SHINZIG CONJURES SINGAPORE MAGIC

With Psychic Mick’s Listed Vain Stakes victory at Caulfield still fresh in the memory, Shinzig has opened up a whole new audience via an awesome display of firepower from a Singapore based 3YO called Black Sorcerer.

Sold originally by Eliza Park at the Adelaide Magic Millions, Black Sorcerer (ex. Time Is Hope by River Rough) found his way to Singaporean ownership via last year’s Magic Millions Horses in Training sale when knocked down for $90,000.

On Thursday Black Sorcerer (above) stepped out in a public trial for the first time, winning by an ever widening 12 lengths. It’s definitely worth a look see!

It will be interesting to see exactly what he has up his sleeve when he races for the first time.

But while that in itself was impressive, Black Sorcerer is just one of four recent Shinzig trial winners.

David Hayes has a very likely type in Shinzigzag (from the Zeditave Group One winner Chlorophyll) which was snapped up for $120,000 at the HIT sale too after being sold by Eliza Park as a yearling.

Shinzigzag was sent out in a 900m trial at Wangaratta earlier this month and won like a good horse. We eagerly await his name appearing in the form guide.

The same goes for Trevor Andrews’ Shinzig filly, Original Sin (ex. Gavroche by Snippets) – a half sister to 3-time stakes winner, Bel Sprinter. A Champion trainer in Perth, Andrews might just have a new stable star with Original Sin after his trial victory at Belmont.

And, last but certainly not least, is the Eliza Park bred and sold, Mulholland (ex. Dreaming On by Marscay).

Raced in Tassie by Barry Campbell, Mulholland scampered away with a trial at Devenport on 12 September, winning by over four lengths.

Clearly there is plenty of blue sky on Shinzig’s horizon and he remains one of the best value stallions in Victoria.

BUFFERING CONQUERS MOIR

Top notch performance – AGAIN – from the Robert Heathcote trained sprinter, Buffering who captured the Group Two Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night after leading throughout.

It was the fourth Group victory for Buffering who has placed in no less than six Group Ones and is surely overdue for victory at our most elite level. Perhaps this spring?

But Buffering is not the only one that’s seen action this spring … so to speak. His dam, Action Annie, was covered by exciting young sire, Love Conquers All, earlier this month and is at the vanguard of what is a sensational book for the former Hawkes trained speedster.

It makes sense … both Buffering (below winning the Moir) and Love Conquers All are by Mossman, both are top class sprinters and, while it’s more synergistic than pedigree driven, Buffering was foaled at the now Eliza Park Queensland where Love Conquers All stands.

Encouragingly, the first batch of mares covered by Love Conquers All have been tested in foal, one of which includes the Marscay mare, Prima, who has missed in eight of her last 10 seasons.

You’ll be hoping that one sticks … Prima is a half sister to legendary Kiwi stallion, Zabeel.

 

GOD COLT’S DIVINE EFFORT

God’s Own can add some more black type to the tally with the top notch effort of Divine Moon (ex. Moon Cha Cha by Marscay) in the Group Two Stan Fox Stakes at Rosehill yesterday.

The Bart Cummings bred, part-owned and trained colt was last turning for home but fought on gamely to grab third behind Kabayan and Group winner Albrecht.

Having just his third outing in the Stan Fox, Divine Moon is a half brother to the multiple Group placed pair, Sunday Rose and Moonboat and hails from the family of Canny Lad.

It’s been a big week for God’s Own with a win to Man of Money at Doomben on Wednesday, followed by four wins from five starters on Thursday.

And Divine Moon wasn’t the only one to shine for God’s Own yesterday with another of Bart’s homebreds in Rosscarbery (ex. Cool Gal by Secret Savings) scoring over 1300m at Kembla.

Go with God!

FOUR OUT OF FIVE AIN’T BAD … IT’S GREAT!

It’s probably heresy to mention Meat Loaf’s name in Grand Final week, but the rotund warbler was once famous for belting out a tune, Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.

Well, prolific young sire, God’s Own, has made a couple of adjustments for inflation and yesterday went like a bat out of hell with four winners from just five starters.

Fresh from a thrilling win at Doomben on Wednesday with the speedy Man of Money, God’s Own kicked off with a double at Seymour to Cool God (ex. Canny Lady mare Freezing Point) and Canonized (ex. Rather Grand by Grand Lodge), along with victories to Lady Pania (ex. Tannadice Park by Rory’s Jester) in Queensland and God’s Secret (ex. Secret Trick by Fasliyev) in South Australia.

It could easily have been a clean sweep for the day when God Help Us (ex. By Any Means by Stravinsky) was sent out favourite in the Australian Sun Energy Handicap at Mt Gambier after winning at his previous outing, but he dwelt at the start before running on solidly for fourth.

Overall, it was difficult to isolate one from the quality quartet: Lady Pania was having only her second run up north and won comfortably as favourite, stretching her earnings out to over $100k, while the lightly tried Canonized raced like the favourite he was by scoring over the mile.

On the other hand, Cool God looks like he’s going places for the Ellerton/Zahra duet and it was just desserts for God’s Secret who has been knocking on the door since resuming in July.

Now, while Mr Loaf is not likely to be wanted or needed by anyone in the sporting sphere anytime soon, we can name you four sets of owners that love their God! Amen.

BUSHRANGER TOPS SEPTEMBER SALE

Eliza Park shuttler, Bushranger, has topped the Tattersalls September Yearling Sale in Ireland when one of his first crop colts was knocked down for 75,000 euro.

A Champion 2YO of England and France, Bushranger is clearly one of the hottest stallion prospects in Europe with his yearlings selling up to 90,000 pounds at the Doncaster Sales in England earlier this month, while his weanlings were sold up to 70,000 guineas last year.

Reporting on the sale which has experienced three years of steady growth, Racing Post stated: “There was no doubting the star of the final day as the Bushranger colt lit up proceedings to provide a terrific dividend on the 12,000 euro that he cost at the Goffs February Sale.

“The colt is the first foal of a half sister to a North American stakes winner and was the subject of a lengthy battle that went the way of Emerald Bloodstock’s Pauline Marterer after she had seen off the attentions of Ger Lyons and (leading Bloodstock Agent) Ross Doyle.

(Doyle has been particularly active in terms of Bushranger’s first crop, stating at foal sales last year: “Bushranger is the only one that’s got my attention so far. The ones I’ve seen have been strong, good-walking sorts and obviously they have sold very well”).

Emerald Bloodstock purchased the colt on behalf of French trainer, Urs Suter, who had snapped up a Bushranger filly and another of his colts earlier in the sale.

Although Australian yearling sales are still over three months away, Eliza Park’s sales and nominations team has reported solid interest in Bushranger this spring.

“Broodmare owners have obviously been watching what’s been happening overseas,” Eliza Park’s Mark Lindsay points out. “Bushranger (below) was a top class performer at two and he’s throwing very good types. Very forward.

“Naturally enough, a lot of his bookings in 2012 are repeat business … they like what they see.”

WHO’S THE BOSS? GOD KNOWS!

God’s Own sprinter, Man of Money, got the money at Doomben yesterday and jockey, Chris Munce – according to the Courier Mail – had a bit riding on the result!

Chris Munce is generally unflappable regardless of how big the occasion, but he admitted to some uneasy moments near the finish of the first race at Doomben yesterday.

He may have been successful in races such as the Melbourne Cup, Golden Slipper and Stradbroke, but even a midweek race brings its own pressure when the senior owner is your wife.

Munce’s wife Cathy races Man Of Money with long-term family friend Peter Goedhart.

There was some pressure on Munce and the gelding’s trainer Peter Hulbert to land the win and all looked cosy at the 100m with Man Of Money ($3.10 second favourite) well clear, but runner-up Stargrill Boy staged a late surge to cut the margin to a rapidly dwindling head.

Despite the small margin, Munce can see some upside to Man Of Money.

“Even though he is officially a four-year-old, he is a long way off being at his best yet,” Munce said.

“He’s been a slow maturing type and I think he will keep improving, especially when he learns to settle better in his races.

“He was getting a bit tired at the finish but it was his first run since June and he went pretty hard in front.

“I was pretty relieved to finally get him home. There was some pressure on. Cathy doesn’t like losing.”

Cathy comes from a racing family - her father Barry Mitchell trained a small team at Doomben for many years - and she has held a share in horses going back almost 20 years.

Magic Millions winner Brave Warrior was one of her first racehorses.

FIFTYSHADESOFABILITY

Well, it had to happen sooner or later! The all-female owners of a Written Tycoon 2YO were quick off the mark by naming their filly – Fiftyshadesofgrey – and, as it turns out, those who pay the bills are not the only ones sharpish out of the boxes.

The Marc Conners trained, Fiftyshadesofgrey, stepped out in public for the first time at Warwick Farm yesterday, and took out her barrier trial heat in good time, defeating More Joyous’ full sister, Most Joyful, by three quarters of a length.

Fiftyshadesofgrey is out of the Commands mare, Talkin’ About and, based on her trial victory, Conners will target the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January (the MM is worth a cool $2 million with a special $325,000 bonus for any winner wholly owned or leased by females!).

But first it’s off to Randwick for the Listed Gimcrack Stakes on Saturday 6 October, where Fiftyshadesofgrey is likely to carry the weight of punters’ interest: and not just because she’s got a racy name!

“She (Fiftyshadesofgrey) trialled really well,” Conners enthused. “She’s bombproof and does everything right which is half the battle.”

PROMO ENDS SUNDAY!

As they say in the Classics, all good things must come to an end.

Eliza Park’s special 3 for 10 / 2 for 7 / Filly Bonus promotion has again proven popular with broodmare owners, but will be closing off this Sunday (30 September).

The promotion allows broodmare owners to send three mares for $10,000 or two mares for $7,000 to any of five stallions – and, if any of the matings produces a filly, you get to go back to the stallion in 2013 … for free!

“We’ve had some tremendous feedback – not to mention a lot of bookings,” Eliza Park’s Sales & Nominations Manager, Mark Lindsay, points out. “For starters, All five of the stallions have had ‘form’ coming into the spring: Astronomer Royal and Sharkbite both had yearlings sell for many, many times their service fee and their progeny have ended up in top stables.

“Shinzig is really making his mark with a horses like stakes winner, Psychic Mick, plus a host of recent trial winners, while God’s Own continues to produce a constant flow of winners.

“And Bushranger represents enormous value … his yearlings have absolutely sold through the roof in Europe and we’ve had a lot of positive comments about his first Australian crop of yearlings.”

For further information, phone Mark Lindsay on 0416 334 338, Phil Marshall on 0407 853 782 or Suman Hedge on 0400 834 466.