed finish in the G2 Soliquoy S. behind Alabama Lass (Alabama Express).
“We didn’t pay much for her (Hitabell) on Gavelhouse, and now she’s a stakes winner and quite a valuable filly,” Stephen Marsh said. “We’ve since gone back and bought the full sister as well, so it’s worked out beautifully.
“She’s a really nice filly. She won very well on debut, then had those couple of runs at Ellerslie and was probably unlucky not to win one of them, and now she’s come out and led all the way in a black type race.
“We’ll get her home now and work out what we do next. We could have a look at a race like the (Group 2) Eight Carat on Boxing Day.”
“We didn’t pay much for her (Hitabell) on Gavelhouse, and now she’s a stakes winner and quite a valuable filly.” - Stephen Marsh
Bred by Mrs S L Devcich, who remains in the ownership, Hitabell was a $9500 purchase for Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock at the New Zealand Bloodstock Online Yearling Sale, hosted by Gavelhouse Plus. She is the third winner for Anahita (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}), a half-sister to NZ Champion 3YO Filly Shikoba (NZ) (Chief Bearhart {Can}).
Close relations include G3 Sydney S. winner Rocketing By (So You Think {NZ}) and dual Group 3-winning sire Pariah. Anahita’s last foal was an as of yet unnamed 2-year-old full sister to Hitabell. Saturday’s victory gives Cambridge Stud’s Embellish (NZ) a third stakes winner.
Stephen Marsh
Long shot filly blitzes in at Ascot
Cashel Palace (Street Boss {USA}) prevailed in the Listed Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic at Ascot on Saturday, where the 3-year-old filly surged forward from near last to land 0.96l ahead of London’s Image (Headwater) at the line, with the favourite Wind And The Lion (Written By) 0.1l further back in third. Trained by Daniel Morton, the filly had broken her maiden at the start of the month, before running fourth to Storyville (Overshare) in the G3 Champion Fillies S. two weeks ago, and was sent out a $31 shot.
“This (race) was always on the radar,” said Morton, who was claiming his third win in the Listed contest since 2016. “Her run in the Champion Fillies was great, we thought the form out of that into the Guineas was great. They wound her out (in the betting), so hopefully Shane Stafford, who owns her, got a chunk of that.
“She’s a beautiful filly, and I feel like next time in, she’s going to be a really serious horse. There’s a lot to like about her.”
“She’s (Cashel Palace) a beautiful filly, and I feel like next time in, she’s going to be a really serious horse. There’s a lot to like about her.” - Daniel Morton
Bred and offered at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale by Yarradale Stud, Cashel Palace was a $160,000 purchase for Shane Stafford. She is the first living foal from juvenile winner Burgoyne (War Chant {USA}), a half-sister to Listed Ramornie H. winner Jerazana (Lonhro), dam of G1 Galaxy H. winner Zapateo (Brazen Bull) and Osborne Bulls (Street Cry {Ire}), who counts the G2 TAB S. among his nine wins.
Burgoyne has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Brazen Beau, who was purchased by China Horse Club, Williams Racing, and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) for $375,000 at this year’s Perth sale. She has slipped two years in a row since and was served by Playing God in September.
Daniel Morton | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
