Lean Mean Machine impresses in The Run To The Rose
Lean Mean Machine was well back early and took a rails run turning for home only to be bumped badly half-way down the straight, but was still able to produce a powerful finishing burst to defeat the favourite Graff (Star Witness) by three-quarters of a length in what was a soft victory at the line. Jonker (Spirit of Boom) was a short neck further back in third place after leading.
Graff covered a lot of ground to lose his unbeaten record but is still a major Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) contender while fourth placed Zousain (Zoustar), a look alike of his father, will be improved by the race.
Last seen as a late two-year-old when well back behind The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) in the BRC J J Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) on June 9, Lean Mean Machine gave a glimpse of his potential a start earlier when he defeated Zousain in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1350m) at Doomben on May 26, but after Saturday’s outstanding performance he may well capture a Group 1 during the spring.
A tall, rangy, good looking colt, Lean Mean Machine was a $250,000 Gold Coast yearling buy at Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for Aquis, Raffles Racing and Julian Blaxland’s Blue Sky Bloodstock, having been bred and sold by Queensland’s Glenlogan Park Stud.
Julian Blaxland was more than a little familiar with the colt’s dam She’s Meaner (Falvelon) as he had purchased her as a yearling. She’s Meaner developed into a very speedy, precocious juvenile for the Gai Waterhouse stable, winning on debut in Sydney before repeating in the Magic Millions 2YO Slipper (1100m) at Wyong and making it three straight in the BTC Tommy Smith Slipper (Listed,1200m) before going down narrowly to Augusta Proud (More Than Ready) in the 2008 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) at the Gold Coast.
By champion sprinter Falvelon (Alannon), twice winner of the Doomben 10,000 (Gr 1, 1350m) and also a star in Hong Kong, She’s Meaner must have been a stunning type as a yearling as she made $300,000, but her stakes winning dam She’s a Meanie (Prince Salieri) was to produce another great individual and a far superior racehorse as her next foal, the colt Love Conquers All (Mossman), a five time stakes winner of $1,380,000 who was also runner up in three Group 1 events.
Love Conquers All is now compiling a growing list of useful winners as a sire for Sun Stud, now standing in Victoria after beginning his breeding career in Queensland.
New Zealand bred and raced She’s a Meanie, second dam of Lean Mean Machine, defied her somewhat unfashionable pedigree to become a high class performer, winning seven races from 1200 metres to 2200 metres with her most important victories coming in the Avondale Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2200m) and in the Bay of Plenty Thames Valley Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m). She also registered five stakes placings up to Group 1 level.
Her sire Prince Salieri (Salieri) was bred and raced in Australia but spent his stud career in New Zealand where from limited opportunities he left two other black type winners in Australia, Citra’s Prince and Mustang Red.
Prince Salieri was a racehorse of considerable class, a winner of six stakes races highlighted by victories in the QTC Castlemaine Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) as a late two-year-old and three years later the VATC Underwood Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at the expense of Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Subzero (Kala Dancer). His other major wins were in the VATC T.S. Carlyon Cup (Gr 2, 2000m), the VRC Blamey Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) and two editions of the VATC Moondah Plate (Listed, 1200m).
It is interesting to note that Prince Salieri’s dam Caitie’s Kingdom (Planet Kingdom) is out of VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Kiss Me Cait (Showdown), also a dual stakes winner at two years over sprint distances.
From a moderately successful New Zealand family, Lean Mean Machine has a nice mix of speed and stamina in his breeding background including three crosses of breed shaping sire Star Kingdom (Stardust), two via ultra fast brothers Star of Heaven (Star Kingdom) and Biscay (Star Kingdom).
Lean Mean Machine’s sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor) was Australia’s leading first crop sire last season and already that initial crop has yielded two other stakes winners, the tough and brilliant filly Sunlight and the previously mentioned Zousain, in whom Widden Stud has recently purchased an interest with a view to standing him in the future.
Now permanently based at the historic Widden Stud in NSW, Zoustar is fully booked this spring at his increased service fee of $60,500, and at the end of the year will shuttle to Britain for the first time.