Third for Almanzor
New winners
Almanzor (pictured above) – Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) recorded his third New Zealand winner when Dimaggio (2 g ex Pinstripe by Pins) scored on debut at Hastings on Saturday. Sent out as the favourite in the 1300-metre contest, the Tony Pike-trained Dimaggio got up in the final strides to defeat Shanlord (Savabeel) with Unscripted (Wrote) third of the three runners, but beaten only two lengths. Dimaggio joins Karaka Million 2YO (RL, 1200m) winner Dynastic and Awapuni maiden scorer Trav as New Zealand winners for the Cambridge Stud shuttler, who is set to be crowned champion first-season sire in the country. The son of Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) has also had two winners in Australia and he stood for $30,000 (plus GST) in 2021.
Heroic Valour – Heroic Boy (2 g ex Colonial Lass by General Nediym) got off the mark at the fifth attempt in a 1200-metre maiden at Townsville on Thursday to provide the Raheen Stud-based first season sire Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock) with an eighth individual Australian winner. Trained by Roy Chillemi and ridden by Stephen Wilson, the 6-4 favourite ran out a comfortable three and a quarter-length winner over Blondie’s Secret (Dissident) with a further one and a quarter lengths back to Rock The Box (Jukebox) in third. A $72,500 purchase at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, the two-year-old gelding is out of the stakes-placed General Nediym (Nediym) mare Colonial Lass and is a half-brother to several winners. Heroic Valour stood last season for a fee of $7,700 (inc. GST).
Jungle Cat – Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Jungle Cat (Iffraaj) made the perfect start to his stallion career when his daughter Miss Jungle Cat (2 f ex Honky Tonk Sally by Dansili) won on her debut at Musselburgh on Saturday. Trained by Karl Burke, the newcomer kept on to beat Explicit (Expert Eye) by a length and a quarter in the novice contest over five furlongs. Little Betty (Bobby’s Kitten) finished two and three-quarter lengths behind the winner in third. A 60,000gns purchase from the Tattersalls Somerville sale. Miss Jungle Cat is the ninth foal out of the juvenile winner Honky Tonk Sally (Dansili) who herself is a half-sister to a two-year-old Group 3 winner. Telemon Stud resident Jungle Cat shuttled to the northern hemisphere for a single season. His first Australian crop are due to hit the track later this year.
Kobayashi – The Kevin Kemp-trained Mishani Mistress (2 f ex Mishani Mystery by Benfica) made it fifth-time-lucky when she scored in Thursday’s Focus Hr Handicap (1100m) at Toowoomba and in doing so provided Aquis Farm stallion Kobayashi (I Am Invincible) with his second winner. Ridden by Montanna Savva, the two-year-old filly went off the 11-8 favourite and ran out a one and a quarter length winner over Slinky’s Star (Stratum Star) with a further length back to Hattusa (Spirit Of Boom) in third. Bred by the ever-present Mishani Enterprises, Mishani Mistress is out of the Benfica (Lonhro) mare Mishani Mystery and is a half-sister to Rockhampton maiden winner Mishani Trouble (Mahisara). Kobayashi stood in 2021 for $3,300 (inc. GST).
Satono Aladdin – The Gary Vile-trained Hokkaido (2 g ex Justlikeyasister by Gold Centre) made a winning debut over 1100 metres at Otaki on Thursday and in doing so provided Rich Hill Stud shuttler Satano Aladdin (Deep Impact) with his second first-crop winner in New Zealand. The two-year-old gelding defeated O’Riordan (Proisir) by three-quarters of a length with Kaaptivating (Press Statement) another quarter of a length away in third. Bred and part-owned by his trainer, Hokkaido is one of two winners out of five-time winner Justlikeyasister (Gold Centre) and she is herself a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Wazawatsyn (Tuscany Flyer). Satano Aladdin is the sire of 18 winners in his native Japan and he stood for a fee of $12,500 (plus GST) in New Zealand last season.
US Navy Flag – July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) hero US Navy Flag (War Front) got off the mark as a stallion when his son Ocean Vision (2 c ex Balaagha by Mr Greeley) made a successful debut at Dundalk on Tuesday evening. The March-born colt overcame greeness to keep on well and beat Lady Tilbury (Bated Breath) by three-quarters of a length with favourite Tiger Paw (Sioux Nation) the same margin away in third. Ocean Vision is the eighth foal out of the winning and Listed-placed Balaagha (Mr Greeley) who cost Shadwell US$750,000 from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2007. Shuttler US Navy Flag stands this season for a fee of €12,500 (approx. AU$18,255) at Coolmore’s Castlehyde Stud.
New Group / Grade 1 winners
Drefong – Shadai Stallion Station’s Drefong (Gio Ponti) sired his first elite-level winner when his son Geoglpyh (3 c ex Aromatico by King Kamehameha) emerged victorious in a thrilling finish to Sunday’s Satsuki Sho (Gr 1, 1600m), the Japanese 2,000 Guineas, at Nakayama. The Tetsuya Kimura-trained colt beat Equinox (Kitasan Black) by a length in a frenetic climax which saw favourite Do Deuce (Heart’s Cry) flash home to finish two and a quarter lengths behind the winner in third. Geoglyph now has three wins from his five starts, having also scored in Grade 3 company. US Champion Sprinter and three-time Grade 1 winner Drefong stands at Shadai Stallion Station for a fee of ¥7,000,000 (approx. AU$74,875).
Extreme Choice – Newgate Farm stallion Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) may have only had 38 individual starters from his first two crops, including just four current two-year-olds, but he brought up his second Group 1 winner when She’s Extreme (2 f ex Keysbrook by So Secret) took out the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick. Runner-up to Fireburn (Rebel Dane) in the Inglis Sires’ (Gr 1, 1400m), the Anthony Cummings-prepared She’s Extreme turned the tables on Saturday, defeating her old sparring partner by a long neck with five and a quarter lengths back to Fernhill Handicap (Listed, 1600m) winner Williamsburg (Snitzel) in third. Extreme Choice stood for a private fee in 2021 and his fee for 2022 is yet to be announced.
Speightstown – The Roger Attfield-trained Shirl’s Speight (5 h ex Perfect Shirl by Perfect Soul) provided his sire Speightstown (Gone West) with a 24th individual top-flight success when he just got up in the dying strides to win the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Keeneland on Friday. Ridden by Luis Saez, the five-year-old stayed on well at the finish to get the better of the 9-5 favourite Masen (Kingman) by a nose with just a neck further back to Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute). The fourth foal out of the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1, 11f)-winning Perfect Soul (Sadler’s Wells) mare Perfect Shirl, herself a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Shakespeare (Theatrical) and to Grade 2 winner Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical), Shirl’s Speight is a brother to the winner Perfect Speighty.
New stakes winners
Aclaim – Aclaim (Acclamation) sired his first stakes winner when his daughter Cachet (3 f ex Poyle Sophie by Teofilo) proved to be a cut above her rivals in Tuesday’s Nell Gwyn Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at Newmarket, a performance which set her up for a tilt at Classic glory next month. Highly tried as a juvenile, the George Boughey-trained Cachet was winning for the second time in her career as she carried the Highclere colours to victory under William Buick. Cachet ran through the line strongly to beat Almohandesah (Postponed) by two and a half lengths with Hello You (Invincible Spirit) another length and three-quarters away in third. A 60,000gns purchase at last season’s Craven Breeze-Ups, Cachet is the third foal out of the placed Teofilo (Galileo) mare Poyle Sophie. Aclaim stands at the National Stud in Newmarket for a fee of £6,000 (approx. AU$10,450).
Belardo – Haunui Farm shuttler Belardo (Lope De Vega) registered his seventh stakes winner – and his first in Australia – when Verona (3 f ex Spamalot by Stravinsky) took out Saturday’s Frank Packer Plate (Gr 3, 2000m) at her second local start. Originally prepared by South Auckland-based trainer Jenna Mahoney, she was purchased by clients of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in January and shifted stables in February. Sent out at 20-1, William Pike brought her through between runners and she hit the line powerfully to score by a length and a half over Maurice’s Medad (Maurice) with favourite Straight Arron (Fastnet Rock) good in third, a long head behind the runner-up. Originally an $8,000 yearling from the Haunui Farm draft at the 2020 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, the filly took her earnings past $132,000 with this latest win. Belardo, who will shuttle from Darley’s Kildangan Stud for the sixth season in 2022, stood for $10,000 (plus GST) in 2021.
Bel Esprit – Former Widden Victoria stallion Bel Esprit (Royal Academy) brought up his 26th individual stakes winner yesterday when Je Suis Belle (5 m ex Licorice Stick by Lonhro) took out the Ascot Handicap (Listed, 1000m) at Eagle Farm. The Mark Currie-trained mare, who has never finished further back than fourth in 17 starts, settled well back in a race filled with speed before flying home to defeat Shooting For Gold (Shooting To Win) by a length and a quarter with a further length and a half to favourite Zoustyle (Zoustar) in third. An $80,000 Inglis Classic yearling, Je Suis Belle took her earnings to $330,900. She descends from top mare Ice Cream Sundae (Sovereign Red) and is closely related to Group 1 winner Flavour (Rubiton). Bel Esprit – best known as the sire of unbeaten champion mare Black Caviar – was pensioned recently.
Camelot – Coolmore Stud-based sire Camelot (Montjeu) brought up his 43rd individual stakes winner – and only his third bred in the southern hemisphere – when Swords Drawn (6 g ex Sarvon by Zabeel) took out the Hawke’s Bay Cup (Listed, 2200m) at Hastings. Coming off a solid fifth in the Auckland Cup (Gr 2, 3200m), the Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained Swords Drawn unleashed a big run down the centre of the Hastings track to defeat Leaderboard (Street Cry) by three-quarters of a length with Aquaoir (Ocean Park) a further two lengths away in third. It was a career highlight for the gelding, purchased for $140,000 from Karaka in 2017. Camelot’s progeny includes Australian stakes winners Sir Dragonet, Russian Camelot, Hunting Horn and King Of Leogrance.
Charm Spirit – Former shuttler Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit) brought up his 13th individual stakes winner when Johny Johny (4 g ex Galway by Savabeel) took out the Finance Sprint (Listed, 1200m) at Hastings. Sent out the $3.30 favourite, the Tim and Margaret Carter-prepared Johny Johny scored a strong win in the feature, defeating Gospodin (Proisir) by half a length with a further three-quarters of a length back to Cavallo Veloce (Charm Spirit) in third. It was Johny Johny’s fifth win from eight starts and it made him the fifth subsequent stakes winner to have come out of November’s Counties Bowl (Listed, 1100m) at Te Rapa, joining Group 1 winners Levante (Proisir) and Roch ‘n’ Horse (Per Incanto), Group 2 winner Gino Severini (Fastnet Rock) and Group 3 victor Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard). Charm Spirit did not shuttle to Windsor Park Stud in 2021.
Daiwa Major – Shadai stallion Daiwa Major (Sunday Silence), added to his tally of stakes winners when Reciprocate (6 h ex Affectionate by Distorted Humor) struck in the Keiyo Stakes (Listed, 6f) at Nakayama on Sunday. Trained by Ippo Sameshima, Godolphin’s Reciprocate was winning for the fifth time in his 28 starts to date as he beat Apollo Bibi (Apollo Kingdom) by two and a half lengths. Lord Ace (A Shin Forward) was a neck away in third. Bred by Darley Japan, Reciprocate traces back to the family of Bago (Nureyev) and Maxios (Monsun). Daiwa Major stands for a private fee.
Fast Company – Checkandchallenge (3 c ex Likeable by Dalakhani) provided the late Fast Company (Danehill Dancer) with his 21st individual stakes winner when he scored a cosy success in the Burradon Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Newcastle on Friday. Trained by William Knight, the three-year-old colt beat Dubai Poet (Lope De Vega) by one and a half lengths with a further nose back to the luckless third Imperial Fighter (The Gurkha). Now unbeaten in two starts,Checkandchallenge was a 35,000gns buy for agent Richard Knight out of Book 2 at the 2020 Tattersalls October sale. He is the eighth foal out of the unraced mare Likeable (Dalakhani), herself a half-sister to Group 2 winner Alkaadhem (Green Desert). Checkandchallenge is a half-brother to winners Phijee (Sepoy), White Shaheen (Makfi), Inexes (Exceed And Excel) and Catch My Breath (Bated Breath).
Frankel – Frankel (Galileo) sired his 88th individual stakes winner when Baratti (4 h ex Binche by Woodman), a brother to Kingston Town Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) winner and Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) runner-up Finche, won the Prix Lord Seymour (Listed, 2400m) at Longchamp on Sunday. The Juddmonte-bred and raced four-year-old is now the winner of five races from seven starts and added a second win this season after scoring at Chantilly in March. Champion sire Frankel stands at Juddmonte Farms where he commands a fee of £200,000 (approx. AU$353,210).
Heeraat – Dark Angel’s (Acclamation) son Heeraat sired his third individual stakes winner when White Lavender (4 f ex Goodnight And Joy by Rip Van Winkle) ran on well to comfortably land the Lansdown Stakes (Listed, 5f) at Bath on Thursday evening. Making her British debut, the Karl Burke-trained filly was winning for the second time in eight starts as she came home a length and a half in front of Hellomydarlin (Galileo Gold). Get Ahead (Showcasing) was a nose behind the runner-up in third. White Lavender is the first foal out of Goodnight And Joy (Rip Van Winkle), a half-sister to Hong Kong Group 1 winner Xtension (Xaar) and also Beatrix Potter (Cadeaux Genereux), the dam of Champion Sprinter and Darley sire Harry Angel (Dark Angel). Group 3 winner Heeraat stands in Sweden.
Intello – Junko (3 g ex Lady Zuzu by Dynaformer) remained unbeaten when he landed a third career success and first at stakes level by winning the Prix Noailles (Gr 3, 2100m) at Longchamp on Sunday as his sire Intello (Galileo) recorded a one-two finish. The Andre Fabre-trained gelding, a homebred for Wertheimer and Frere, defeated Maximus (Intello) by a neck with Garachico (Ribchester) in third, a further three-quarters of a length adrift. Junko became the 20th individual stakes winner for Haras du Quesnay sire Intello (Galileo), who stands for a fee of €8,000 (approx. AU$11,700) this year.
Medaglia D’Oro – Former Darley shuttler Medaglia D’Oro (El Prado) registered his 165th individual stakes winner when Mamounia (3 f ex Marrakesh by Lonhro), a three-quarter sister to Group 1-winning sprinter and fellow Darley stallion Astern (Medaglia d’Oro), took out the Galilee Series Final (Listed, 2400m) at Caulfield. Sent out as favourite on the back of her third in the Adrian Knox Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) at Randwick, Mamounia proved too classy for The Cunning Fox (Reliable Man), who stuck to his task gamely but fell three-quarters of a length short. Catching the eye from well back was another filly in Fearentless (Fiorente), who flew home for third a length and three-quarters from the winner. Mamounia’s dam Marrakesh (Lonhro) was the first foal out of Essaouira (Exceed And Excel), who has made her name at stud by producing Group 1-winning pair Astern and Alizee (Sepoy) as well as stakes placegetters Mogador (Lonhro) and Tassort (Brazen Beau). Medaglia d’Oro, who last shuttled to Australia in 2017, currently stands at Darley’s Jonabell Farm in Kentucky for US$100,000 (approx. AU$135,000).
Morpheus – Frankel’s half-brother Morpheus (Oasis Dream) sired his first stakes winner when Navratilova (5 m ex High Vintage by High Chaparral) served it up to her rivals in the Preis Des Gestuts Rottgen (Listed, 1600m) at Hoppegarten on Sunday. The Toni Potters-trained five-year-old was winning for the fourth time in 11 starts as she beat Chic Cherie (Muhaarar) and Stella (Neatico). A €9,000 purchase at the Goffs Open Yearling Sale, Navratilova is a half-sister to the Group 2-placed Beautiful Vintage (Zebedee). Morpheus stands at Haras de Toury for a fee of €2,800 (approx. AU$4,095).
Olden Times – The Roger Varian-trained Eydon (3 c ex Moon Mountain by Frankel) produced a shock performance to win the Feilden Stakes (Listed, 1m 1f) at Newmarket on Thursday and in the process handed Olden Times (Darshaan) his third individual stakes winner. The three-year-old pulled away smartly in the final furlong to beat Masekela (El Kabeir) by a comfortable three and a quarter lengths with Austrian Theory (Awtaad) another three-quarters of a length back in third. Bred by Nawara Stud and raced by Prince Faisal, who raced Olden Times, Eydon is the first winner out of the Frankel mare Moon Mountain and she is herself a half-sister to French Listed winner Arctic Gyr (Invincible Spirit) and fellow stakes scorer Festivale (Invincible Spirit). Eydon – who is one of only two foals from Olden Times’s three-year-old crop – and he joins Group 2 scorer Times Up and stakes scorer Off Chance as the stallion’s other black-type winners.
Pastorius – Haras de la Hetraie-based Pastorius (Soldier Hollow) sired his fourth individual stakes winner courtesy of Lord Leoso’s (7 g ex Lomitas Dream by Lomitas) victory in the Altano-Rennen (Listed, 2800m) at Hoppegarten on Sunday. The seven-year-old gelding came into the race off the back two previous wins and he continued his good form when beating Nubius (Dylan Thomas) by three lengths. Sir Polski (Polish Vulcano) was a further three-quarters of a length away in third. Pastorius stands for a fee of €5,800 (approx. AU$8,480).
Pioneerof The Nile – Tawny Port (3 c ex Livi Makenzie by Macho Uno) transferred his synthetic form to dirt as he booked himself a place in the Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 10f) with a win in Saturday’s Lexington Stakes (Gr 3, 8.5f) and in the process became the 44th individual stakes winner for the late Pioneerof The Nile (Empire Maker). Placed in Graded company previously, the Brad Cox-trained colt was winning for the third time in his five starts as he beat Major General (Constitution) by a length. Favourite In Due Time (Not This Time) was another length and a half away in third. Tawny Port was a US$430,000 purchase at the 2020 September Yearling Sale. Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, he is out of the stakes-winning, graded-placed Macho Uno (Holy Bull) mare Livi Makenzie . He is the first stakes winner of her five foals, one of which is unraced. That unraced foal is a yearling filly by Always Dreaming (Bodemeister).
Rommel – Mogumber Park stallion Rommel (Commands) recorded his second takes winner when Snowdome (2 c ex Snow Pixie by Snitzel) took out the WATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Ascot. Sent out the $4 favourite in an open market, Snowdome led up and prevailed for trainer Neville Parnham and his rider son Chris, scoring by just under a length over All The King’s Men (King’s Troop) with Kosta’s Crown (Supido) another nose away in third. Descending from the Aga Khan’s family that has produced the likes of dual Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) winner Shahrastani (Nijinsky), Prix de Diane (Gr 1, 2100m) heroine Shemaka (Nishapour) and recent Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) runner-up Sheraz (Sea The Stars), Snowdome is the second foal out of the unraced mare Snow Pixie (Snitzel). Rommel stood for $4,400 (inc GST) in 2021.
Shalaa – Arrowfield Stud-based sire Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) looks to have a smart three-year-old among his 2019 crop after Welwal (3 c ex Cheriearch by Arch) landed the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr 3, 1600m) at Longchamp on Sunday and in doing so became the sixth individual stakes winner for his sire. A winner twice as a two-year-old, the colt finished second on his first start this season, but he showed he was a force to be reckoned with in the Classics when beating Mathletic (Kingman) into second. Making Moovies (Dabirsim) came home in third. Purchased by the Mandore International Agency for €80,000 at the Arqana Select Deauville Yearling Sale, Welwal is out of Listed winner Cheriearch (Arch), making him a three-quarter brother to the stakes-placed Epistrophy (Charm Spirit). Shalaa shuttled to Arrowfield Stud from Haras de Bouquetot, but now stands exclusively at the New South Wales-based nursery where his fee last season was $44,000 (inc GST).