Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Espionage back with a bang at Randwick
High quality colt Espionage (Zoustar) stepped out in public on Tuesday for the first time since August, going down by 0.01l to Michael Freedman's Listed Canterbury Sprint-winning Insurrection (Russian Revolution) in a Randwick trial. Listed-winning $2.6 million yearling Clean Energy (Zoustar) finished fifth.
The winner of the 2023 G3 Breeders' Plate and G3 Kindergarten S. in his juvenile year, Espionage missed out on a tilt at the G1 Everest after requiring surgery to remove a tibial bone sequestrum in September. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, he wore the purple and white colours of Coolmore’s Derrick Smith in Tuesday's trial for the first time since the stud purchased an interest in him in the spring.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Espionage was $1 million purchase for the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership from Baramul Stud’s draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and shares have since been sold to Coolmore, Sir Peter Vella, and B2B Thoroughbreds’ Ricky Surace, and Torryburn Stud’s Brett Cornish. He is the third foal from three-time winner In Times Of War (Street Cry {Ire}), a daughter of G2 McGrath S. and Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Military Rose (General Nediym). A full brother to Espionage (Lot 506) passed in at the Gold Coast last week and a full sister was born this past spring.
Schwarz shines bright in Randwick return
John O’Shea and Tom Charlton's G2 Missile S. winner Schwarz (Zoustar) put in a commanding performance at Randwick racecourse in the second trial on Tuesday morning. The 4-year-old entire, who also won the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas in May, maintained a wide lead to win by 3.67l over five-time winner Yiska (Smart Missile).
Bred by Widden Stud in conjunction with Qatar Bloodstock, Halatex Pty, and Mr J Dimery, Schwarz was a $1.25 million graduate at the Gold Coast when purchased in 2022 by Rosemont-Victorian Alliance, Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA), and David Redvers Bloodstock. Schwarz’s full brother Tuscany was purchased last year at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock, and Trilogy for $1.55 million, and debuted in fifth in the G3 Breeders' Plate in the spring. They are both sons of G2 Angus Armanasco S. winner Summer Sham (Not A Single Doubt).
Summer Sham has a yearling full brother and a full sister at foot to the star colts, and visited Zoustar again in October.
More furnished Anarchist readies for big autumn
Untapped 2-year-old Anarchist (Exceed And Excel) was a runaway winner by 1.15l of his trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt trialled in September, finishing fourth to Raging Force (Cosmic Force), before being put away for the spring. $1.3 million colt Valedictorian (Zoustar) resumed an easy fifth in the same heat on Tuesday.
A $550,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase from Sledmere Stud for the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership, Anarchist was bred by Barneswood Farm out of G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Media Sensation (I Am Invincible). The mare has a yearling filly by Snitzel and a colt at foot by Zoustar to come, and she made a return visit to Snitzel in November.
Mayfair warms up for autumn offensive
Golden Rose placegetter Mayfair (Fastnet Rock) kicked off his preparation with a dominant 0.31l winner over The New Sinatra (Russian Revolution), with G1 Sires Produce S. winner Manaal (Tassort) resuming with a third-place finish by 2l. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt made the step up to stakes level in the spring with aplomb, adding second place finishes in the G3 San Domenico S. and the G3 Ming Dynasty S. to his record, before going down by 0.33l to Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the Golden Rose.
Bred by S F Bloodstock, Mayfair was purchased out of Newgate's Magic Millions draft for $625,000 by China Horse Club, Go Bloodstock, Newgate, and Trilogy. He is the second foal from Listed Glitter Woman S. Cicatrix (USA) (Violence {USA}), out of the dual Listed-placed Provincial (USA) (Pulpit {USA}). Mayfair’s yearling sister by Extreme Choice was an early withdrawal from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale catalogue. Cicatrix foaled another filly by Extreme Choice this spring, and returned to the elite sire in September.
Airborne Open Secret adds to King's Legacy trial winners
Debutant Open Secret (King's Legacy) got her head in front of G3 Gimcrack S. winner Bel Merci (Extreme Choice) in the first juvenile trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning. The John Thompson-trained filly downed her Group-winning stablemate by 0.18l under the urgings of Zac Lloyd.
Open Secret was offered by Middlebrook Valley Lodge at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale on behalf of breeders M & R Services, where she was bought for $150,000 by her trainer in conjunction with Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA). She is out of city-winning Vain Elaine (High Chaparral {Ire}), a half-sister to twice Listed-placed Smart Lady (Catbird). Vain Elaine has a colt at foot from the first crop of Newgate's In The Congo, and subsequently visited Pride Of Dubai in October.
Coolmore Stud's King's Legacy registered his first winner at the weekend when his daughter Kujenga soared to victory at Wyong on The Lakes raceday.
Ole Kirk filly oozes potential in Beaumont trial win
Odaka (Ole Kirk) put in a commanding performance at the Beaumont track on Tuesday morning to win her trial. Trained by Kris Lees, the 2-year-old filly backed up her debut trial win by fending off Thrilling Venture (Capitalist) to score by 0.78l.
Bred and retained by Kia Ora Stud in conjunction with Encompass Bloodstock, Werrett Bloodstock, and W Duck, Odaka passed in when offered in Vinery Stud's draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last year. She is out of winning Exceed And Excel mare Ballet Rose, a half-sister to G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas-winning King's Rose (NZ) (Redoute's Choice)and G2 Alister Clark S. winner Hardham. A full brother to Odaka is now a yearling and a half-sister by Farnan was born in the spring.
