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2021-22 Racing Season

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 3:39pm
It's the world cup meeting this weekend and racing is finally waking up overseas.  Just went to see if any had some Aussie blood and found almost 60 horses racing for black type this weekend (overseas other than NZ) with some very unusual horses involved.

Due to some big names having Dancing Brave in there pedigree many have Pago Pago, Matrice and Heroic to represent some of our racing scene.  

Another few are by Australian breed stallions like Exceed and Exceel, Pride of Dubai, Rafeet, Time Thief, Willow Magic and Gimmethegreenlight.  But that bunch of pedigrees had plenty of Australasian blood deeper in their pedigrees with Redoute's Choice, Canny Lad, Bletchingly, Biscay, Marauding, Red Anchor, Kaoru Star, Vain, Todman, Sledgehammer, Ajax, Heroic, Tierce, Pago Pago and Victory Prince all appearing in one or more of those pedigrees.

Of course with Jallad being a good sire in South Africa Imposing and Todman appeared through him in  more that one pedigree.

Then there where the mares exported who appear including the Anamato dam of Anamoe with Pago Pago, Matrice, Redoute's Choice, Canny Lad, Bletchingly and Biscay in that pedigree.

Another out of Zouzou yet another daughter of Redoute's Choice bring in Star Show, Star of Heaven and Blockbuster to add to the above.

One of these imported mares had Grosvenor, Vice Regal and Pago Pago.

While yet another was a daughter of Foxwedge and Fastnet Rock, King's High, Full on Aces, Kaoru Star, Brave Salute and Chatham showed up.

A couple turned up with the grand daughter of Star Kingdom Reveille in their pedigrees.

Some other horses who showed up included Filante, Cossack Warrior, Balmerino, Vain, Shannon, Choisir, Talking, Luskin Star and of course Todman's brothers Noholme and Shifnal.

There is quite alot of Australasia racing around the world.  Good luck to them all.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carioca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 3:57pm
Adored Matrice in my youth , a champion imo. StarStarStar
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2022 at 9:30pm
So You Think and I am Invincible sitting 1st and 2nd on the Leading Sires list for 2022.  While 2021 saw Written Tycoon and I am Invincible 1st and 2nd.  None of these stallions belong to the Danehill line.  Although Snitzel and Not a Single Doubt have not thrown the towel in and have finished just behind them each time.

But looking at 2012 we saw Fastnet Rock winnings from Lonhro with Redoute's a close third.  Commands, Exceed and Excel, Snitzel, Stratum, Choisir also figured in the top 20 stallions.

This season we have Snitzel and his son Shamus Award, Exceed and Excel and Fastnet Rock.  And Shamus Award is one who could make the top two in future years with his multiple performers going out over a distance in G1 races.  A bit like So You Think this season all he needs is one to take out a Cox plate or Queen Elizabeth to push him that bit further.  Would certainly help is Incentivise makes it back to the track in top form.

But the numbers of different Australasian bred stallions in our G1 winners this season is amazing.

Yes the usual figures are there with Biscay (21 SWinners), Redoute's Choice (7 individuals), Zabeel (11) always make an appearance.  But Todman for one has come back seriously in recent years.  He is in 8 G1 winners pedigrees.  His full brother Noholme is also doing a good job appearing in 6 pedigrees.  

Others who have multiple appearances are Bletchingly (almost as many as Biscay), Kaoru Star, Canny Lad, Snippets, Centaine, Century, Vain, Flying Spur, Snitzel, Luskin Star, Marscay, Imposing and even So You Think is there four times.

Other greats include Planet Kingdom, Octagonal, Sovereign Red, Lonhro, Rory's Jester, Baguette, Marauding, Fastnet Rock, Danewin, Small Time, Encosta de Lago, Danzero, Best WEstern, Commands, Gold Brick, Gunsynd, Bernborough, Strawberry Road, Martello Towers, Pins,  Ajax (although he could be in more but further back than I looked), Vice Regal.  I love how a good horses pedigree brings back memories from season past.

But even so there were other lesser known or poorer represented stallions like Shifnal, Shifway, Handy Proverb, Sunset Hue, Prince Salieri, Fimiston, Jevinton, Perouse (never even heard of him), Crown Jester, Kempinsky, Special Dane, Sequalo, Danroad, Iglesia, Aurealis, Truly Vain, Twig Ruler, The Judge, Cheyne Walk, Haulpak all had some representative or more than one for the season.

She's Extreme does live up to her name with Extreme Choice, Not a Single Doubt, Rory's Jester, Crown Jester, Baguette, Redoute's Choice, Canny Lad, Bletchingly, Biscay, So Secret, Aurealis and Kaoru Star
all representing Australian speed.  Pretty sure she'll go further than the 1600m she's already proven at.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote VOYAGER Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2022 at 3:36am
Okay it looks that time of year where we say sayonara and auf weidersehen to the previous season, and we look to the future. up coming season of 2022/2023.

So with the season done and dusted lets see what we made of all the action.

Best Performance = Verry Elleegant's cup win was awesome as she played with her rivals with the 57kgs. It was a once in a generation performance. However in June we saw Nature Strip travel to the mother land, and show the Europeans and Americans, what a real sprinter can do. For me both performances were true highlights of the season. Can not split them so the award is split.

Honorable mentions = 1. Hitotsu was outstanding in both derbies but the VRC Derby win was just as good as Efficient's. The won of Home Affairs in the Coolmore was awesome. Incentivise completed the journey from Toowoomba to group 1 winner with the best Caulfield Cup win since Might and Power. For me personally I thought that Nimalee's win in the Queen of the Turf was also awesome. 

Top 2yo performance - I think that this is an easy one to deduce. Fireburn's Golden Slipper win was one of the best in the race I have seen. Back near last, she copped severe interference which nearly put her through the fence. Picked herself up and while she got the run through towards the fence she was simply supreme and won by a good margin. Clearly the champion 2yo of the season. 

Honorable mention = Coolangatta's Gimcrack win was a sign of things to come and also what might have been. 

Best 3yo Performance. Coming into the VRC Derby, we had not really seen a awesome performance, well maybe one in Sydney which we will get to in a minute. However the sight of John Allen dropping reigns and Hitotsu extending in the Flemington straight was a sight to behold. One of the best classic wins in recent times set this Maher/Eustace 3yo up for a unusual but successful autumn. 

Honorable mentions = There is no doubt that Anamoe is a topline galloper and his win in the Rosehill Guineas was his crowning achievement this season. On a track which may not have entirely suited him, against a fellow high quality 3yo in Converge, he showed his true ability after three below par performances. In the spring we saw a hugely talented 3yo in Profondo show is ability with a super win in the Spring Champion Stakes. While his autumn was not up to that standard he is too good to think he will not get back to his best. I thought Literary Magnate's win in the SADerby was very good and it is a shame he is off to Hong Kong but I think the three who finished behind him can run well in the spring races. Also in Adelaide we saw a very smart Price/Kent runner named Illation score two smart wins and he looks a nice improving type for next season.

Best 3yo filly performance. I know she disappointed in the autumn, although winning her final start there, but Espiona's win during cup week was breathtaking. She probably beat a group 3 field at best, but her acceleration on that day was group 1 quality. I have no doubt that the heavy tracks contributed to her below expectations autumn and so if we can get dry tracks this spring she can win a group 1.

Honorable mentions. Gypsy Goddess took a few shots at group 1 glory, but her QLD Oaks victory was awesome and she can become the latest filly to go on from this race and develop into a group 1 winner as a 4yo mare. Startantes win in the Stradbroke was very very good and she deserved her group 1. 

Best Sprint Performance. Nature Strip holds four of the best wins this season with his Ascot win, The Everest, T.J.Smith and VRC Sprint victories all being sensational, so take your pick/ The Ascot win for me was the best.

Honorable mentions. Marabi was sensational in the Oakleigh Plate and she deserves recognition. Apache Chase was good winning the Kingsford Smith and Forbidden Love was too good for them in the George Ryder.

Best Miler Performance. This was a tough one to decide on but in the end I went with Zaaki in the All Star Mile. He was up against a quality field with horses like Inspirational Girl, Mr Brightside (Doncaster winner) and Cascadian (Al Aged Stakes winner) among others and he showed his quality with a dominant win. While the rest of his autumn was not up to his usual standard, he will bounce back in the spring!

Honorable mentions. A lot of runs to highlight here. Inspirational Girl defeated Zaaki in the Blamey and that was a very hood win. I;m Thunderstruck was very good coming from the back of the field to win the Toorak while up in Sydney we saw Private Eye confirm he is a topline galloper with his Epsom win. Verry Elleegant in the middle of a Melbourne Cup campaign was very very good in the Chipping Norton while Incentivise announced himself on the big stage in Melbourne with a fantastic all the way win in the Makybe Diva. As mentioned before I though Nimalee's win in the Queen Of The Turf at Randwick was that of a very smart mare and she must be a hope in all the big miles in the spring.

Best Middle Distance Performance. I think we had two choices here, but I went with one of my highlights of the season. In Melbourne on a lovely autumn day we saw the making and breakout performance of a very smart mare in Duais. Her win in the Australian Cup was awesome and every bit as good as previous mare winners. She franked this by winning the Tancred at her next start and now as a fully mature five year old mare she will have a great season coming up.

Honorable mentions. There is no doubt that one of my favorite horses Think It Over had a great spring, but while he won a few races he was found out against the best gallopers going around, so when he showed up  for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes against one of the best 2000m fields we have seen for a while, on a heavy track which he does not like, everyone, including yours truly thought he will run his usual honest race but no chance of winning. Well what transpired over the next 2 minutes and ten seconds was one of the best moments of the season as Nash Rawiller used his initiative and sent the Kembla galloper clear for a fantastic win at $41.00. Fortune certainly favored the brave that day, great moment in racing. Montefilia's win in the Ranvet showed she is a classy mare and like Duais she is coming into her peak maturing season so she should be able to win a few group 1's again this season. 

Best Staying Performance. As mentioned before Verry Elleegant's Melbourne Cup win has to be the best performance but there were several honorable mentions to name.

Honorable mentions. Anyone who saw Incentivise's demolition performance in the Caulfield Cup could argue that this was the best performance, but  for me VE's weight carrying performance and the fact she beat a field with more depth class wise, gives her the nod. His caulfield Cup win was for me the best since Might And Power and that is saying something because we have had a lot of very good wins in this race since including Elvstroem, Mummify, Dunaden and Admire Rakti. The other performance to mention was Duais's Tancred Stakes win. That win showed she can stretch her ability to 2400 but it did take something out of her and she tailed off by the time she had got to the Queen Elizabeth. Still a very very good effort at WFA.

Best up and coming performance. Illation was mentioned before, but he has shown topline talent in his career so far and he looks like he is capable of improving into stronger grade. 

Best Training Performance. While there is no doubt that we have seen some quality training efforts this season I think that no one can deny that what Maher/Eustace did with Hitotsu was unique and may never be done ever again. To win the VRC Derby with no run since the Caulfield Guineas was unheard of, but to then come back in the autumn and win the Australian Guineas first up and then the Australian Derby second up and on a heavy track, is something I thought I would never see. I tips my hat to the stable for knowing their horse and having him spot on for his three group 1 wins Star 

Honorable mention. I might be biased, but Kerry Parker did a fabulous job with Think It Over. I can not remember any race where the horse was not presented with every opportunity to run his best race. The stable and owners made the right choice to grab the easy money in the spring, and attack the group 1's in the autumn especially when the heavy tracks hit Sydney he was sent to Melbourne where once again he ran to his best and was beaten by a mare getting weight off him at WFA. He then came back and despite the cries of him having no hope, Parker and the owners were rewarded with the biggest group 1 WFA victory of the autumn when he won the Queen Elizabeth leaving Zaaki, Verry Elleegant, Duais, Montefilia and Anamoe in his wake. One of the best stories of the season Star 

Best Riding Performance. Well there will be a few honorable mentions here Big smile. There are different aspects to look at when deciding this. However after all is said and done, I have to give it to Nash Rawiller on Think It Over in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. In what was a tactical event and a race which no one gave his mount any hope of winning Nash took it upon himself to ride his own race and forget the other runners. Searching for the better ground he had Think It Over moving before the turn and he cut the corner to edge out wide in the straight. After it looked like Zaaki had the race won, and then with the outsider Mount Popa getting up on the inside in the last 200m he surged clear and scored a famous win. Classic ride that saw Nash outride his fellow riders. Star   

Honorable mentions. J Mac on Verry Elleegant in the Melbourne Cup showed his talents. While he might have been on the best horse the main thing that jockeys need to do in the Melbourne Cup at 3200m is to keep the balanced and traveling especially when they are carrying a huge weight. One of the main attributes for a top line jockey is the ability to outride his colleagues and we saw this when Tim Clark outrode James McDonald in the Randwick Guineas. With Anamoe an odds on favorite and J Max in peak form. Tim Clark knew his horse, he knew he was fit and he had seen Anamoe was a little more dour this prep so he had a plan keep Anamoe in a pocket and then to make it a true stamina test over 1600m. A very smart ride that brought down the odds on favorite. We found ourselves in a similar situation when we showed up for the Champagne Stakes. With Fireburn and Brenton Avdulla looking to clinch a 2yo triple crown we saw She's Extreme and Tommy Berry adopt a front running tactic, with an increase in the speed from the 400m. They pinched a break and was going well enough to stay clear of the odds on favorite. And finally we find ourselves at Caulfield on Caulfield Cup day where a galloper who started his career in country Queensland was favorite for one of the grand slam races. Brett Prebble a former championship winner, was on the comeback trail. Coming in off two group 1 wins, Incentivise was the hunted runner and both horse and rider did a fantastic job to complete the victory. 

                    
Remember, it might take intelligence to be smart , but it takes experience to be wise
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2022 at 10:30am
I was waiting till next week but I think you've pretty well said it all.  Oh well I'll look at the breeding side of things and see if I can find a highlight!  Apart from So You Think's three Group Ones on that day during the Autumn Carnival.

Nice post Voyager it bought back some very happy memories and a few disasters when I totally read the race wrong.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2022 at 1:48am

The end of the 2021-22 season has seen the consistent bridesmaid I am Invincible break through for top of the Sires Standing.  If you flick through the Stallions book in recent years he was always s standout and the same can be said for his stock.  But it’s also no secret that his progeny don’t particularly like it too wet and what have we been blessed with all season in Sydney.  Wet tracks a plenty.  But despite this he has led since mid season despite a small respite when 2nd place So You Think had three G1’s in a day and tried to put him back in the place getters position.

But it was not to be and coming in second was the much more versatile So You Think with winners right up to 3200m Sydney Cup.  His daughter Fasika was out in the first stakes race for the season over 1200m coming in third.  While Think it Over gave us all many happy moments but his Queen Elizabeth was his highlight for the season.  I’d written him off (silly me) as the wet track really didn’t suit him but his jockey found a way.  And just when we thought of him as a superior middle distance sire out comes Fireburn, from his daughter Mull Over, to win a Golden Slipper.  Let’s hope this one gets sent out for the Oaks next year!  And if I am Invincible catches the eye then So You Think is a close second or a dead heat for that position.

Snitzel is back 3rd a couple of million behind the first two but also he had the most stakes winners for the season.  Wild Ruler and In the Congo were probably his best for the season but I’m a secret admirer of Mr Mozart who seemed to crop up time and again all season.  Snitzel like So You Think is also starting to show up as a good broodmare sire although he hasn’t got one as good as Fireburn out there yet.

Nicconi (Nature Strip) and Shamus Ward (Incentivise and then Duais) see out the top five.  And those three horses are mostly better than any horse sired by the above three this season.  Think it Over is certainly up there with them but I don’t think with others could go with them over their favourite distances.

The First Season sires standing has seen Russian Revolution lead from nearly start to finish.  But Gold Standard in second place with only eight runners deserves a mention also.  While third and fourth are the two Queensland standing stallions The Mission and Heroic Valour.  To be truthful it was an odd season with only four young stallions with stakes winners.  The first and Second finishers and Pariah and Jukebox (who was also working of smallish numbers).  Will any come the fore next season as the middle distances come into play.  There are a few down further who should ie Ribchester, Churchill even Impending could come into play with milers.

While the second season sires didn’t quite finish in the same positions as there first season.  Extreme Choice has moved from 1st to 8th but with six individual stakes winners from only 40 runners including another 2yo G1 winner in She’s Extreme he hasn’t let anyone down.

First this time was Maurice another imposing animal and his son Hitotsu went out to win both the VRC Derby 2500m and AJC Derby 2400m and in between the Australian Guineas 1600m.  But Maurice’s other stakes winner Mazu actually picked up five stakes including the G1 Doomben 10,000 over 1200m.

Capitalist is become a bridesmaid also with another second finish.  He seemed to have a quieter season but did get four stakes winners while his good looking son Captivant finished second in the Caulfield Guineas.

Finishing third was Rebel Dane who produced a brilliant Golden Slipper winning filly Fireburn from only 20 runners.  Fourth placed Star Turn also had a G1 winner in the flying three year old filly Startantes (Tattersall’s Tiara).  Fifth was Shalaa with three stakes winners but a bit like Capitalist he seemed to have a quieter year.

All I really have to say about the Broodmare Sires standing is Redoute’s Choice, Encosta de Lago, Zabeel, More Than Ready and Flying Spur have been brilliant in this department for seasons.   Right down the bottom of the top 50 in 44th place is So You Think (thanks to Fireburn) with 9 winners from 23 runners.  A few places above in 40th is Sebring and young stallion but one who retired earlier than So You Think.  It will be interesting to see who these two develop as broomare sires.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2022 at 1:51am
that should read how these two develop!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2022 at 6:10pm
OK next is the Australasian blood found racing overseas.  Well enough said with Nature Strip proving his worth.  And Artorius certainly doing exactly what he does here but not failing by any means.  But a son of Starspangledbanner Star of Rest proved his worth in four countries having first won a G1 in USA, the the Cox Plate in Australia, The Prix Ganay in France and finally the Prince of Wales' in England.

Very few Australian horses have travelled in recent years and even the numbers exported to places like South Africa have fallen with the lack of international travel.  So while numbers of Aussie imports are down those of the ground have had to step up.  One Australian bred Al Muthana (2017) came out to win 6 races from 10 starts including the Gold Challenge G1 and Hawaii S G2.  He is a son of Deep Field from the Redoute's Choice mare El Daana.

From a completely South African bred side point we find Princess Calla (SAF) (2017) by the Distorted Humor stallion Flower Alley she is out of Princess Victoria's (Allan Robertson G1, Durban Golden Slipper G1, Cape Fillies Guineas G1, Garden Province S G1 etc) 1/2 sister Princess Royal.  Princess Calla won the Empress Club S G1 and Prix du Cap G3.  Both these superior females are from the Australasian Juliet line which I try to follow.

The we come to three G1 winners by Redoute's son Rafeef.  Aragosta from a Galileo mare won the SA Derby G1.  Thunderstruck from a Var mare won the Gold Medallion G1.  While Master Archie also out of a Var mare won the Computaform Sprint G1.  Making is quite a good season for this young son of Redoute's Choice and South African mare National Colour.

Also out of South Africa we find Mk's Pride a son of Willow Magic (AUS) a G1 winner by Dubawi from La WIllow (Tierce).  Mk's Pride was the winner of the Horse CHestnut Stakes G1 and proving how small the world has become in horse racing his dam was by Admire Main a son of Japanese Champion Sire Sunday Silence.

Finally we find She's a Keeper by More than Ready's Australian bred Gimmethgreenlight.  As he is out of a Canny Lad mare like Redoute's and I am Invincible he has spread this Bletchingly blood into the South African mix.   She's a Keeper won the Garden Province Stakes G1.

In the USA we find the english bred In Italian a daughter of Dubawi and Australian bred daughter of Redoute's Choice Florentina.  In Italian won the Diana Stakes G1 and also has a small amount of our Golden Slipper winner Pago Pago through her sire Dubawi.

Another Dubawi G1 winner was Creative Force winner of the Britsh Champions Sprint.  This one had the Australasian connection of Pago Pago and his dam Choose Me a daughter of Choisir.

Back to the USA Strawberry Road, Noholme, Pago Pago, Sky High went from our shores many years ago but the crop us in quite a few G1 winners pedigrees this year including Nest (Noholme), Regal Glory (Pago Pago), Clairiere (Noholme), Bleecker Street (Strawberry Road), There Goes Harvard (Pago Pago), Rich Strick (Noholme - twice), Secret Oath (Sky High) and Shirl's Speight (Noholme).

Into Asia we we find Golden Sixty (AUS) (Medaglia D'Oro), Wellington (AUS) (All Too Hard), Stronger (Not a Single Doubt) and Russian Emperor (IRE) a son of Galileo and the Australian mare Atlantic Jewel (by Fastnet Rock) all winning G1's or multiple G1's in Hong Kong.

Added to that list the many Group winners with Exceed and Excel, Brazen Beau, Zoustar, Helmet, Counterattack, Fastnet Rock, Entertains (an Australian bred daughter of Street Cry and Serenade Rose) and Sidestep as sire or sire of the dam.  These all got into the action across England, Ireland, German, France and Italy.  Plenty of Listed winners for these stallions across Europe also and a few others but this was going to go on for ever if I went chasing all of those.

So all told.  A year of success once again for our local heros who have ventured out into the wider world.
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