Nine for Sooboog
New first season sire winners
Sooboog
Kitchwin Hills Sooboog (Snitzel) continued his excellent start to life at stud as he landed a ninth individual winner, his second in three days, at Newcastle on Saturday. Victory looked unlikely for Bitcoin Baby (2 f ex Hard To Find by Elusive Quality), as she spotted the leader In Spades (Dissident) four lengths ahead entering the straight, but she flashed home to win in the final stride. Sent off the $3.40 favourite, in the same silks as Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux), Bitcoin Baby was making her debut for the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable. An $8,500 purchase out of the Inglis Digital December sale in 2019, she was resold as a yearling two months later, selling for $65,000 at the Inglis Classic Sale. Earlier in the week, the Darryl Ward-trained Dublin De Quo (2 f ex Jibina by Northern Meteor) brought up his eighth winner when scoring at Warwick. Sooboog, who sits third in the leading first season sires by winners table behind Capitalist (Written Tycoon) and Star Turn (Star Witness), will stand at Kitchwin Hills this season for an unchanged fee of $13,200 (inc GST).
New Group/Grade 1 winners
Galileo
Empress Josephine (3 f ex Lillie Langtry by Danehill Dancer) defeated her stablemate Joan Of Arc (Galileo) in the final stride of the Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) at the Curragh on Sunday, providing Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) with his 90th individual elite-level winner. Sent off at 14-1, the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly produced a late turn of foot to run down Joan Of Arc and score in a photo-finish, with No Speak Alexander (Shalaa) a length back in third. Unraced last season, Empress Josephine made a winning debut at Naas in March but had failed to score in two subsequent runs at Group 3 and Listed level. Out of dual Group 1 winner Lillie Langtry (Danehill Dancer), Empress Josephine is a sister to seven-time top-level winner Minding, who was second in this race in 2016. Galileo, the sire of 336 individual stakes winners, stands at Coolmore in Ireland for a private fee.
Gold Ship
Uberleben (3 f ex Meine Theresia by Roses in May) landed the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (Gr 1, 2400m), the second leg of the Triple Crown for fillies, at Tokyo, providing her sire Gold Ship (Stay Gold) with his first elite-level winner. Having been placed four times in Graded company, the Takahisa Tezuka-trained filly notched her first stakes success with a one-length win over Akaitorino Musume (Deep Impact), while rank outsider Hagino Pilina (Kizuna) was a nose further back in third. “She suffered from colic in February and has shown a slow but steady recovery,” winning jockey Mirco Demuro said. “She broke smoothly today and it did worry me a bit that we were dead last in the backstretch but she responded well when the pace accelerated from the third corner and showed her tenacity in steadily advancing in the straight. She was strong pulling away and holding off the others. The added distance wasn’t a problem for her at all. I’m thrilled – it’s always wonderful to win a Grade 1 race.” Gold Ship, the winner of six elite-level contests during his race career, is the sire of three stakes winners and stands at Big Red Farm in Japan.
Leroidesanimaux
A sensational display of dominance from the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki (6 g ex Kesara by Sadler’s Wells) saw the British import run riot in Saturday’s Doomben Cup. The Hollindale Stakes (Gr 2, 1800m) winner of a fortnight earlier, Zaaki was making just his fourth start in Australia having posted two wins at Group 3 level in his native UK, and defeated Toffee Tongue (Tavistock) by seven lengths, with Brandenburg (Burgundy) in third, a further two and a quarter lengths in arrears. Zaaki is the third individual Group 1 winner for Brazilian-bred stallion Leroidesanimaux (Candy Stripes), who now has as many Group 1 winners as he does at Group 2 and 3 level. The sire of emphatic Dubai World Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Animal Kingdom, Leroidesanimaux is also the sire of Argentine 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Una Cabeza. Leroidesanimaux died in 2016.
Power
Helvic Dream (4 g ex Rachevie by Danehill Dancer) narrowly got the better of odds-on favourite Broome (Australia) to land a thrilling edition of the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Gr 1, 1m2f) at the Curragh, providing Power (Oasis Dream) with his first winner at the highest level. The Noel Meade-trained gelding was neck and neck with the Aidan O’Brien-trained Broome during the final furlong and battled best to score in a photo, reversing the placings from the Mooresbridge Stakes (Gr 2, 1m2f) run at the track earlier in the month. True Self (Oscar), who landed the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 3, 2600m) at Flemington for the second time in November, was a length back in third. Helvic Dream is the first foal out of unraced mare Rachevie, who is also the dam of Group 3-placed filly Flirting Bridge (Camelot). Power, the sire of New Zealand-bred Group 2 winners Mighty Giant and Gift Of Power, will stand at Oaklands Stud for NZ$13,200 in 2021. The win provided Meade with his first Group 1 winner on the flat as a trainer and he said: “I just can’t believe it to be honest with you. I’m thrilled. I’ve been second in the Guineas twice and placed in Classics and Group 1s, fourth in the Epsom Derby, but that’s the first Group 1 winner. It means a lot.”
New stakes winners
Arcano
Four times stakes placed from five previous attempts, Cirano (3 c ex Concerto Finale by Footstepsinthesand) had his day on Sunday in the Premio Mauro Sbarigia (Listed, 1600m) at Rome and became the 16th individual stakes winner for his sire Arcano (Oasis Dream).
Cirano, who was recording his fourth win from 11 starts, forged through in the final furlong before grabbing the rail and grounding it out win by half a length from Convivio (Casamento) and Cantocorale (Helmet), who were split by a short head for second and third. Cirano’s dam Concerto Finale (Footstepsinthesand) was a winner and is a daughter of the stakes-placed Connessa (Invincible Spirit). Arcano started out at Derrinstown Stud in Ireland in 2011 but relocated to Allevamento di Besnate in 2016 where he has stood since and his fee this year was €5,000 (approx. $AU7,877).
Fastnet Rock
Champion sire Fastnet Rock’s (Danehill) 174th individual stakes winner – and 23rd of this season – arrived after the Chris Waller-trained Nudge (4 m ex Julinsky Princess by Stravinsky) flew over the top of the field in a fast-run Pam O’Neill Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) to claim her first success at stakes level. Nudge, a $380,000 purchase for her trainer and Guy Mulcaster Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2018, had hit the frame twice at stakes level, notably when third in the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) in 2018, but secured her first stakes success when notching a third career win at Doomben, defeating Yamazaki (Real Saga) by a length and a half, with Paradee (Epaulette) in third, a further three-quarters of a length adrift. Out of Julinsky Princess (Stravinsky), a three-time stakes winner and placegetter in the New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), Nudge is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner in New Zealand Julinsky Prince (Darci Brahma). Fastnet Rock stands at Coolmore Stud, where he commands a $165,000 fee in 2021.
Frankel (pictured above)
Frankel (Galileo) added another stakes winner to his tally, his 69th, when Mostahdaf (3 c ex Handassa by Dubawi) emerged as a serious contender for Royal Ascot honours by taking out the Heron Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Sandown on Thursday evening. Carrying the blue and white Shadwell silks, the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt made it three wins in as many starts as he made a successful turf debut with a smooth half-length victory over favourite Highland Avenue (Dubawi). Bullace (Toronado) was the same margin away in third. The homebred Mostahdaf, who is a half-brother to last season’s dual Group 1 winner Nazeef (Invincible Spirit), was given quotes of 5-1 for next month’s St James’s Palace Stakes by the northern hemisphere bookmakers following his latest success. Frankel stands at Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud near Newmarket for a fee of £175,000 (approx. AUD$320,000).
Goldencents
Nocentsinkentucky (4 g ex Greeley’s Geisha by Mr Greeley) landed the Jagersro Sprint (Listed, 1200m) on Sunday to provide Goldencents (Into Mischief) with his 12th individual stakes winner. The Fredrik Reuterskiöld-trained four-year-old, who was making his second start in stakes company after an unplaced effort in the UAE 2,000 Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m) last year, justified being sent off the short-priced favourite with a comfortable win over Gulfstream Tiger (Elusive Quality), taking his record to eight wins from 12 starts. Goldencents, a three-time Grade 1 winner in the United States, stands at Spendthrift Farm for a US$15,000 (approx. AU$19,400) service fee.
Golden Horn
Darley stallion Golden Horn (Cape Cross) sired his fourth individual stakes winner when Ad Infinitum (3 f ex Madame Hoi by Hawk Wing) overcame greenness to win the Height Of Fashion Stakes (Listed, 1m 2f) at Goodwood on Friday. The David Simcock-trained three-year-old crept from back in the field under Jamie Spencer to take up the running in the home straight and kept her rivals at bay through the final furlong to win by a length from Lady Hayes (Kodiac) with Aura Blue (Iffraaj) a further neck behind in third. The 25-1 chance scored at her second start, having finished fourth at 50-1 in a Kempton maiden over a mile and three furlongs in December. Ad Infinitum is a half-sister to US Grade 2 winner Nancy From Nairobi (Sixties Icon). Her dam, Madame Hoi (Hawk Wing), was stakes-placed and is a half-sister to Phoenix Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) runner-up Amadeus Mozart (Mozart), from the family of top level winners Fascinating Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Cesario (Special Week), as well as the Group1-placed multiple Group 2 winner Gothenberg (Polish Patriot). Golden Horn stands at Darley’s Dalham Hall at a fee of £20,000 (approx. AUD$36,600).
Hot Streak
Royal Ashirah (2 f ex Royal Visit by King’s Best) followed up her debut win last month and remained unbeaten on her second start in the Premio Alessandro Perrone (Listed, 1100m) at Rome to become the third individual stakes winner for Hot Streak (Iffraaj). The Sebastiano Guerrieri-trained juvenile tracked the pace and was driven through to win by a length from Lollipop Girl (Dandy Man), with the pacesetting Listening (Desert Prince) staying on for third. Royal Ashirah was a £13,000 Tattersalls Ireland September Sale purchase by Scuderia Semeso and she is out of Royal Visit (King’s Best), who is a half-sister to stakes-placed Colour Blue (Holy Roman Emperor) and to the dam of Group 1 winner and sire Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy). Former Tweenhills resident Hot Streak relocated to Haras d’Annebault this year where he stood for €3,500 (approx. AU$5,514).
Kodi Bear
Rathbarry Stud resident Kodi Bear (Kodiac) sired his fourth individual stakes winner when Diablotine (2 f ex Fridoline by Septieme Ciel) took her unbeaten record to two with victory in the Prix des Reves d’Or – Jacques Bouchara Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Vichy on Friday. Trained by Hubert De Nicolay, the filly followed up her five length debut win at Chantilly last month with a two and a half victory. Ma Noire (American Devil) filled second spot, with Glenall (Coulsty) another length and a half away in third. Group 2 winner Kodi Bear stands for a fee of €6,000 (approx. AUD$9,440).
Lonhro
Varda (4 m ex Wild Queen by Loup Sauvage) came from last to first in an extraordinary finishing burst to take out the Chiefs De Beers (Listed, 1110m) at Doomben on Saturday, and in the process become the 91st individual stakes winner for her sire Lonhro (Octagonal). The Godolphin-raced mare Varda was a debut winner as a two-year-old, and won four consecutive races last winter, including a half-length defeat of subsequent William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Masked Crusader (Toronado). Winless in three efforts at Listed level since, she bounced emphatically back to form, defeating long-time leader Kylease (Choisir) by three-quarters of a length, with Mishani Hustler (Exceedingly Good) in third. Lonhro, the sire of 12 elite-level winners, stands at Darley’s Kelvinside property for $66,000 in 2021.
Mastercraftsman
Former shuttler Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer) sired his 79th individual stakes winner when his daughter Tribal Craft (5 m ex Snoqualmie Star by Galileo) built on the promise of her return at Ascot last time out with a game victory in the Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 6f) at York on Saturday. The Andrew Balding-trained five-year-old was always travelling best of the seven strong field under David Probert, and she picked up well in the closing stages to go on and win by two and three-quarter lengths from Urban Artist (Cityscape). Makawee (Farhh) was another three-quarters of a length away in third. Now the winner of four of her 18 starts, Tribal Craft is out of the Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare Snoqualmie Star a half-sister to Listed winners Snoqualmie Girl (Montjeu) and Snoqualmie Boy (Montjeu), while third dam, the stakes placed Golden Rhyme (Dom Racine) is the dam of Racing Post Trophy (Gr 1, 1m) winner Seattle Rhyme (Seattle Dancer) and La Favorita (Seattle Dancer), from who Australian Group 1 winner Eagle Way (More Than Ready) as well as stakes winners Soaressa (Twining), Impressive Eagle (Rubiton), Impressive Eagle (Danewin) and this season’s Black Opal Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Kalashnikov (Capitalist) all descend. Mastercraftsman stands at Coolmore’s base in Ireland for a fee of €15,000 (approx. AUD$23,630).
Nathaniel
Nationalista (4 f ex Rime A Rien by Amadeus Wolf) got off the mark in stakes company when landing the Prix Haras du Lion (Listed, 2000m) at Le Lion d’Angers on Sunday, earning Nathaniel (Galileo) his 23rd individual stakes winner. The Mathieu Brasme-trained four-year-old finished fourth at Listed level last start but improved on that run to defeat Control Tower (Youmzain) by a length, with Tree Valentine (Fastnet Rock) the same distance further behind in third. Out of Rime A Rien (Amadeus Wolf), Nationalista is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Soffia (Kyllachy). Nathaniel, the sire of wondermare Enable, stands at Newsells Park Stud for a fee of £15,000 (approx. AU$27,451).
Night Of Thunder
Former Darley shuttler Night Of Thunder (Dubawi) sired his 20th individual stakes winner when his daughter Sopran Basilea (3 f ex Kathy Best by King’s Best) posted her second win in four starts by taking out the Premio Mario Incisa Della Rochetta (Listed, 2000m) at Milan on Saturday. Zelandia (Olympic Glory) finished second with La Gualtiera (Arcano) filling third spot.
Pivotal
Earlswood (3 c ex Field Of Miracles by Galileo) took out the Gallinule Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2f) at the Curragh on Sunday to earn Pivotal (Polar Falcon) his 154th individual stakes winner. The Johnny Murtagh-trained colt, who gained a free entry to the Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) with the win and is also entered in the Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) on June 5, pulled clear of Arturo Toscanini (Galileo) in the closing stages to score by one and three-quarter lengths. Snapraeterea (Buratino) was another three lengths back in third. Earlswood, who placed at Listed level at Chester on his previous start, is the third winner from as many runners out of Group 2-placed mare Field Of Miracles (Galileo). Pivotal, the sire of 32 individual top-level winners, was retired from stud duties at Cheveley Park Stud earlier this year aged 28.
Proisir
Trying for the sixth time in stakes company, the Lucy Tanner-trained Belle Plaisir (4 m ex Eden by Zeditave) claimed valuable black type as she won Saturday’s Rangitikei Gold Cup (Listed, 1600m) on her home track at Awapuni. Sent off a $23 chance, Belle Plaisir defeated Quiz Kid (Iffraaj) by a length and a quarter, with Hartley (Azamour) two and a half lengths behind the winner in third. With victory she became the fifth individual stakes winner for fledgling Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir (Choisir), who earned a fee increase to NZ$12,500 for his seventh season at stud.
Protectionist
Amazing Grace (3 f ex Amabelle by Danehill Dancer) broke her maiden in style on her fifth start when taking out the Diana Trial (Gr 2, 2000m) at Berlin-Hoppegarten to become the second individual stakes winner for Protectionist (Monsun). The Waldemar Hickst-trained three-year-old was held up by Rene Piechulek and she came wide and picked up well in the straight to run down Noble Heidi (Intello) and win by three–quarters of a length, while Theodora (Ito) was a further length and a half back in third. Amazing Grace was second on debut at Chantilly last July and returned to run second in a Listed race at Cologne in September and third in the Preis der Winterkönigin (Gr 3, 1600m) in October, before running fifth on her seasonal reappearance and only other start earlier this month. She is out of the Listed winner Amabelle (Danehill Dancer) and joins Lambo, who landed the Bavarian Classic (Gr 3, 2000m) on May 1, as the first two stakes winners for Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Protectionist, who stands at Gestut Rottgen for €6,500 (approx. AU$10,240).
Sea The Stars
It proved to be third time lucky in Group company for Sea Of Sands (3 c ex Salve Haya by Peintre Celebre) when he landed the Derby Trial (Gr 3, 2000m) at Berlin-Hoppegarten on Sunday, having placed at Group 3 level on his previous two starts. The Jean-Pierre Carvalho-trained colt got the better of favourite Lord Charming (Charm Spirit) by a head, with Vallando (Lord Of England) two lengths behind the winner in third. Sea Of Sands is the fourth winner from as many to race out of three-time winner Salve Haya (Peintre Celebre), while her second dam is the German Champion Salve Regina (Monsun). The win provided Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) with his 79th individual stakes winner and the six-time Group 1 winner stands at Gilltown Stud in Ireland for a fee of €150,000 (approx. AU$236,315).
Star Witness
Widden Stud’s Star Witness (Starcraft) scored his 20th individual stakes winner courtesy of the Chris Munce-trained Rhapsody Rose (2 f ex Ritzy by Medaglia D’Oro), who claimed the Bill Carter Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Doomben on Saturday. A $120,000 purchase from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Bitcoin Baby held off the Chris Waller-trained pair Hoover Lucy (No Nay Never) and Morioka (Maurice) by a neck and half-length margins respectively. She is the first foal out of the Medaglia D’Oro (El Prado) mare Ritzy, who was a $500,000 yearling from the Inglis Easter sale. Ritzy, who has a Dundeel (High Chaparral) weanling colt, is a half-sister to VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) and BMW Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Fiveandahalfstar (Hotel Grand). Star Witness enters his 11th season at Widden Stud, where he will stand for a fee of $16,500.
Twilight Son
Twilight Son (Kyllachy) sired his second individual stakes winner when Twilight Spinner (3 f ex Spinatrix by Diktat) posted a wide-margin success on soft going in the Cecil Frail Stakes (Listed, 6f) at Haydock on Friday. The David O’Meara-trained filly had shown promise when following a debut third at Pontefract with a comfortable win at Ripon two weeks ago. This time, the lightly-weighted Twilight Spinner raced at the tail under Shane Gray before switching out and looming upside the lead with a furlong to race. When asked to quicken, she burst clear for a six-and-a-half-length victory over Ventura Diamond (Dandy Man) with another length back to Mamba Wamba (Mehmas) in third. Twilight Spinner is out of the stakes-placed ten-time winner Spinatrix (Diktat) from the family of the Redcar 2YO Trophy (Listed, 6f) victor Dubai Dynamo (Kyllachy), the winner of 18 races in all, and his Woodcote Stakes (Listed, 6f)-winning full-brother Sadeek. Twilight Spinner is from the first crop of dual Group 1 winner Twilight Son who stands at Cheveley Park Stud for a fee of £5,000 (approx. AUD$9,150).