16 for Air Force Blue
New winners
Air Force Blue (pictured above)- First season sire Air Force Blue (War Front) recorded his 16th individual winner when Flying Rock (2 f ex Cry Me A River by Danehill Dancer) took out a seven-furlong nursery on Dundalk’s all-weather track on Friday evening. The Fozzy Stack-trained juvenile won going away to finish a length and a half in front of Chevillon (Dragon Pulse) who just got the better of Catherine Chroi (Camacho) in the battle for second. A €105,000 purchase at Goffs last year, Flying Rock is the first foal out of Cry Me A River (Danehill Dancer), who herself is a half sister to the dual Listed-winning Group 2 performer Skiddaw Peak (Generous). Air Force Blue will stand for a fee of US$10,000 (approx. AUD$13,275) at Coolmore America in 2021.
Capitalist – Newgate Farm’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Capitalist (Written Tycoon) sired his second winner when Profiteer (2 c ex Athena Lass by Snitzel) showed a dazzling display of speed to win on debut at Flemington on Saturday. Making all the running, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained youngster finished just .65 seconds outside the Flemington 1100-metre course record as he beat Ranveer (Winning Rupert) and Sunday Yum Cha (Territories) to lead home a trifecta for first season sires. Kent Jnr said he wasn’t surprised by the style of the win as Profiteer replicated what he did when winning his trial at Traralgon. “He’s got good gate speed, he can go at a quick tempo and then find again. He’s got a really big action, he’s light on his feet,” Kent Jnr said. Profiteer was a $165,000 purchase by Roll The Dice Racing Pty Ltd/Rogers Bloodstock out of the Newgate Farm draft at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. He is the first foal of Athena Lass (Snitzel), a Moonee Valley two-year-old winner on debut who went on to be placed in the Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m). Athena Lass has a full-sister to Profiteer, catalogued as lot 66 in the Newgate Farm draft heading to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January. Athena Lass also foaled an I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) filly on October 31. Capitalist stands for a fee of $44,000 (inc GST).
Flying Artie – Harlem Groove (2 c ex Harlem Shuffle by Oratorio), an $80,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase by trainer Paul Perry, has provided Newgate Farm-based sire Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) with his second first crop winner after scoring at Scone yesterday. Harlem Groove, who had won a Newcastle barrier trial leading into his first-up victory, defeated The Storm In Me (Press Statement) by half a length in the Emirates Park 2YO Maiden Plate (900m). Super Hot (Outreach) was one and three-quarter lengths away in third. Goodwood Farm, who sold Harlem Groove, will offer a half-sister by Exosphere (Lonhro) as Lot 633 at next year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Flying Artie, who stands for $16,500 (inc GST) this year, is also the sire of Brisbane winner and today’s Calaway Gal Stakes (Listed, 1000m) runner Princess Bojack and the stakes-placed The Art Of Flying. Eleven Australian-based first season stallions have so far sired winners in the first four months.
Territories – Darley shuttler Territories (Invincible Spirit) sired his 19th individual winner when Uncharted (2 f ex Rawoof by Nayef) got off the mark at the second time of asking with a comfortable win in a mile maiden at Dundalk on Friday evening. Trained by Richard O’Brien, the filly beat favourite Oh Say (Starspangledbanner) by two and a quarter lengths, with a further half a length back to Captain Middleton (Camacho) in third. Uncharted is the second foal out of Rawoof (Nayef), a half sister to the dam of multiple Group 1 winner and fellow Darley sire Ribchester (Iffraaj). Territories stands at Kelvinside for a fee of $11,000.
Vadamos – Rich Hill Stud shuttler Vadamos (Monsun) sired his 13th individual winner when Papas Dream (2 g ex Mrs O’Malley by Baltic King) got off the mark at the third time of asking in a seven-furlong novice contest on Kempton’s all-weather track on Wednesday. Trained by Stan Moore, the gelding beat Goodwood Glen (Territories) by a convincing three and three-quarter lengths, with Duty Of Care (Kingman) another neck away in third. Vadamos, a Group 1 winner in France, is standing for NZ$15,000 (plus GST).
New Group or Grade 1 winners
Captain Al – The late Captain Al (Al Mufti) sired his 24th individual elite-level winner when his daughter Captain’s Ransom (3 f ex Cinna’s Ransom by Red Ransom) landed Saturday’s Cape Fillies Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Kenilworth. Trained by Justin Snaith, the filly was winning for the fourth time in just five starts as she proved too good for her ten rivals, crossing the line two and a quarter lengths in front of favourite Princess Calla (Flower Alley). Chat Ching (Duke Of Marmalade) was another length and a half away in third. Group 1 winner Captain Al died from complications following an operation for laminitis in a hind hoof in July 2017.
Kurofune – Shadai Stallion Station resident Kurofune (French Deputy) sired his sixth individual elite-level winner when his daughter Sodashi (2 f ex Buchiko by King Kamehameha) stretched her unbeaten record to four with victory in Sunday’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (Gr 1, 1600m) at Hanshin. The Naosuke Sugai-trained filly, who had already won twice in Grade 3 company, beat Satono Reinas (Deep Impact) and Uberleben (Gold Ship) under Hayato Yoshida. Sodashi’s win means she becomes the first ever white thoroughbred to win at either Group or Grade 1 level. Kurofune stood for a private fee in 2020.
Lord Kanaloa – Lord Kanaloa (King Kamehameha) sired his fifth individual elite-level winner when his son Danon Smash (5 h ex Spinning Wildcat by Hard Spun) followed in his footsteps by taking out Sunday’s Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) at Sha Tin. Danon Smash is one of five winners from as many to race out of Spinning Wildcat (Hard Spun), who herself is a three-quarter sister to War Chant (Danzig). Lord Kanaloa, the winner of six Group 1s and Japan’s Horse Of The Year in 2013, stood at Shadai Stallion Station for ¥20,000,000 (approx. AUD$255,200) in 2020.
Medaglia d’Oro – Darley’s Medaglia d’Oro (El Prado), who shuttled to Australia for eight consecutive breeding seasons between 2010 and 2017, sired his 26th individual elite-level winner when Golden Sixty (5 g ex Gaudeamus by Distorted Humor) proved a cut above his rivals to take out Sunday’s Hong Kong Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Sha Tin. A $120,000 pinhook by Riversley Park/Enigma Farm out of the Element Hill draft at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Golden Sixty was purchased by his trainer Francis Lui for $300,000 at the 2017 NZB Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs. Medaglia d’Oro, the sire of outstanding race-mares Rachel Alexandra and Songbird as well as dual Grade 1-winning Spendthrift stallion Bolt d’Oro, will stand for a fee of US$150,000 (approx. AUD$200,400) in 2021.
New stakes winners
Better Than Ready – Lyndhurst Stud’s Better Than Ready (More Than Ready) sired his fourth individual stakes winner when the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained Alpine Edge (2 c ex Freezethemillions by Freeze) made a winning debut in the Phelan Ready Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. A $160,000 purchase from this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale out of the Yarramalong Park draft, Alpine Edge is the third foal to race – and the second winner – out of the Listed-placed Freezethemillions (Freeze). Better Than Ready stands for a fee $33,000 (inc GST).
Choisir – Choisir (Danehill Dancer) edged ever closer to his century of individual stakes winners when his son Usmanov (5 g ex Mining Tycoon by Redoute’s Choice) landed Saturday’s Bribie Quality (Listed, 1000m) at Eagle Farm. The Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained five-year-old prevailed in a tight finish, just getting the better of Boomtown Lass (Spirit Of Boom) and Sugar Boom (Spirit Of Boom), to register his seventh win in 19 starts and in doing so becoming the 98th stakes winner for his sire. A $350,000 purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2017 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Usmanov is out of Mining Tycoon (Redoute’s Choice), a half-sister to triple Group 1 winner Bentley Biscuit (Peintre Celebre). It was announced last month that Choisir was to be pensioned off following 17 years at stud.
Fastnet Rock – Acrobat (2 c ex Hips Don’t Lie by Stravinsky) marked himself out as one to follow when scoring at the first time of asking in Saturday’s Inglis Nursery (Listed, 1000m), a victory which provided Coolmore’s Fastnet Rock (Danehill) with his 165th individual stakes winner. Acrobat is the seventh foal to race – and the third stakes winner – out of Hips Don’t Lie (Stravinsky), who herself was a talented juvenile, winning the Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), the Ottawa Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m). Fastnet Rock stands for a fee of $165,000.
Frankel – Frankel (Galileo) sired his 60th individual stakes winner when Significance (4 h ex Aqua Bella by Oasis Dream) continued his summer form surge with a dominant display in Saturday’s Christmas Cup (Listed, 2400m) at Randwick. Clare Cunningham took over his training at the start of his current campaign and, while he has been a work in progress, Cunningham now has him flying. “We started at Goulburn this preparation so we’ve come a long way from Goulburn to a black-type race within six starts. He’s really amazed me,” Cunningham said. The trainer added she will wait and see how Significance comes through yesterday’s race, in which he beat He Runs Away (Heliostatic) and Purrfect Deal (Dundeel), before locking in a plan. A $1.1million Inglis Easter purchase from the Arrowfield Stud draft, Significance was bred by Bruce Wilson of Glentree Pastoral. He is the first winner for Aqua Bella (Oasis Dream), an unraced half-sister to stakes winner Ame Bleue (Dubawi). Aqua Bella has a yearling colt by Written Tycoon (Iglesia) who will be offered as lot 54 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She produced a filly foal this spring by Zoustar (Northern Meteor) who is her final foal as the mare died in September. Frankel stands at Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket where his 2021 fee has been set at £175,000 (approx. AUD$307,200).
King Kamehameha – The late King Kamehameha (Kingmambo) sired his 81st individual stakes winner when his son Boccherini (4 c ex Popcorn Jazz by Dance In The Dark) just edged out Shigeru Pink (Daiwa Major) in a close finish to the Chunichi Shimbun Hai (Gr 3, 2000m) at Chukyo on Saturday. The Yasutoshi Ikee-trained four-year-old was winning for the fifth time in 12 starts when scoring by three-quarters of a length. Favourite Velox (Just A Way) was another three-quarters of a length back in third. Boccherini is a brother to dual Group 1-winning stallion Lovely Day. King Kamehameha, who was pensioned at the start of 2019, died in August last year.
Kuroshio – A victory for Savatoxl (5 g ex Li’l Miss Hayley by Savabeel) in Saturday’s Christmas Handicap (Listed, 1200m) at Morphettville provided Kuroshio (Exceed And Excel) with his first Australian stakes winner and his second in total. Trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, Savatoxl was winning for the 14th time in 25 starts when beating Music Addition (Your Song) and Too Good Too Hard (All Too Hard). Purchased by the Alice Springs Turf Club for $8,000 out of the Stonehouse Thoroughbreds draft at the 2017 Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale, Savatoxl is one of three winners from five to race out of Li’l Miss Hayley (Savabeel). A half-sister to the stakes-placed Total Response (Kheleyf), Li’l Miss Hayley has a yearling filly by Needs Further (Encosta De Lago) and was covered by him again last spring. A Group 2-winning son of Exceed And Excel (Danehill), Kuroshio shuttled to Great Britain for four seasons. He now resides permanently at Starfield Stud in Ireland where his 2020 fee was €6,000 (approx. AUD$9,650).
Lonhro – After a host of near misses, Athiri (4 m ex Retsina by Redoute’s Choice) finally made her breakthrough in black-type company on Saturday with a dominant win in the Razor Sharp Handicap (Listed, 1200m) at Randwick, a victory which provided her sire Lonhro (Octagonal) with his 90th individual stakes winner. The Godolphin-raced four-year-old, who was winning for the fourth time in 17 starts, beat Southern Lass (Ocean Park) by a length and a half, with Tactical Advantage (Bel Esprit) another length and a quarter away in third. Winning jockey Rachel King said: “She was able to put herself on speed and that’s important on this track today. She was really strong that last bit.” A half-sister to the three-time Group 2 winner Savatiano (Street Cry), Athiri is the third foal out of the winning mare Retsina (Redoute’s Choice), who herself is a daughter of Star Shiraz (Sequalo). Retsina has a two-year-old Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) colt named Vilana and a yearling brother to Athiri. She also foaled a Street Boss (Street Cry) colt on November 16. Lonhro stands at Darley’s Kelvinside for a fee of $66,000 (inc GST).
Lord Chaparral – A victory for Aldrodovar (3 c ex Alabama Blues by Desert King) in the Permio Unire (Listed, 2250m) at Naples on Saturday provided his sire Lord Chaparral (High Chaparral) with a first stakes winner. The three-year-old was winning for the third time in ten starts as he beat Unique Diamond (English Channel) and Time To Choose (Manduro). Lord Chaparral, a dual Listed winner in Italy, stands at Pala Franco – Borgo Montello.
Manhattan Rain – Blue Gum Farm resident Manhattan Rain (Encosta De Lago) sired his 15th individual stakes winner courtesy of a victory by Alison Of Tuffy (5 m ex Flibbertigibbet by Zabeel) in Saturday’s Just Now Quality (Listed, 1300m) at Eagle Farm. Trained by Peter Robl, the five-year-old just got the better of Maozi (Helmet) and Krone (Eurozone) in a three-way battle. The victory was a fifth in 28 starts for Alison Of Tuffy. Manhattan Rain stands for a fee of $13,200.
Ocean Park – Ocean Billy (5 g ex Cool Storm by One Cool Cat) became the 12th individual stakes winner for Waikato Stud’s Ocean Park (Thorn Park) when claiming the Waikato Cup (G 3, 2400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Bill Pomare-prepared Ocean Billy held off favourite Savy Yong Blonk (Savabeel) to win by half a length, with Sherrif (High Chaparral) a further length behind in third. Ocean Park stood at Windsor Park Stud for NZ$20,000 (plus GST) in 2020.
Real Saga – Bargain buy Sweet Dolly (2 f ex Sweet Cherub by Canny Lad) struck in Saturday’s Calaway Gal Stakes (Listed, 1000m) to provide the late Real Saga (Tale Of The Cat) with his seventh individual stakes winner. Purchased by Michelle Walker for $1,500 from the 2018 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale out of the Raheen Stud draft, Sweet Dolly was following up her debut win at Townsville last month. The former Glenlogan Park, Eureka Stud and Palm Valley Thoroughbreds stallion Real Saga died in February last year.
Savabeel – Whimsical (3 f ex Chanel’s Choice by Redoute’s Choice) continued the run of a promising crop for Savabeel (Zabeel), as she became the 106th stakes winner for her sire, and seventh of this crop, when winning the Eulogy Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Awapuni on Saturday. The filly won by three-quarters of a length from Love For All (Love Conquers All), with Signora Nera (Sweynesse) a further length and half away in third. Champion sire Savabeel stood at Waikato Stud this season for a fee of NZ$100,000 (plus GST).
Shamexpress – Coventina Bay (5 m ex Coventina by High Chaparral) made it five individual stakes winners for her sire Shamexpress (O’Reilly) when narrowly taking out the J Swap Sprint (Gr 3, 1400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Robbie Patterson-trained five-year-old had gone close at stakes level at her last start when finishing second to race rival Mascarpone (Shooting To Win) in the Legacy Lodge Sprint (Listed, 1200m) on the track in early November. However she prevailed here for a sixth career win in what was just her tenth start. Shamexpress stands at Windsor Park Stud, where his fee this year was set at NZ$8,000 (plus GST).
Showcasing – Showoroses (4 m ex Rodrigo Rose by Rodrigo De Triano) left her sire Showcasing (Oasis Dream) one short of a half century of stakes winners when causing a shock to win the Cal Isuzu Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. Sent off a $23 chance, the four-year-old defeated $2.50 favourite Supera (Savabeel) by two and a quarter lengths, with Supreme Heights (Jimmy Choux) another length away in third. Showoroses is one of four foals out of Group 3 winner Rodrigo Rose, resulting in three winners. Showcasing last shuttled to Haunui Farm in 2018, and now permanently resides at Whitsbury Manor Stud where he will stand next year at £45,000 (approx. AUD$81,000).