“I wish they were all like her”
Such an understatement from rider Craig Grylls upon dismounting from Bonny Lass (Super Easy) following her strong win in Saturday’s Foxbridge Plate (Gr 2, 1200m).
Grylls can take much of the credit for the win as he saved ground (and not in the best of the Heavy 9 track conditions) until the 600 metres then moved the mare away from the rail before they straightened. A huge gap appeared for her once they reached the 400-metre mark and Grylls kept pushing forward as well as wider for better footing and she shared the lead soon after.
Skew Wiff (Savabeel) maintained a strong challenge until short of the line but it was Mali Ston (El Roca) who put in the big strides to finish second yet never looked like heading the winner, the margin three-quarters of a length. The winning time was 1:14.01, indicating that it was a bit of a slog while underlining Bonny Lass’s versatility. Her time when winning the BCD Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m) here at Te Rapa last February was a slashing 1:21.82.
Now a six-year-old, Bonny Lass landed her eighth win in a 21 start career which includes eight placings for earnings of NZ$745,900. More impressive is her stakes record. She has recorded a Group win every season; at two in the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m); at three in the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m); at four in the Sweynesse Stakes (Gr 3, 1215m); the Group 1 BCD Sprint last season and now the time-honoured Foxbridge Plate.
Among her premier placings are a second in the 2024 Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and a close third in the 2024 Telegraph Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Both placings took place leading up to her Group 1 success at Te Rapa last February.
Another Group 1 looks on the cards for her next start with connections looking likely to head for Hastings and the Tarzino Trophy (Gr 1, 1400m). The race distance and/or the state of the track will not be an issue. Added to those factors, form in the Foxbridge can carry over into the Tarzino. Last year the first two home in the Foxbridge were also the first two home in the Tarzino, albeit in the reverse order, when Skew Wiff defeated Dragon Leap (Pierro).
By the underrated Super Easy, the Singapore champion son of Darci Brahma (Danehill), Bonny Lass is an all-Hallmark Stud product. Super Easy stands there currently and so did Le Bec Fin (Tale Of The Cat), sire of Bonny Lass’s dam, Posh Bec.
Bonny Lass is the third winner from five to race from Posh Bec. Her older brother won seven in Singapore. Posh Bec herself was a stakes-placed winner of three races and her half-brother, Time To Celebrate (Per Incanto), scored eight wins, four in New Zealand and four in Hong Kong where he recorded a second in the Premier Cup (Gr 3, 1400m) at Sha Tin.
Posh Bec’s granddam Uhmlanga Rocks (Centaine) is a half-sister to two stakes winners including Hawkes Bay Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2200m) winner King Of Ashford (His Royal Highness), one of his four stakes wins and one of 13 victories in New Zealand and Melbourne.
The continuing story
Over the last few months former shuttler (to Huanui Farm) Belardo (Lope De Vega) has been on fire, siring winners everywhere but especially in the southern hemisphere. Although it is very early in the season, Belardo sits atop the New Zealand Sire Premiership and Whiskey ‘N Roses (Belardo) looks to keep his sire in the news for a little longer judging from his competent win at Te Rapa this weekend.
In a career of three starts he was second on debut at Matamata in May and followed that with an impressive maiden victory by more than three lengths at Ruakaka in June. Saturday’s winning margin was not as great but he looked to have plenty in reserve when taking out the Benchmark 65 (1200m).
While Haunui Farm will have not have services of Belardo this season they have retained an interest in Whiskey ‘N Roses who could be set for one of the two stakes for three-year-olds at Hastings and should he keep progressing, may find his way to Riccarton for the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m).
He is the first foal from Fullinbloom (Fully Fledged), an Ellerslie-winning half-sister to the tough front-running filly Showoroses (Showcasing), herself a triple Group 2 winner.
Their granddam is Rodrigo Rose (Rodrigo De Triano), who was successful six times including the Cuddle Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) and was twice Group 1-placed. The next dam was no slouch either, Rosebrook (Vain), as the winner of ten including four Listed wins, three in Sydney. All in all, Whiskey ‘N Roses represents a nice family and just the sort of family that could produce a classic winner.
Saturday metro success
Four winners at Moonee Valley, two at Randwick and one each at Morphettville and Belmont Park: that was the score for the New Zealand-breds on Saturday.
At Randwick we saw Medatsu (Staphanos) solidify his last-start form with a follow-up win in the Benchmark 78 (1600m) which has “cups” written all over it. A clear last until near the 600-metre when he straightened for the long run home, Medatsu ground his way to the front then came away impressively over in the final 50 metres, taking his record to three wins in eight starts.
Placed three times in New Zealand, including a stakes third in the Ryder Stakes (Listed, 1200m) before being transferred to Chris Waller’s stable, Medatsu has won three of his four starts in Australia, the last two in Sydney. Saturday’s win was over 1600 metres but his racing style suggests that when tried over longer, he should not have too much trouble. He switches off early and has the necessary acceleration to put himself into contention then sticks on determinedly.
Medatu’s family background was discussed in the August 6 edition of Kiwi Chronicles. Another former New Zealand-based runner who has twice earned recent coverage in Kiwi Chronicles is Strathtay (Preferment) who returned to winning form after a couple of misses when scoring the Benchmark 78 (2400m). Also trained by Waller, Strathtay is now three from six since his transfer and, he too, looks like adding to his bank account in the longer races.
Carrying equal top weight of 60 kilograms, Strathtay handled the 2400 metres and the firm track brilliantly. He was in tight quarters soon after they straightened but slicing through between runners he kept finding to get the lead inside the 100 metres and was far too good late to win by two lengths and his most impressive win yet.
Waller has a powerful duo and it will be interesting where he places each next, especially if they clash in the same race. They have distinct similarities and a match up could be a good spectacle.
Valley is golden
Four races on the Moonee Valley card fell to the New Zealanders, two of which began their careers in their homeland. Trosettee (Jimmy Choux) won four in row in New Zealand before he was sent to Victoria but Saturday’s win at The Valley was his first since then, a period of close to three years. Trosettee, now an eight-year-old, had placed a number of times in town so this win, his career sixth, was not a complete surprise except for the delay.
Another former New Zealand-trained runner, Lauding (Proisir) is proving to be something of a Moonee Valley specialist. He was a Taupo winner and was twice placed when trained by Tony Pike as a three-year-old but in ten starts, all in Melbourne, all three wins have taken place at Moonee Valley.
This most recent win was achieved the hard way as Lauding sat out in the death seat, just back of the leader until the top of the straight. Finally, he found the fence and in a head-for-head, stride-for-stride finish got his head down right at the line and the win. Lauding was catalogued for the 2021 NZB Ready to Run Sale but withdrawn.
Evaporate (Per Incanto), a $330,000 purchase at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, took five starts to break his maiden, at Cranbourne on the first day of the current season, when he led from the gate.
Saturday’s Valley win in the Airitalia Handicap (1523m) was achieved with a sharp forward move, four deep, from the 800 metres to co-lead with 500 metres to run. In the short home stretch he was still full of running and came away to score well.
Similar to Lauding, Dashing Duchess (Tavistock) has a penchant for Moonee Valley as she put together back-to-back wins there in the Italian Chamber of Commerce Quality Handicap (2500m), her sixth win in 12 starts.
Content to sit a distant third with 800 metres to run, she went forward before they straightened and by the top of the straight took over. In the run home she was far too strong and won with ease.
Dashing Duchess has been through two sales rings. Her first was at Karaka at Book 1 of the 2021 NZB Yearling Sale but she failed to reach her reserve. Her second sales appearance was at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale of 2021 where she fetched $125,000. Saturday’s win took her earnings to $305,340.
Staying is her forte. Her half-sister Poppiholla (Pentire) finished second in the Adelaide Cup (Gr 2, 3200m) and Dashing Duchess will now be given her chance to notch some black-type, according to trainer Simon Wylde: “I think we’ll have a look at the Archer next month, provided her rating goes up enough to get her into that race. But there are plenty of other options around. She obviously likes Moonee Valley, so the Moonee Valley Gold Cup is another race we can think about as well.”
One of four winners from her dam, Dashing Duchess’s granddam, Candy (Grosvenor) is a stakes-winning sister to Captain Moonlight (Grosvenor),winner of a Group 1 at Ellerslie, a track he where he also finished second in the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).