Royal Meeting on the board with Hayasugi
Bargain weanling purchase Hayasugi (Royal Meeting) became the first winner – and stakes-winner – for her Victoria-based sire in producing a storming finish to take out the fillies’ Blue Diamond Preview (Gr 3, 1000m) at Caulfield yesterday.
Bought by James Bester Bloodstock and associates at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale of 2022 for just $47,500, the Fairhill Farm-bred Hayasugi surged home late after settling seventh in the nine-horse field to nab debutant Tobeornottobe (Pierata) on the line.
In denying Pierata (Pierro) a second stakes-winner following Coleman’s success at the same course in October’s MRC Debutant Stakes (L, 1000m), Hayasugi in fact allowed Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) to emulate his fellow Victorian first-season sire by scoring in black type with his first success.
Bred by Darley in Ireland, Royal Meeting won Chantilly’s Criterium International (Gr 1, 1400m) at two before importation to Australia, where, after a year’s break he debuted with a third in the Moonga Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) of 2019.
That helped make him a $12 shot for Flemington’s Cantala Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) but after finishing a distant last he was retired. The winner that day was Fierce Impact (Deep Impact), who now stands alongside Royal Meeting at Leneva Park in the Victorian breeding belt.
Royal Meeting has now stood four seasons at Leneva on an $11,000 service fee and after four runners so far, the Clinton McDonald-trained Hayasugi has put the stallion firmly in line for a chance at major headlines next month.
Bookmakers responded to yesterday’s win under Jamie Kah by shortening Hayasugi to $11 for the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Caulfield on February 24. She’s on the fourth line of betting behind yesterday’s slightly faster males’ Preview winner High Octane (Deep Field), and is the third-ranked filly behind the Hayes Brothers’ Inglis Banner (RL, 1000m) winner Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau, $6) and Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s Merson Cooper Stakes (L, 1000m) winner Eneeza (Exceed And Excel, $8).
Yesterday was Hayasugi’s third start after debuting with a three-length second to Bold Bastille in the Inglis Banner on Cox Plate day, before a fading fifth in the Ottawa Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) on VRC Oaks day.
“She’s done a terrific job because she’s only had the one trial leading in and it was quite a soft trial. She was meant to have two but the second trials got cancelled because of the weather,” McDonald said of Hayasugi, who drew gate eight yesterday.
“There’s a lot of improvement to come, and I thought it was a really good win. She had to do it tough. She was back, had to find the line, probably petered on her run with 50 metres to go, but she was tough enough to win.”
McDonald said the 1200 metres of the Blue Diamond would be ‘right up her alley’”.
“She’s not a 1000-metre horse, that’s for sure,” he said. “She shows us at home she’s got a really good turn of foot, and we’re hoping that will show up over six furlongs.”
Hayasugi is the fifth foal of the unraced Nick Moraitis-bred mare China Road (Commands), and may be a rare commodity in more ways than one. China Road missed on her subsequent five covers after bearing Hayasugi. She was last served by Jacquinot (Rubick) in November, with Fairhill Farm’s Mike O’Donnell no doubt hoping this mating works.
In a race featuring seven debutants, the fillies’ preview was a wide open betting affair, with six of the nine runners between $5 and $6, and Hayasugi an easing $5.50 chance.
The Widden Stud-bred Tobeornottobe put up a stern fight to almost lead all the way on debut. Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained debutants and $5 equal favourites Matisse (Microphone) and Shehungthemoon (I Am Invincible) took third and fourth, ahead of $6 hopes Mind Shift (Written Tycoon) and Bella Corazon (I Am Invincible).