Three for Headwater
New winners
Headwater – Vinery Stud stallion Headwater (Exceed And Excel) sired his third individual winner on Sunday when Aquagirl (2 f ex Galapagos Girl by Dehere) landed the Firstly Sprint 2YO (1000m) at Flemington’s Rapid Racing meeting. The Phillip Stokes-trained juvenile quickened up nicely under Dean Holland to post a half-length success and in doing so ensured Headwater lies second behind Spill The Beans (Snitzel) (four winners) in the race for the leading first season sire title by the metric of individual winners. Aquagirl was purchased by Dalziel Racing, Peter Moody and Stokes for $50,000 out of the Cressfield consignment at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and she is out of the dual Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Galapagos Girl (Dehere).
New Group / Grade 1 winners
O’Reilly – The Graham Richardson-trained Tiptronic (6 g ex Tiptoes by Pins), who finished second in last year’s renewal of the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), went one better on Saturday when prevailing by the minimum of margins in a photo finish. Triptonic became the 15th individual Group 1 winner and 95th individual stakes winner for the late Waikato Stud sire O’Reilly (Last Tycoon). The four-time champion sire died in 2015.
Redoute’s Choice – Late Arrowfield Stud flagbearer Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) sired his 37th individual Group 1 winner on Saturday when classy three-year-old Alabama Express (3 c ex Lago Ovation by Encosta De Lago) got the better of his elders in the C F Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield. Redoute’s Choice was euthanized at the age of 22 last March having covered 45 mares, at a fee of $137,500, during his final breeding season in 2018. He left a legacy that includes last year’s outstanding three-year-old and current Arrowfield resident The Autumn Sun, while he is set to be represented by one youngster at next month’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. She is catalogued as Lot 438.
Rip Van Winkle – Windsor Park Stud resident Rip Van Winkle (Galileo) sired his second Group 1 winner on Saturday when Doncaster Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) and Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) placegetter Te Akau Shark (5 g Bak da Chief by Chief Bearhart) gained a deserved top-flight success in the BCD Group Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m). Former Coolmore resident Rip Van Winkle stands at Windsor Park Stud for NZ$12,500 (plus GST) and Te Akau Shark joins Phoenix Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) winner Dick Whittington as the sire’s other elite-level scorer.
New Stakes winners
Arcano – A shock win for Rusumaat (6 g ex Queen Wasp by Shamardal) in Thursday’s Dubai Sprint Trophy (Listed, 1200m) at Meydan provided his sire Arcano (Oasis Dream) with his 14th individual stakes winner.
Blame – The Bob Baffert-trained Nadal (3 c ex Ascending Angel by Pulpit) made it two wins from as many starts with a three-quarters of a length success in the San Vicente Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) at Santa Anita on Sunday to provide Claiborne Farm resident Blame (Arch) with his 29th individual stakes winner. Nadal was bought by Kerri Radcliffe Bloodstock for US$700,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Gulfstream Two-Year-Olds Sale last March, while Blame will stand for a fee of US$35,000 this year.
Darci Brahma – The Oaks Stud resident Darci Brahma (Danehill) sired his 44th stakes winner on Thursday when Sinarahma (5 m ex Shez Sinsational by Ekraar) took out the Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Tauherenikau. Trained by Allan Sharrock, Sinarahma was securing her fifth success in 13 outings having run ninth in last year’s Manawatu Breeders (Gr 3, 2000m) – her only other start in stakes company. Darci Brahma stood for a fee of NZ$15,000 last year and he is the sire of ten individual Group 1 winners, including star New Zealand three-year-old Catalyst.
Footstepsinthesand – Mariafoot (3 f ex Maria Gabriella by Rock of Gibraltar) became the 61st individual stakes winner for Castle Hyde Stud resident Footstepsinthesand (Giant’s Causeway) when she claimed the Prix de la Californie (Listed, 1600m) at Cagnes-Sur-Mer on Sunday. Fooststepsinthesand will stand for a fee of €15,000 in 2020 and his progeny includes last year’s high-class European juvenile Mum’s Tipple.
Munnings – Venetian Harbor (3 f ex Sounds of the City by Street Cry) marked herself out as a possible Kentucky Oaks (Gr 1, 9f) contender when she romped to a nine and a quarter-length victory in the Las Virgenes Stakes (Gr 2, 8f) on the main track at Santa Anita on Saturday. A $110,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Ashview Farm consignment, Venetian Harbor has now won two of her three starts. Saturday’s wide-margin win over Gingham (Quality Road), who in turn was two and a half lengths clear of the third, Stellar Sound (Tapit), meant Venetian Harbor became the 37th individual stakes winner for Munnings (Speightstown).
My Admiration – Cryptic Wonder (3 g ex Abitcryptic by Bletchley Park) atoned for a short-head defeat on his last outing at Perth when making a successful transition to black-type company in the Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (RL, 1200m) to become the the first stakes winner for Westbury Park Stud resident My Admiration (Encosta de Lago) on Saturday. The Grant and Alana Williams-trained Cryptic Wonder has now won two of his three starts. My Admiration covered just 11 mares at a fee of $4,950 last year.
Shamardal – Former shuttler and Darley heavyweight Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) sired his 145th stakes winner on Sunday when Zargos (4 m ex Sister Rocks by Rock Hard Ten) landed the Bow Mistress Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Hobart. Tried in the Schweppes Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) as a three-year-old, Zargos has now won four of her 13 starts. Meanwhile, Kildangan Stud resident Shamardal will stand for a private fee in the northern hemisphere this year, and his progeny includes the Charlie Appleby-trained Pinatubo, who was crowned Europe’s champion two-year-old of 2019 with a lofty official rating of 128.
Snippetson – Scenic Lodge resident Snippetson (Snippets) sired his 14th individual stakes winner on Saturday when Gemma’s Son (2 c ex Princess Gemma by Dr Fong) took out the Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) at Pinjaara. Gemma’s Son won his first two outings over 1000 metres at Perth and improved for the step up to 1200 metres on Saturday, joining the likes of Fast Clip and My Poppette as stakes winners for Snippetson, who covered 65 mares at a fee of $6,600 last year.
Snitzel – Snitzel, Arrowfield’s champion sire and a son of Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), enjoyed a red-letter day at Caulfield on Saturday, siring a stakes double. Letzbeglam (2 f ex Miss Charming by Forestry) initiated proceedings when she took out the Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (Gr 2, 1100m) to make it two victories from as many starts. Later on the card, Sylvia’s Mother (4 m ex Found the One by Bel Esprit) made the breakthrough in Group company with a triumphant return in the Bellmaine Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m).
So You Think – Miss Siska (6 f So You Think ex Sing Hallelujah by Is It True) returned to action with an important first win in stakes company when she posted a hard-fought success in Saturday’s Carlyon Cup (Gr 3, 1600m) at Caulfield. Miss Siska’s win, her seventh in 25 starts, provided her sire So You Think (High Chaparral) with his 24th individual stakes winner. So You Think stands at Coolmore for a fee of $38,500.
Symboli Kris S – Cortesia (3c ex Ciel Et Mer by Jungle Pocket) provided his sire Symboli Kris S (Kris S) with a 31st individual stakes winner when posting a surprise victory in the Kisaragi Sho (Gr 3, 1800m) on the Kyoto turf on Sunday. The Takashi Suzuki-trained three-year-old has now won two of his six starts.
The Wow Signal – Late Swettenham Stud shuttler The Wow Signal (Starspangledbanner) sired his first stakes winner on Saturday when How Womantic (3 f ex Banderilla by Delzao) maintained her unbeaten record in the Kevin Hayes Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Caulfield. Owned by Al Shaqab and a resident of Haras de Bouquetot in France, The Wow Signal shuttled to Swettenham for one southern hemisphere breeding season, covering 43 mares in 2015. The sire of just ten runners worldwide, five of whom have won, The Wow Signal was plagued with fertility problems throughout his truncated time at stud. He died from complications as a result of laminitis in 2018.
Toorak Toff – The Michael Trinder-trained Toorak Affair (6 m ex Smooth Return by Redoute’s Choice) took out Sunday’s Hobart Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) to provide Tasmania-based sire Toorak Toff (Show A Heart) with his second stakes winner. Toorak Affair was registering her 12th win in 35th starts, albeit an overdue success at stakes level, and she joins Iconoclasm as stakes winners for her Kingsley Park-based sire. Toorak Toff covered nine mares at a fee of $3,850 last year, while an Alpine Eagle (High Chaparral) half-brother to the winner is set to be offered at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale. He is catalogued as Lot 82.