Wednesday, February 27, 2013

GOLD FOR GRAND TYCOON


Will he won’t he, will he won’t he, will he … he did! Huge effort by the unbeaten Written Tycoon 2YO, Grand Tycoon, in today’s $100,000 Shaw Contracting Tasmanian Gold Sovereign Stakes at Launceston fighting on gamely to grab a thrilling victory right on the wire.
Grand Tycoon has now won six from six and it’s his second black type victory on the trot after taking out the Elwick Stakes on 3 February.
Trained by Barry Campbell, this is the biggest payday thus far for Grand Tycoon and continues a great week for Written Tycoon who had It Is Written win at Moonee Valley on Friday night and Grand Emperor score at Caulfield on Saturday.
Indeed, Grand Emperor is entered for Saturday’s $500,000 Group One Australian Guineas so it could be a VERY big week for Written Tycoon!


BEL ESPRIT’S MIRACLE RUN


We’ve been shouting from the rooftops – well, stabletops – for weeks now about Bel Esprit’s standing at the top of the Australian Sires’ premiership by winners, but he’s also steadily working his way up the juvenile chart, now ranking equal third.
Although he’s had a raft of 2YO winners in previous seasons, this would be Bel Esprit’s most successful juvenile crop to date with the likes of Clevadude and Diamond Glow leading the charge.
And he added another one to the tally yesterday when Miracle to Me (below) ploughed through the mud at Werribee to score right on the wire after having to weave her way through runners.
This was the filly’s second run after racing greenly and finishing fourth at Moonee Valley on 15 February and trainer, John McArdle, is tipping a bright future for the youngster.
Bred by Victoria’s Burnewang North (who has retained part ownership), Miracle to Me is out of the Bellotto mare, Miracletto, who also has a Written Tycoon yearling filly.


Tuesday, February 26, 2013

TYCOONS ON SHOW

Written Tycoon has 11 yearlings entered for the Inglis Melbourne Premier which starts on Sunday. He has 14 lots entered for the Adelaide Magic Millions the following week.
We’re not about to indulge in some monologue on the relative merits of each of those 25 – that’s what catalogues are for.
However, anyone watching the flashy chestnut’s ‘form’ would feel compelled to give them more than a passing glance.
On Friday night, It Is Written won his third race over 1200m at Moonee Valley in what can be described as less than favourable circumstances. Slowly away, he was held up on the home turn, yet still won by a length.
On Saturday, Grand Emperor (below) won very well over 1200m at Caulfield and has now won two in town from just five outings. There’s some talk he may run in the Australian Guineas.
Then, on Sunday, his only runner in Australia – the nifty Annotator – won her assignment at Colac (as favourite) with a leg in the air and plenty to spare.
Three good reasons to inspect 25!


THE MIRACLE OF LAUREN

This is one of life's feel good stories - a none too subtle reminder as to why we love horse racing ... a beaut yarn from the Age's Michael Lynch:


WHEN Black Caviar returned to action at Flemington a week ago and proved she was back to her imperious best by smashing a 25-year-old track record, it seemed scarcely believable that racing, a sport that has had its fair share of horror headlines in the past six months, could deliver a better feel-good story.
But the improbable occurred at Caulfield on Saturday when a small interstate trainer, an unheralded young jockey and a pony-sized filly saw off the blue bloods from the big stables in one of the nation's most prestigious two-year-old races, the Blue Diamond Stakes.
Racing trades in dreams, at times it can embrace fantasy, but rarely does it deliver fairytales as it did at Caulfield courtesy of jockey Lauren Stojakovic and Miracles Of Life.
They were the headline act on a day that proved once again racing can produce a narrative to touch the heart like few other sports.
Black Caviar's little brother, All Too Hard, ridden by Dwayne Dunn, again displayed his class with a contemptuous victory in the group 1 Futurity Stakes 40 minutes before the Diamond, but he was relegated to best supporting act on this day.
Whatever else she does in her life, Stojakovic, a 29-year-old from Adelaide whose career has been noted more for horrendous injuries than big race triumphs, will never forget this Blue Diamond day, or, more specifically, the 69.76 seconds it took her pint-sized partner to run her 14 rivals ragged in the big race, which justified the faith of the horse's owners and trainer Daniel Clarken.
Ever since the filly announced herself as a serious contender before Christmas with a nine-length win at Morphettville, the pressure has been on Clarken to stand down his rider in favour of a hard-nosed Melbourne professional.
Plenty of jockeys and their agents had called, but Clarken stood firm in the face of the advocates who said this was a once-in-a-lifetime horse and he had to do the ''professional thing''.
Clarken was vindicated in the best possible manner by his smiling jockey, whose parents and grandmother were on hand to watch her score the biggest win of her life.
As Stojakovic rode back to dismount, her ponytail protruding beneath her red and yellow cap, an emotional Clarken soaked up the moment and the magnitude of their collective achievement. He knew what this meant for them all. ''That ride was 10 out of 10. I think it's changed my life and it will change Lauren's career big-time. That ride was amazing. She's struggling to get a ride in Adelaide, I said you are more of a chance to get a ride in Melbourne, and she is, after today.''
Stojakovic was coolness personified. Even when there was a delay at the start she remained calm. ''In the gates I said to 'Barbie' [the jockey's nickname for Miracles Of Life] there was about a minute between us being good or great, and after the run I told her she was just brilliant. I didn't realise how good it could feel to cross the line in a group 1.''
For her father Nenad, who wept unashamed tears of joy, this made up for the nightmare nights tending to a broken-up daughter worthwhile. He has been there when Stojakovic has battled back from a broken leg, a broken pelvis and a neck injury.
''They underestimated her, the filly, and Dan, and they won't any more,'' he said with conviction.
For Stojakovic, there is no fear of her missing out or letting this success go to her head. ''I'll turn up, I'm dedicated,'' she said with a grin.


Monday, February 25, 2013

BC RELATIONS AMONG 25 BY BE


Brian Russell reports on the 2013 Melbourne Premier …

There are 25 yearlings by Bel Esprit, the former top notch Australian 2 and 3-year-old standing at Lee Fleming’s powerhouse Eliza Park stud at Kerrie, Victoria who is sire not only of still racing immortal Black Caviar, but one who has had over a hundred winners (four stakes winners) and $3.7million so far in Australia this season.
He leads Australia by winners and wins and is seventh by earnings on both the general and juvenile lists.
His continuing consistency as Victoria’s leading sire suggests all his Melbourne yearling are worthy of high interest from buyers. Two of the Bel Esprit colts, both listed to be submitted on the third day, have added appeal as they are not only by the same sire as Black Caviar, but they are related through their dams.
The first of them, lot 430, is the first living foal of Hypatia, a daughter of Distant Music (USA) (Group1 England 2yo winner by son of Mr. Prospector) and Danavia, a three-quarter sister by Danehill to Magnus (AJC Galaxy winner standing at Eliza Park) and half-sister to the dam of Black Caviar.
The other Bel Esprit related to Black Caviar, lot 519, is a half-brother to three winners it is from the Western Symphony STC Winter Cup winner and Tasmanian Oaks second Midnight Sun, a half-sister to Scandinavia, dam of Magnus and grandam of Black Caviar and All Too Hard.
Dorrington also have yearling, a colt listed (lot 518) by Pentire (GB) which is the first foal of Midnight Blues, a Melbourne winner by Distant Music and out of Midnight Sun, but it is one of the sixty yearlings under Eliza Park, the biggest consignors.
Eight are by Bel Esprit and five by Magnus, the half-brother to the dam of Black Caviar and All Too Hard standing at Eliza Park, a stud which stood 14 sires in 2012, 11 in Victoria and three in Queensland. Seven who have representation in the Melbourne catalogue are Bel Esprit (25), Magnus (19), Astronomer Royal (USA) (12), Bushranger (IRE) (3), Statue of Liberty (USA) (21), Wanted (21) and Written Tycoon (12),
Bushranger, a Group 1 winner in England and France at two by the Danehill sire Danetime (FR), and Wanted, a Fastnet Rock VRC Newmarket winner, supply first crop yearlings. Wanted had 179 mares last season.
Yearlings in the big selection from Eliza Park also includes progeny of Hidden Dragon, Rock of Gibraltar (IRE), Encosta de Lago, High Chaparral (IRE), Sebring, Exceed and Excel, Duke of Marmalade (IRE), Flying Spur, O’Reilly, Savabeel, Commands, Tale of the Cat (USA), New Approach (IRE) and Holy Roman Emperor (IRE).


Saturday, February 23, 2013

OPEN FOR BUSINESS


Eliza Park’s 57 strong draft for the 2013 Melbourne Premier will be available for inspection from Tuesday (26th February) morning.
Featuring the progeny of 26 stallions, the lineup is a solid representation of Australia’s proven and rising stars.
The sale runs from Sunday 1 March to Wednesday 4 March and we look forward to seeing some of you at Oaklands Junction throughout the week.
Make sure you join us for a drink and bite to eat at our hospitality marquee outside Barn G.