Monday, August 16, 2010

STARS AT OAKLANDS

There’s a lot to be said for timing and Eliza Park’s decision to enter a number of broodmares and mixed stock at this week’s Inglis August Thoroughbred Sale should pay dividends: particularly where Spectrum mare Star of Venus is concerned.
Although unraced herself, the ‘form’ around Star of Venus is very strong with a lot of black type on that catalogue page: what you won’t find under Lot 75 in the catalogue though is the 7 August victory of Elusive Touch (out of the multiple Group winner Shelbourne Lass, a half sister to Star of Venus).
Trained by Mark Kavanagh, Elusive Touch has won four of nine outings including a last start victory in the Auries Star-G3 at Flemington to take his earnings over a quarter of million dollars.
Meanwhile, other entries include Group Two winner Moralee, mares in foal to Magnus, Shinzig, God’s Own, Written Tycoon, Delago Brom, Bernardini, an unraced God’s Own filly and colt, multiple city winner Lovely Rita and Bel Esprit’s Melbourne winner Tassology.
To top it all off, the hugely popular newcomer – 2010 Newmarket Handicap-G1 winner Wanted – will be paraded at Inglis’ Oaklands Junction complex from 11am on Thursday (19 August).

FAITH IN WANTED

Wanted (below) has certainly attracted some outstanding mares since Eliza Park announced in April that the Newmarket Handicap-G1 winning son of Fastnet Rock would stand in Victoria.
However, one of the real stand outs is the Straight Strike mare Good Faith.
One of six Group One winners by Straight Strike, Good Faith won the Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes and another Group race at two before producing multiple winners at stud including Victorian Group winner Tully Dane.
Good Faith is also a half sister to AJC Oaks-G1 and NZ 1000 Guineas-G1 winner Daffodil.
Aside from the obvious commerciality of such a mating, it’s worth noting that Straight Strike is also damsire of 36 stakes winners including leading sire Lonhro.

BEL FLYER WORKS THE ROOM

This falls under the ‘seeing-is-believing’ category. Take our word for it and check out the run of Work The Room at Geelong last Thursday (12 August). Click here.
Racing in the Colin Little colours (yellow and black stripes, red sleeves and cap), the Bel Esprit 5YO absolutely motors home for a lip second after laying in for most of the straight.
Normally we don’t get all warm and fuzzy about a Geelong second, but it’s worth keeping in mind that the winner Kid Kapone won his previous outing by four lengths and Work The Room was having his first run back since May 2009 – a break of some 15 months.
Colin Little has worked some miracles in getting Work The Room back on track given some serious hoof problems, but with two wins to his credit at his only two previous outings (including a victory at Sandown) the Caulfield trainer obviously thinks this horse is worth the effort.
Indeed, Work The Room is entered for the $3 million Tatts Cox Plate-G1 in October and – hopefully for Colin – he might repeat the deeds of El Segundo who won the Cox Plate in 2007.

Bred by Hayson Bloodstock Pty Ltd in NSW, Work The Room is out of the Grand Lodge mare Social Scene and is a half brother to Australian Cup-G1 winner Zipping.
And by the way, Hayson Bloodstock is also the owner of Eliza Park newcomer, Wanted.
Given that his Fastnet Rock 3YO has already won him a Group One in 2010 (i.e. Newmarket Handicap), Eddie Hayson might have plenty more to celebrate before the year is out.

Friday, August 13, 2010

JOHNNY’S ENTOURAGE

Fans of the TV series, Entourage, will have noted the win of the John Sadler trained 3YO, Johnnydrama at Swan Hill last Sunday (9 August).
Having on his second start – the first in nine months – Johnnydrama won by almost four lengths and appears to have his share of ability.
One of a growing band of winners by Lonhro (16 SWs), Johnnydrama is out of the Royal Academy mare Drama of Life (a half sister to 5-time Group One winner Rodrigo de Triano) and was sold by Eliza Park at last year’s Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $80,000.
Johnnydrama is named after the Entourage character played by Kevin Dillon and, interestingly, his on screen brother starred in a movie called Queens Boulevard … the same name adopted by a syndicate which part owns Johnnydrama the horse.
Actually, the horse boasts quite an entourage with 10 part-owners including Anthony Mithen’s Rosemont Stud.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

THE WEEK THAT WAS

•    BEL ESPRIT captures third successive Victorian Sires’ Premiership with only four crops of racing age (93 winners, 5 stakes winners of 7 stakes races)
•    Dansili, one of the world’s leading stallions and sire of King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes-G1 winner Harbinger is from the immediate family of promising 2010 arrival SHARKBITE
•    CLANGALANG produces city double with North Lad winning by 5.5 lengths over 1220m on Sunday (1 August) after Lexcen’s 2nd win, over 1200m, at Morphettville on Saturday, then follows up with Bush Music’s 2.5 length victory over 1300m at Geelong on Tuesday (3 August)
•    DELAGO BROM becomes Australia’s leading sire by winners with only double on first day of new season following wins to Gypsy Woman in NSW and Delshar in South Australia
•    With his first 2YOs now in leading stables, WRITTEN TYCOON has inspired a raft of interesting names for progeny: even the owners of one of his yearlings have gotten into the act with their filly Buttrose, named after the Sydney publishing identity Ita Buttrose
•    Another big week for BEL ESPRIT with Watchme scoring by 2 lengths at Morphettville on Thursday, Belletrist winning at Doomben on Saturday and Solitary Hero, a ½ brother to Flemington SW Magic Bird, taking the major in WA on Sunday
•    Don’t forget Eliza Park’s special 3 for 10 offer: send three mares to either Clangalang, Delago Brom, Sharkbite and/or Written Tycoon for $10,000 with no payment of service fees until 31 March 2011!

OPEN DAY and EXPO
Eliza Park will stage its annual open day and expo
from 1pm on Friday 27 August
RSVP to Tracey Doolan on 03 5428 5168 or tdoolan@elizapark.com.au

Bel Esprit - Champion Victorian Sire for the third successive season

CLANGALANG SPEED

There appears to be a general perception – misconception as it turns out – that Clangalang’s best performers are middle distance … staying types.
Sure, Geegees Blackflash won a Tasmanian Derby (2200m) this year, but his three city wins and two stakes placings prior to Group success ranged from 1100m to 1600m.
And yes, Reverberates was being hailed a classic contender before getting injured, but she too ran a class record over 1400m at Sandown.
Perhaps it’s because Clangalang cornered his own slice of history by being the only horse to win both the AJC Derby (2400m)/Epsom (1600m) double, leading to a belief that progeny would follow suit (it’s worth remembering that Clangalang only finished a half length shy of Lonhro in the Group Two Warwick Stakes over 1400m, beating home Defier, Republic Lass, Half Hennessy, Excellerator etc.)
But, as the Mr Prospector line stallion has shown in recent days, his progeny are no strangers to fleetness.
Clangalang (below) farewelled 09/10 with a resounding victory to Lexcen (ex. Blevic mare Ruby Tuesday) over 1200m on 31 July – his second win at Morphettville – while North Lad (ex. Centaine mare Centlee) absolutely crunched his Launceston rivals with a 5.5 length romp on the first day of the new season (1 August).
With most of the gallops abandoned around the country on 2 August, Clangalang duly complied with another winner on 3 August (Tuesday) when first crop daughter, Bush Music (ex. Without Fear mare Bush Gate) recorded a comfortable win – her third – over 1300m at Geelong.
Meanwhile, Clangalang’s other city winners – all at a mile or less – include Bavarian Belle (4 wins over 1200m), Prince Obama (3 wins, 1100-1200m), Mistaken Grace, Mr Isaac (4 wins, 1100-1400m), Lakedro, Hi Belle and Cruziero.