Race-Day Recap
Widden Stud's Anders registered his first winner at Newcastle, where his daughter Wisneirska fended off two late attacks to win the first race on the card.
Formula Rossa (Spirit Of Boom) proved too good for her rivals at Eagle Farm, where the Tony Gollan-trained filly snatched victory from Mortal Halo (Better Than Ready).
Sharp colt Aleppo Pine (Blue Point {Ire}) brought his jumpout performances to race day at Ballarat, kicking off Godolphin's Saturday with a win in the $150,000 juvenile sprint.
Hanseatic also got the ball rolling as a sire with his daughter Tiz Worthy, who captured Morphettville's 2-year-old race by a decisive 1.81l margin.
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson's Marokopa Falls (Hellbent) edged out Roydon Bergerson's Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) to come out on top in the first race at Wellington.
Castle Road (Safeguard) continued the successful association of trainer Paul Jordan and progeny of Clarecastle (Tribu) with victory in the Magic Millions Plate at Ascot.
Anders filly delivers first winner at Newcastle
Wisnierska (Anders) gave her Widden Stud-based sire something to celebrate on Saturday, when she held off the looming The Magic Man (Showtime) and the fast-finishing Charka (Exceed And Excel), who came dashing home from last, to win the $42,000 2-Year-Old Maiden H. on the Newcastle track. Fourth in her only trial at Wyong last month, the Kris Lees-trained filly went toe to toe with The Magic Man for most of the race, before racing to the lead in the home straight to grab a 0.64l victory.
Bred and retained by Tony Carusi under his Roman Racing banner, Wisnierska is the first foal from winning Street Boss (USA) mare Fact Or Fable, a granddaughter of G3 Vanity S. winner Country Lodge (Grand Lodge {USA}) from the family of G1 Goodwood H., G1 Oakleigh Plate, and G1 William Reid S. winner Flamberge (Exceed And Excel).
Fact Or Fable produced a full brother to Wisnierska last year, who will be presented by Murulla Stud as Lot 1174 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale next year, and a filly by Doubtland this spring. A lightning-fast son of Not A Single Doubt, Anders stands at Widden for $16,500 (inc GST).
Anders | Standing at Widden Stud
A Worthy maiden winner for Hanseatic
Tiz Worthy (Hanseatic) delivered her Rosemont Stud sire his first winner on Saturday in the $65,000 2-Year-Old Plate at Morphettville. Trained by Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans, the filly was sent out as favourite after a debut third placing at Bendigo behind Hello Romeo (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), and put 1.81l between her and Dampen (Impending) to emerge victorious.
Bred by Yulong Investments out of a daughter of Listed Dream Supreme S. victress Miss Tizzy (USA) (Cee’s Tizzy {USA}), Tiz Worthy was purchased at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $38,000 by Kennewell Racing, Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA), and Edgar Park. Her dam Tiz My View (Snitzel) was purchased in foal to fledgling sire Hanseatic by Team Lucky Vega at the 2022 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale from Coolmore’s draft for $350,000, and has subsequently been mated to Written Tycoon twice, resulting in two colts.
Hanseatic, standing for $16,500 (inc GST) this season, was represented by his first runner in the R. Listed Inglis Banner, where his daughter Rohesia finished third.
Hanseatic | Standing at Rosemont Stud
Formula Rossa accelerates to victory at Eagle Farm
It was a tight finish in Saturday’s $85,000 2-Year-Old H. at Eagle Farm, but Tony Gollan’s Formula Rossa (Spirit Of Boom) got her head in front for a 0.3l victory over Mortal Halo (Better Than Ready) on the line. Well-fancied stablemate of Formula Rossa, Lockyer (I Am Invincible), finished 1.42l behind in fifth place, penalised for his debut second at the beginning of November.
“She’s a nice filly, to get over those early circumstances (in the race),” Craig Cavanough, stable representative for Gollan Racing, said. “The other horse had a half-length on her and she fought back to win.
“There’s a lot of improvement in her. The girls (jockeys Emily Lang and Angela Jones) have been very confident about her at home, they’ve been declaring her for three days and it’s nice to see them be right.”
“There’s a lot of improvement in her (Formula Rossa). The girls (jockeys Emily Lang and Angela Jones) have been very confident about her at home, they’ve been declaring her for three days and it’s nice to see them be right.” - Craig Cavanough
Bred by Eureka Cambooya Thoroughbreds, Formula Rossa was purchased by Gollan Racing, John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), and Blacksoil Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $340,000 out of her breeder’s draft. She is a half-sister to Listed Village S. winner Hypothetical (Pride Of Dubai), who was second in the G1 Oakleigh Plate in February behind Queman (Mint Lane {USA}).
Her dam Fitna (Fastnet Rock) is out of G1 Champagne S. winner Carry On Cutie (More Than Ready {USA}), making Fitna a half-sister to My Amelia (Redoute’s Choice), dam of Aquis Farm stallion The Mission. Fitna produced a colt by Pinatubo (Ire) last year, who will be Lot 401 at the upcoming Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January, before returning to Spirit Of Boom and delivering a full sister to Formula Rossa this spring.
Formula Rossa as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Blue Point colt delivers Blue Army victory at Ballarat
Aleppo Pine (Blue Point {Ire}) started Saturday off well for James Cummings and Godolphin with a decisive 2.5l victory on debut in the $150,000 2-Year-Old H. at Ballarat, leaving runners up Neverenoughlego (Ole Kirk) and Pafitis (Churchill {Ire}) in his wake. Hello Youmzain’s (Fr) first winner on Australian soil, Hello Romeo (NZ), came in fourth, carrying a 1.5kg penalty from his last start win at Bendigo.
“He’s very classy,” said jockey Jye McNeil after the run. “Today was my first time on him and the race worked out perfectly.”
The fifth winner from Redoute’s Choice mare Retsina, whose dam is G1 Aon H. winner Star Shiraz (Sequalo), Aleppo Pine counts four stakes performers as half-siblings; five-time Group 2 winner Savatiano (Street Cry {Ire}), G2 Moreton Cup winner Vilana (Hallowed Crown), Listed Razor Sharp H. victress Athiri (Lonhro), and the G3 Canonbury S. runner-up Rakomelo (Lonhro).
Retsina delivered a filly by Pinatubo this spring, before being covered by Native Trail (Ire). Savatiano ventured outside the Darley covering shed last season and delivered a colt by I Am Invincible this spring.
Marokopa Falls pits Bergersons head-to-head at Wellington
Smart Hellbent filly Marokopa Falls kicked off Saturday in style for Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson with 0.5l victory in the $65,000 2-Year-Old Plate at Wellington. Second-place finisher Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) was a last start winner, and is trained by Bergerson’s father, Roydon Bergerson.
Marokopa Falls was a $57,500 purchase for David Ellis (BAFNZ), on behalf of Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin, from breeder Lincoln Farm’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale. She is the second named foal, and second winner, for metro-winning Beside You (Ready’s Image {USA}), and is a close relation to dual Listed winner Vintage Brut (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}). Beside You foaled a full sister last year and was given the season off, before visiting Tassort this spring.
Castle Road continuing successful combination of dam and trainer
Castle Road (Safeguard) proved too good for the competition at Ascot on Saturday, devastating the field by leading all the way and crossing the line 2.82l in front in the $80,000 Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Plate. Winner of his most recent trial, the Paul Jordan-trained gelding again bested Do I Feel Lucky (Dirty Work) who was runner-up to him a fortnight ago at the Belmont trials.
“Paul (Jordan) has been very excited about him,” Laura Jordan, wife and stable representative of the trainer. “We’re delighted. He can be a little bit exuberant, but he’s a lovely horse to deal with otherwise.
“Hopefully he will keep improving, that’s what we would like to see.”
Bred and raced by Mogumber Park and associates, Castle Road is the ninth winner of nine runners to hit the track from Group 3-placed Clarecastle (Tribu). He is a full brother to G3 Sires' Produce S. runner-up Specialism, who Jordan trained for the majority of her racing career, including three victories as a juvenile. Among Clarecastle’s other progeny are Listed Supremacy S. runner-up More Special (Safeguard), G3 La Trice Classic-placed Royal Strata (Stratum), who ran fourth in her crop’s edition of the Sires’ Produce, and eight-time winner Chinetti (Bletchley Park {Ire}), who banked $338,337 on the track. Clarecastle is also a close relation to G1 Karrakatta Plate winner Dynamic Beau (Dynamo {NZ}).
Gallery: Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Last spring, Clarecastle produced a full sister to Castle Road, bound for the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale in February, before producing a colt by Group 2-winning Marine One this season. She returned to Marine One in November.
