3YO Summary: Linebacker delivers superb second Group 1 for Super Seth

Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Gelded Linebacker makes it two top wins for Super Seth

Seven days after his son Feroce (NZ) was in the headlines for scoring the G1 Australian Guineas, Waikato Stud’s Super Seth got a fresh boost with the victory of gelded son Linebacker (NZ) in the G1 Randwick Guineas on Saturday, denying Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) a fourth win at the top level. It was a stirring victory with Linebacker kicking hard in the home straight past early leader Tenbury Wells (Fastnet Rock) and holding off a late attack from Broadsiding to win by a margin of 0.53l.

It was an emotional moment for co-trainer Tom Charlton - while it was John O’Shea’s 30th top flight victory, it was the first for his young training partner.

“I know the tally of crossbar hits we've had in Group 1s the last few years so look, it's great, I'm so thankful to him and the ownership of our stable,” Charlton said. “I watched the race with my wife, she cries a lot, which makes it harder for me.”

The ultimate gear change proved to be what Linebacker needed to come back to his best.

“He was in a really good rhythm today, they were going at a high speed, but he looked comfortable and he showed his true form back to a mile.”

The gelding was ridden by Zac Lloyd - with James McDonald taking over the ride on Broadsiding after Lloyd’s stirring first-up victory on him in the G2 Hobartville Stakes - to chalk up a third top flight win.

"It was obviously a big privilege to ride Broadsiding last start, but Linebacker today, it's not a bad exchange," Lloyd said. “It panned out perfectly.”

A $160,000 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale purchase for John O'Shea Racing and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) from Haunui Farm, Linebacker is from New Zealand Champion First Season Sire Super Seth’s first crop, and is out of an unraced half-sister to G1 Eclipse Stakes winner Mukhadram (GB).

Damask Rose dominates in inaugural NZB Kiwi

The Australian-trained raiders might have been popular leading in to the first edition of the NZ$3.5 million New Zealand Bloodstock Kiwi, but it was the locals who came out on top; Te Akau Racing’s boom filly Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) made her owners proud with a scintillating 1.5l victory in the event. Chosen for the Te Akau Racing slot in the race, the 3-year-old filly overcame being shuffled back with a tactical ride from Blake Shinn, exploding within the last 150 metres to beat Lindsay Park’s Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).

“It’s pretty surreal,” said co-trainer Sam Bergerson. “I said to (co-trainer) Mark (Walker) when we saw her flop out the back (that) she is going to have to be good from there.

“Fair play to Blake as he was very patient and the filly was so game. When she shot through we were all up on our feet. She has just kept improving, as we had earmarked her for the slot early on and we’re so thankful it has come off.

“I was a bag of nerves all week, and there are so many people to thank, I’m just so grateful.”

“She is a really good horse, we won the Karaka Million 3YO and it is really special to win the inaugural running of this race for Te Akau,” Shinn said. “She has an electric turn of foot, a real desire to take the gaps and savage the line as the pressure was starting to tell up against the rails, but she pinned her ears back and I’m just delighted.

“This means a lot, as deep down I’m quite emotional and have struck up a great relationship with Te Akau Racing. They are a big family unit and this is what it is all about for them.”

Damask Rose is now granted automatic entry to Australia’s lucrative 4-year-old race, the $10 million Golden Eagle in November. The last start winner of the R. Listed Karaka Millions 3YO has now accumulated over NZ$2.2 million in prize money across her four wins in seven starts, and is a granddaughter of G2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winner Te Akau Rose (NZ) (Thorn Park).

Willydoit in the Derby? Yes he can!

Tarzino (NZ) gelding Willydoit (NZ) bounced back from a poor run in the G2 Avondale Guineas with a storming 2.3l victory inthe G1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday. The 3-year-old overcame a wide barrier to hit the front at the 600 metres, and didn’t look back from that point, with Guineas winner Thedoctoroflove (So You Think {NZ}) managing to nab second. It was the first New Zealand Group 1 win for native jockey Michael Dee, who has been successful 14 times at the level in Australia, and it was also a career first Group 1 victory for trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy.

“I’ve emulated Dad and it’s my first Group 1,” Shaun said. “It’s very special to share this with Emma, my son and also the whole team. It’s a dream come true. I just keep on shaking people’s hands, there’s so many owners here. It’s a huge thrill and is just massive for everyone.

“Mick said before the race that he was going to roll forward and ride him like the best horse, and he was the best horse.

“The Avondale Guineas was the one blip along the road to this race, but that was just down to the pace of the race.”

Clotworthy confirmed that the gelding would now join the stable of Ciaron Maher in Australia, with a view to the G1 Australian Derby; “It’s sad to say goodbye to him now, but that happens. I think there’s still petrol in the tank for an Australian Derby. We’ll see how he pulls up from this, but he’s a pretty good horse.”

The third Group 1 winner for his Westbury Stud-based sire, Willydoit is a grandson of G1 Brisbane Cup winner Portland Singa (NZ) (Danasinga).

Triumphant Kewney victory temptes Treasurethe Moment to Sydney

Last start winner of the G2 Angus Armanasco Stakes, Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) delivered a cross-Tasman stakes double for her sire on Saturday, as well as extending her unbeaten streak to six for owners Yulong and trainer Matt Laurie. The 3-year-old filly has yet to be beaten at stakes level, and justified her pre-race favouritism with a dashing 2.25l victory in the G2 Kewney Stakes at Flemington under Damien Lane.

“It is obviously very exciting, but I am relieved,” Laurie told Racing.com post-race. “The writing was on the wall that this could be a great race for her second-up, but Damian was able to slot her in perfectly. The way she travelled up, she just takes herself there, and you know she's got so much under the bonnet. The world is her oyster.

“Yulong have been great to me. This is clearly the best horse we've had, and we've had a few handy ones over the years, but she's next level.”

Laurie indicated that the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes was next on the agenda for the G1 VRC Oaks winner, “she'll go to Sydney and we might give her a really quiet trial the reverse way, so she gets a feel for going in the opposite direction, but 2000 metres third-up looks exciting.

“She galloped the reverse way at Mornington last Saturday and she really took to it very well.”

The daughter of Yulong resident Alabama Express takes her record to seven wins in nine starts and over $1.4 million in prize money.

Alabama Lass romps home in Kings Plate

Ken and Bev Kelso’s Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) made her first appearance at the races on Saturday since running second in the G1 Railway Stakes to Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) in January, and she turned the tables on the older gelding with aplomb at Ellerslie’s Champions Day meet. Leading from the jump, the 3-year-old filly only extended her lead in the home straight to cross the line 5.3l in front in the G3 Kings Plate, delivering a trans-Tasman double for her sire. It gave her trainers food for thought ahead of a possible Melbourne campaign.

“I’m very proud of her,” Ken Kelso told Loveracing.nz. “She’s a beautiful filly, a little gem. We’ve always known she was capable of something like this.

“She was just unlucky to strike rain-affected tracks in those Group 1 placings in her last two starts. Take nothing away from the horses that beat her in those races, but the rain just dulled her sprint a little bit. Today was a different story.”

Jockey Sam Spratt agreed, “it was just such a shame that it rained for the Railway last time. If that rain hadn’t come, I’m pretty sure she would have done something similar there and would probably have won that race too. But it was a super effort today.”

“We’ll look at taking her across to Melbourne now, where there’s a 3-year-old race over 1100 metres (the Sprint Classic) later in the month,” Kelso continued. “It’s just a Listed race, but it would be good to pick up a bit of black type over there if we can.”

A winner of five of her eight starts, including three at Group level, and over NZ$600,000 in prize money, Alabama Lass is the second stakes performer for Commands mare Tabliope after Group 3-placed gelding Bad ‘n’ Bouj (Deep Field). She is descended from G2 Silver Shadow Stakes winner Seika (Canny Lad).

Island Life breaks through in electric Sunline Vase

Sir Peter Vela-owned filly Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) struck at stakes level for the first time on Saturday, kicking off the Group action at Ellerslie with a 1l win over This Time Girl (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) in the G3 Sunline Vase. Trained by Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie, the 3-year-old filly was able to sit closer in the six-horse field before she was asked to let down early in the home straight by Michael Dee, tearing away to victory.

“I grew up here and this means just so much, as we have had huge pressure with this filly,” Ritchie said. “To do this for Sir Peter on this incredible day just feels unbelievable.

“It has taken a little while to work her out, as she is pretty awkward, but Michael (Dee) gave her a peach of a ride, and I’m just so proud of her as she ground it out and finished it off so well.

“We will see how she comes through this before we make a decision (on the New Zealand Oaks) as she can be a little quirky, but she relaxed today which was great.”

Island Life becomes the latest stakes winner for one of breeder Pencarrow Stud’s best families; she is a daughter of Lycia (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}), a half-sister to G1 Rosehill Guineas winner De Beers (NZ). Another half-sister is Corinthia (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), dam of last weekend’s G1 Australian Guineas winner Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth). Third dam is Group 1 performer and producer Tristalove (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}).

Enriched on fire in Randwick return

Untapped 3-year-old colt Enriched (I Am Invincible) made his first break-through at stakes level on Saturday with an electric 0.76l victory in the Listed Fireball Stakes at Royal Randwick. The Michael Freedman-trained colt, who was placed in the G2 Danehill Stakes in the spring and third last start at Rosehill Gardens in a benchmark event, was held midfield under a patient ride from Tommy Berry, and gave a huge kick once straightening to run down Flying For Fun (Spieth {NZ}).

“He’s a colt I’ve always had a nice opinion of,” Freedman said post-race. “He’s still a colt at the moment which is nice. It was great to see him today be faithful to some of the potential he’s been showing for the last 12 months or so.

“With that pedigree, there’s some nice 3-year-old races around and, as I said, he’s still a colt and very well bred. We will see how he pulls up, but maybe we look at a Darby Munro or something then, possibly a crack at the Arrowfield Sprint.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Enriched is a son of Miss Atom Bomb (Encosta De Lago), a half-sister to the mighty Winx (Street Cry {Ire}). A $450,000 purchase at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from Bhima Thoroughbreds for Michael Freedman Racing, Gandharvi, and Mick Wallace, he extends his earnings to over $210,000 and moves closer to fulfilling his nomination in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint.