Coolmore makes champagne move for King’s Legacy
High-priced colt becomes first son of Redoute’s Choice to win two Group 1s as a juvenile
Coolmore’s bold decision to buy into King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) after his Inglis Sires (registered as ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes) (Gr 1, 1400m) win has been almost immediately validated after the expensive colt added the ATC Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) to his record.
The international breeding empire quickly moved on King’s Legacy, who was a $1.4 million yearling, after his breakthrough Group 1 success earlier this month and reached a deal with the James Harron Bloodstock colts syndicate just days ago after fending off rival studs to secure the exciting stallion prospect.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained King’s Legacy ($2.70 favourite), the latest James Harron Bloodstock syndicate-owned colt to be assured of a place at stud, defeated a gallant Glenfiddich (Fastnet Rock) ($31) by a half neck.
Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) ($4.80) was another one and a quarter lengths away in third.
The acquisition of King’s Legacy continued the spending spree of Coolmore Australia principal Tom Magnier, who was also the leading buyer at the recent Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“We are so thankful to James Harron and his racing partners for giving us the opportunity to become involved in King’s Legacy. They are a wonderful group of owners who will give him great support at stud when he retires to Coolmore when he is finished racing,” said Magnier who was also under bidder on King’s Legacy as a yearling.
“King’s Legacy is a particularly good looking horse with a great pedigree and is now the only Redoute’s Choice to win multiple Group 1s as a two-year-old, so he is a very exciting proposition for us.”
The original owners of King’s Legacy, who include Belinda Bateman, Gary Diamond, Phil Mehrten, Steve Gillard, John Ingham and Jonathan Munz, will remain in the horse after selling a major share to Coolmore.
Jockey Hugh Bowman believes King’s Legacy, who he also rode to win the Sires, is an ideal candidate for the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in the spring.
“He’s an exceptional colt and I’ve been informed that Coolmore have bought into him. He’s got an impeccable pedigree so you can see exactly why, he’s just franked it, he is one of the best colts in the country of his generation and I can only see him improving further as a three-year-old,” said Bowman who also won the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on Farnan to claim the Sydney two-year-old triple crown.
“He’s the full package and he is just hitting his straps now as an autumn two-year-old and, as I said, you could only see him develop physically. He’s already mentally all there, he’s a very mentally capable horse, physically I can see him developing, it’s very exciting what lies ahead.”
A winner of the B J McLachlan Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Eagle Farm in December and fifth in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), connections elected to bypass the Golden Slipper lead-up races to instead have the colt peaking for the two Randwick Group 1 juvenile races.
“I think it is only the start of what you’ll probably see as a three-year-old. He is definitely going to be a horse that is going to train on and a horse with a lot of substance and a good bit of quality about him,” Peter Snowden said.
“He is a nice colt. He will only get better as a three-year-old, there is no doubt about it. He is doing this on raw ability at the moment.”
King’s Legacy (2 c Redoute’s Choice – Breakfast In Bed by Hussonet) was the third highest-priced lot sold at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, exceeded only by fellow Redoute’s Choice colt, the $1.6 million yearling and subsequent Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Prague, and the unraced Strategy (I Am Invincible) who made $1.7 million.
Now the earner of $884,100 in prize-money from six starts, including three stakes wins, King’s Legacy is one of two winners for the Listed-placed Breakfast In Bed who in turn is a half-sister to Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and Golden Slipper placegetter Oohood (I Am Invincible).
His third dam Bella Sunday (Sunday Silence) is a half-sister to the recently pensioned sire Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice), making King’s Legacy a three-quarter brother to the top-class stallion.
Yesterday’s result also added weight to Yulong Investments’ decision to buy King’s Legacy’s sister for $425,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Segenhoe Stud draft while the victory was also a milestone for auction house Magic Millions who sold the winners of all four Group 1 two-year-old races run in Australia so far this year.
They are Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) (Blue Diamond Stakes, 1200m), Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) (Golden Slipper, 1200m) and King’s Legacy’s two triumphs.
Meanwhile, Breakfast In Bed has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) and was covered by Pierro (Lonhro) last year.
Ocean Park mare Tofane comes of Age in Randwick Group 1
Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson has revealed he is considering moving his family to Australia to continue his riding career as the New Zealand industry remains in complete shutdown after Tofane (Ocean Park) was rewarded for her consistency with a victory in the All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
Bosson, who has ridden three Group 1 winners during an extended stint in Sydney this autumn, returns to his home country this week before evaluating whether to make a more permanent move across the Tasman.
The leading New Zealand jockey extended his stay in Australia after receiving the call-up to ride the Mike Moroney-trained Tofane, who upset the farewell for stud-bound entire Pierata (Pierro) in the $480,000 feature.
Tofane, who was third in The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) and fifth in the T J Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), overhauled Pierata late to win by a nose while Fasika (So You Think) was two and a half lengths back in third.
“She got into a beautiful spot and followed the horse to beat. It was a real dog-fight down the straight,” Bosson said.
“I wasn’t sure if I won or not. I didn’t find out until I saw the screen when I got back.
“Not much is happening back home at the moment, so it’s good to be here and good to get a few results.
“I go back on Tuesday and then we have to have a bit of a discussion to see whether we move the family back to Australia or not. I’ve got a few things to sort out first.”
Bosson also won the Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) on Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle) and Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) on Quick Thinker (So You Think).
Tofane has raced five times this campaign, all at Group 1 level, and Moroney never doubted that the four-year-old was up to the task.
“We decided after her spring campaign that we would only target Group One races this autumn,” Melbourne-based Moroney said.
“I told her owners she would get beaten in a few but I know she will win one.
“Her form had been great. I thought she should have run second in the Newmarket then she ran really well for third in The Galaxy, beaten a nose and a nose.
“Her effort to then run fifth in the TJ Smith Stakes was super because she was luckless from a wide barrier.
“This is a great result and we will put her away now and set her for The Everest in the spring.”
Bosson has been a leading jockey in New Zealand for years but Moroney admitted the combination had previously not enjoyed a lot of significant success.
“Opie has ridden on and off for me over the years back in New Zealand and even when we were winning premierships we didn’t have a lot of luck together,” Moroney said.
“He does most of his riding for Te Akau Racing and we know he is a world-class jockey but this is our first Group 1 win together.”
Tommy Berry, who rode the Greg Hickman-trained Pierata for the last time yesterday, said: “It’s a bit emotional to speak about him now. I’ve ridden horses who have won more Group 1 races than him, but I don’t think I’ve ridden as many who try as hard.
“He put everything on the line today. I thought he might have got there. He travelled like a champ and showed his never-die attitude. It took a good horse to beat him today. Those great fighting qualities that he holds will stand him in good stead when he goes to stud (at Aquis Farm).”
The second Group 1 winner for Waikato Stud-based stallion Ocean Park (Thorn Park), Tofane (4 m ex Baggy Green by Galileo) has won five races, three at stakes level, for prize-money earnings of $803,220 after being withdrawn from the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale by breeder Curraghmore Stud.
Tofane was put into training by Curraghmore Stud’s Gordon Cunningham after being unable to sell her, but after she won a catchweight barrier trial as an unnamed three-year-old at Te Teko in September 2018 for Moroney and co-trainer Pam Gerard, the former orchestrated a deal to purchase her for a syndicate headed by prominent owner Rupert Legh.
Outside her race performances, Tofane’s pedigree will mean she is desired by breeders as she is a daughter of the winning mare Baggy Green, who in turn is a three-quarter sister to the Chris Waller-trained Group 1 winner Funstar (Adelaide) and a half-sister to Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m) successor Youngstar (High Chaparral).
Incidentally, Youngstar is set to be offered for sale at next month’s virtual Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
Now owned by Kevin Hickman, Baggy Green’s yearling colt by Reliable Man (Dalakhani) was bought by trainer John O’Shea and Laurel Oak Bloodstock for NZ$280,000 at this year’s NZB Karaka Yearling Sale from the Valachi Downs draft. She missed to So You Think (High Chaparral) in 2018 but was served by Ocean Park last year.
Cumani’s Khoekhoe lands The Showdown
An emotional Matt Cumani, the son of champion UK trainer Luca Cumani, was last night celebrating arguably one of the most important wins of his career after Khoekhoe (Turffontein) proved his country maiden victory was no fluke with a strong performance in The Showdown (1200m).
The Ballarat-based Cumani is intent on showcasing his training talent with a range of horses but is not oblivious to the commercial reality of two-year-old racing in Australia, which is why Khoekhoe’s win in the $855,000 juvenile race at Caulfield yesterday was so important to his stable’s development.
“It’s important to have good two-year-olds in Australia and I’ve been trying to prove that we can do it,” Cumani said.
“We put a lot of work into finding good value horses.
“He had a great pedigree, no black-type, but lots of winners and was a real standout horse at the sales. You dream of a horse like this.
“We were a bit worried after Echuca that he may have been flattered by the pace or the better ground out wide, but to see him do that, it’s just unbelievable.”
The Showdown, in its second year, is restricted to the progeny of Victorian Vobis Sires-eligible stallions and it was Khoekhoe, a son of Blue Gum Farm’s under-rated stallion Turffontein (Johannesburg), who came up trumps yesterday.
Ridden by Cumani’s apprentice Fred Kersley, Khoekhoe ($14) finished strongly to nab favourite River Night (Night Of Thunder) ($5.50) by a head. Galactic Fury (Street Boss) ($61) was another three and a half lengths back in third place.
Cumani praised Kersley’s ride, showing patience on the colt who also came from off the speed when winning his maiden at Echuca on April 5 by one and a quarter lengths.
“I had two in the race and I was watching both and didn’t know where to look,” Cumani said.
“I just thought Fred was brilliant on him, though.
“He didn’t panic, he just was waiting, waiting, waiting for the gap and it opened perfectly for him and the horse did the rest.”
For Kersley the victory was the perfect way to end his apprenticeship.
“This race wasn’t a claiming race but to go out with a metro winner on my last day is great,” Kersley said.
“And to get it for my boss, Matt, he’s put so much support behind me.
“We missed out on a Group One a week ago with Etah James (in the Sydney Cup), but I think this makes up for it.”
The winner of $478,350 in prize-money so far, Khoekhoe (2 c Turffontein – Walvis Bay by Cape Cross) was bought by Cumani for $50,000 at last year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale from the Hollylodge draft.
Bred by Susan Keating, Khoekhoe is one of seven winners out of Walvis Bay, who was purchased by the Victorian woman for $19,000 at the 2009 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale.
Walvis Bay, who won two races over 1000 metres, hails from the family of Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Diatribe (Brief Truce), Al Samer (Redoute’s Choice) and Ace High (High Chaparral), but they all emanate from Khoekhoe’s fifth dam Spring Adieu (Buckpasser).
While there is a lack of “black type” in Walvis Bay’s immediate pedigree, Keating said it was the mare’s look that caught her attention at the Inglis Newmarket sale in 2009 and since then she has maintained a 100 per cent winners to runners strike rate.
“She’s a great mare. I couldn’t take my eyes off her when I saw her,’’ Keating said of Walvis Bay.
“She’s been a quality producer too. I remember foaling down Khoekhoe, he was outstanding right from the get-go, always a striking foal, weanling and yearling.
“A lot of credit must go to Dan Nevill from Hollylodge who prepped this horse for sale for me. He does a great job both with the horses and in putting up with me.’’
Walvis Bay’s yearling colt by Reward For Effort (Exceed And Excel) was bought by Swan Hill trainer Nathan Hobson for $28,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in March while she is in foal to Overshare (I Am Invincible) after being rested in 2018.
Turffontein, the sire of six stakes winners including Fontein Ruby, Fontiton and Widgee Turf, will stand for $6600 (inc GST) at Blue Gum Farm in 2020.