Cover image courtesy of Kia Ora Stud
Grand Eagle's metro win keeps the Farnan train rolling
As the race for Champion First Season Sire winners heats up, Kia Ora Stud’s Farnan continues to rack up the winners, adding a midweek victory at Hawkesbury Race Club from Grand Eagle to bring his total to eight.
Trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, the colt was having his third start and was a dominant winner with a 1.29l victory in the first race on the card, overcoming the Tulloch Lodge-trained pair of Headbanger (Capitalist) and Chicama (Written Tycoon). Travelling near the rear of the field around the home turn, jockey Nash Rawiller spotted a gap emerge beside a flagging Sponars (Lucky Vega {Ire}) and launched the colt through it, catapulting him to the front within the final furlong to victory.
A $300,000 purchase for George Moore Bloodstock at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Grand Eagle more than made up for his “disappointing” debut second and fourth placing at his second start, and co-trainer Alexiou was pleased with the improvement.
“We probably tried to force a win with him the other day (at his second start),” Alexiou said. “We put blinkers on him and probably rode him outside his comfort zone, and he just weakened out in what's probably been a really good form race.”
It was a race won by Buffalo (Written By), who ran third in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at the weekend, followed in by Hay Street (Capitalist), who was fourth in the G3 Kindergarten Stakes - so Grand Eagle’s performance on Wednesday just continues to frank that form.
Grand Eagle as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“We went back to the drawing board today and let him find his feet,” Alexiou continued. “And he traveled really well, balanced well and produced a really good turn of foot when asked.”
If he remains in work, the 1100-metre 2-year-old handicap at Randwick on April 26 beckons for Grand Eagle, but Alexiou has Group aspirations for the colt in the spring.
“He's got genuine stakes ability,” he said. “And I'm sure he'll come back a much more seasoned professional horse.”
“He's (Grand Eagle) got genuine stakes ability.” - Sterling Alexiou
Ryan and Alexiou have had plenty of good fortune with the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner’s first crop, also being the trainers of G3 Black Opal Stakes winner King Of Pop, whose “terrific prep” was capped off with a gallant second in the Kindergarten at the weekend, just behind his paternal brother North England.
“Me and Gerald have been impressed with what we've seen in the breed so far,” Alexiou said. “Like the other Farnans we have, Grand Eagle is very straightforward, great attitude, great doer. Very easy to do anything with.
“The Farnans, they're easy to train and they like to please everyone. It makes everyone's job a lot easier.”
“The Farnans, they're easy to train and they like to please everyone.” - Sterling Alexiou
Someone else who was pleased with the result was Valiant Stud’s Fergal Connolly, who bred Grand Eagle in partnership with clients. He has had a lot of good fortune himself with progeny of Farnan; at the same sale as Grand Eagle, he was also the consignor of North England on behalf of breeders Zhongli Thoroughbreds.
Sterling Alexiou | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I have the mare with good clients, Lloyd Walker and Joe Motherway,” Connolly described Grand Eagle’s dam Sauvignon (Pierro), who is closely related to G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Catchy (Fastnet Rock). “She's a beautiful, scopey Pierro mare with a deep pedigree, why wouldn't you send her to the best 2-year-old of his season?”
It’s been a match made in heaven, with the mare producing a full sister to Grand Eagle in the spring before visiting Anamoe.
“To breed a racehorse, you always try to emulate the stallion, don't you?,” Connolly said. “He did everything you want in a stallion as a 2-year-old.
“He (Farnan) did everything you want in a stallion as a 2-year-old.” - Fergal Connolly
“It's great that he got the support early and that makes a difference. His types are obviously very much in the mold that you would expect for a 2-year-old.
“(His performance) should be expected, he was the fastest 2-year-old of his year, he danced every dance in the lead up to the Slipper. So tough. Gai (Waterhouse) and Adrian (Bott) did an outstanding job with him, and he's obviously imparting that into his stock now. It's nice to be in at the beginning on a stallion who looks like he's going to make it.”
Fergal Connolly | Image courtesy of Inglis
North England was a $280,000 purchase for China Horse Club and partners, but for Connolly, seeing the results on the track is far more important than a good sale result.
“On the track is where you're measured,” he said. “It's nice to get a sales ring result, but to see them do it on the track, that's the proudest moment of your life.”
“It's nice to get a sales ring result, but to see them do it on the track, that's the proudest moment of your life.” - Fergal Connolly
Lindsay Park make it 14
At Sandown, 2-year-old colt Warrior Smile (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) became the 14th juvenile winner for Lindsay Park this season, and he shares his ownership with their other good juvenile colt Shining Smile (Spirit Of Boom) with both owned by L Lee. Ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, he won by 0.1l from Phillips Stokes-trained rig Stay Cosmic (Cosmic Force) with 2l back to Henry Dwyer-trained colt Different Gravy (Ghaiyyath {Ire}).
“We’ve had a great year so far (with our 2-year-olds), and six or seven of them are stakes winners, so they’ve been very competitive,” said Ben Hayes.
“The owner, Victor Lee has been a great supporter over the years and it’s great to have success with him. Shining Smile has been a big thrill for him too. Victor does his own thing (with purchasing horses). He buys what he likes and sends them our way, and this year he’s bought a couple of fast ones.
“Victor (Lee) does his own thing (with purchasing horses). He buys what he likes and sends them our way, and this year he’s bought a couple of fast ones.” - Ben Hayes
“It was a good race to win (for Warrior Smile) today and he puts up his hand for a stakes races next time out, depending on how he pulls up. Maybe the Anzac Stakes.”
Purchased at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale for $55,000 from Mungrup Stud, Warrior Smile debuted in the Listed Valley Pearl Stakes, running fourth, and today’s win came at his second start. His sire Saxon Warrior (Jpn) is a son of Deep Impact (Jpn) who stood in Australia for four seasons from 2019 to 2022, making his yearlings his final local crop.
Warrior Smile as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Saxon Warrior is the sire of 12 stakes winners, but only one in the Southern Hemisphere being Archaic Smile who won the Listed Wellesley Stakes in New Zealand and was second in the G1 Sistema Stakes last year at two.
Warrior Smile is the fifth winner from six named foals for Cascada (Lonhro) whose yearling by Playing God was bought by Gangemi Racing for $170,000 at this year’s Perth sale from Mungrup Stud’s draft.
Cascada was a winner of two races over sprint trips, and her dam is G2 MVRC Champagne Stakes winner Before Too Long (Belong To Me {USA}), a full sister to Group 1 winner and sire Bon Hoffa, and a half-sister to Listed winner Okanui (Barathea {Ire}).
Warrior Smile winning the May 8 Handicap | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Shining Smile was purchased by Boomer Bloodstock at the 2023 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale from Robyn Wise. He has won four of his six starts this season including a deadheat in the Listed Talindert Stakes with Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) and a last start victory in the Listed VRC TAB 2YO Plate.
Young gun Pierata strikes with a midweek metro double
On the day that a 10 per cent share in his son Coleman topped the Inglis Digital Early April Auction, Yulong’s Pierata was hitting goals on the track as well, with an interstate double. At Sandown, his 3-year-old filly Sirena, trained by Robbie Griffiths, picked up her second win since January and, up at Ipswich, stylish 2-year-old colt Yuna Is Pierata opened his account with a scorching 3.22l victory on debut.
Bred by Sinclair Farms and Aquis Farm, Yuna Is Pierata is from the second crop of his sire - and his penultimate Queensland crop before Yulong purchased him in early 2023 and brought him south. Nolen Racing presented Yuna Is Pierata at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses In Training Sale, where MJJC Green Technology purchased the colt for $35,000.
It is a family familiar to the father-daughter training team Tony and Maddysen Sears; the elder Sears purchased half-sister Kihi (Deep Field) on the Gold Coast in 2021. Yuna Is Pierata becomes the fourth winner from four to race for his dam, the juvenile winner Ramlah (I Am Invincible).
Yuna Is Pierata as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
And while he has been their first trainee by the son of Pierro, Yuna Is Pierata has impressed them both so far.
“He came to us very, very well educated,” Maddysen Sears shared. “Lenny Wheeler on the Gold Coast owned him and started the education process with him. So he came to us very well educated and he just hit the ground running from the word go.”
“He (Yuna Is Pierata) came to us very well educated and he just hit the ground running from the word go.” - Maddysen Sears
A winner of his first jump-out before two trial victories, it wasn’t a surprise to Sears when the juvenile lined up as the clear favourite with the punters. Jumping straight into the lead, the colt controlled the 1100-metre trip with every stride, with Hannabana (Dracarys) and All Too Foxy (All Too Hard) left to fight it out for the placings.
“We were very confident (coming into the race),” Sears said. “Obviously the market reflected that as well, but he did exactly what we expected him to do.”
Stakes plans are on the horizon next for the colt; Sears has her eyes on the Listed Dalrello Stakes at Eagle Farm on May 3 if he pulls up well.
“That’s our next aim. We’ve previously had a fair bit of luck in the race, Steady Race ran second in it by a very narrow margin, and it’s a race my dad has won a couple of times as well.”
Maddysen Sears | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Although he’s their first, Yuna Is Pierata, certainly won’t be the last Pierata in the Sears stable; the team purchased two at the sales this year and have been sent another four by clients.
“We do have some really nice ones that have just been broken in that we're really happy with, and so far, they've done everything right,” Sears said. “(Pierata) has not been forgotten about (at the sales), but he has been put on the back burner a little bit. But I think the last time I checked, he had something like 35 individual winners this season, so he’s certainly doing the job.”
"We do have some really nice ones (Pieratas) that have just been broken in that we're really happy with, and so far, they've done everything right." - Maddysen Sears
Yuna Is Pierata brings up individual winner 36 for the racing season, with a combined 52 wins between them. The 50th win for the season came as recently as Tuesday when 3-year-old gelding Pareto won at Ballina.
The Phoenix Thoroughbreds-bred Sirena, who was placed on debut as a juvenile, has been patiently carving out good form for herself under the steerage of Cranbourne-based trainer Robbie Griffiths and Wednesday's win took her record to two wins, two seconds from six starts.
The filly was a tad more expensive that Yuna Is Pierata, priced at $250,000 when knocked down to Griffiths De Kock Racing and Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Kitchwin Hills. She is the first foal from five-time winner Fidelia (Not A Single Doubt), who ran into the placings six times at Group level, including in the G2 Let's Elope Stakes and the G2 Sunline Stakes.
Stepping up to 1400 metres after a freshen-up was the perfect formula for Sirena, who hit the front with 400 metres to go and fended them off to win by 1.25l over Altermatum (Zoustar). She won by exactly the same margin in January, leading wire to wire in a 1200-metre contest at Sandown.
Gallery: Images courtesy of Racing Photos
Pierata’s last crop of Queensland-bred yearlings have gone through this ring this sales season, and he awaits his first crop conceived on an elevated $66,000 (inc GST) service fee this spring. With winners coming left and right, the future only looks bright.
