News

ELIZA PARK ENJOYS GROUP 1 DAY

8th Feb 2008

Eliza Park graduates enjoyed success at the highest level at Caulfield on Saturday when SHINZIG defeated a host of Group 1 winners in the C F Orr Stakes and the exciting WILANDER established himself as one of the nation’s best juveniles when serving it up his rivals in the Arrowfield Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3).

SHINZIG ($400,000 2003 Australian Easter Yearling sale, 6 h Danehill – Shindig) gave his new ownership group an instant return on their investment when he landed the C F Orr Stakes in a driving finish. Shinzig was winning at the highest level for the first time and as a Group 1 winner by Danehill out of a Group 1 winner in Shindig, his future as a stallion prospect is assured. Bred by Lee Fleming at his Eliza Park Stud in Victoria, Shinzig is now raced by an enthusiastic set of owners that include Fleming and Shane McGrath, the stud manager at Eliza Park.

Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley has been a great supporter of the Easter Sale and he looks to have a high-class colt in the shape of WILANDER ($625,000 2007 Australian Easter yearling sale, 2 c Exceed And Excel – Scandinavia) who gave a blistering display to make all the running and score in the Arrowfield Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3). Wilander led home a 1,2 for his sire Exceed And Excel, who stands for Sheikh Mohammed at his Hunter Valley stud, by defeating Exceedingly Good ($400,000 2007 Australian Easter yearling sale) and the two Lee Freedman-trained colts go forward to the Arrowfield Stud-sponsored Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1) as major chances.

Eliza Park Stud consigned Wilander for sale and they are to stand Wilander’s Group 1 winning half-brother Magnus when that son of Flying Spur retires from the track. Meanwhile Exceed And Excel is rapidly forging a reputation at stud with his first runners and will have his biggest representation at auction at this year’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney.

Rounding out a domination of the stakes action at Caulfield for Inglis graduates, TURFFONTEIN ($70,000 Premier Sale, 3 c Johannesburg – Spirit Of Grace) gave his sire his first Australian stakes winner when proving too strong at the end of the Wellington Racing Club Stakes (Listed).

Johannesburg has 13 lots catalogued for this year’s Premier Sale that commences at Oaklands Junction on March 2.