News

April Stakes Review

28th Apr 2009

Racing and Sports - Nathan Exelby - Tuesday, 28 April 2009

In a month where veterans rose to the top, none shone brighter than G1 T.J. Smith winner Takeover Target, whose domination of that sprint race brought about the highest winning Timeform rating for April.

The other performance of note during April was that of New Zealand's Waikato Stud, in breeding three individual G1 winners (of 4 G1 races), taking their season tally to six (of 8 races).

There were 63 stakes races run during April and of those, 16 were run at Group 1 level.

Joe Janiak's wonder sprinting son of Celtic Swing sent historians scurrying for the record books to try and determine when was the last time a nine-year-old won a Group 1 event.

Just one week later, Ista Kareem (Germano) became the second oldest galloper this season to claim a G1 race when he finished best to take the Sydney Cup.

Add in the dual wins by Vision And Power (Carnegie) and the comeback Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumph for Pompeii Ruler (Genuine) – both six-year-olds – and it was quite a month for horses supposedly in the twilight of their careers.

Though not yet in the veteran category, Danleigh (Mujahid) has also had his share of problems, but patience was rewarded when he took out the G1 All Aged Stakes – with his 125 figure rating second only to Takeover Target.

Though not a winning rating, the performance of Whobegotyou (Street Cry) in the Doncaster was also noteworthy. His luckless effort under 54kg (for a 3yo) was assessed at 128, making him clearly Australia's highest rating three-year-old this season.

Phelan Ready notched a 123 in taking the Golden Slipper in dominant style on the wet track. That figure matched Real Saga's Todman Slipper Trial win.

Manhattan Rain (AJC Sires) and Onemorenomore (AJC Champagne) recorded 122 figures in their respective wins, putting them on a par with the filly More Joyous, who went to the same level in taking the Reisling Trial.

Blue Diamond winner Reward For Effort is the next highest rated juvenile on a 121 figure for that Group 1 win.

It's not often Takeover Target gets eclipsed for being the cheapest Group 1 winner, but the mantle is gone this year, following Ista Kareem's Sydney Cup success.

Fayette Park sold this son of Germano for just $750 as a weanling. He was later sold for $18,000 as a Ready to Run 2YO, but at $750 he is now the cheapest black type winner in Australia this season, 'bettering' the $1000 paid for WA Listed winner Classy Nugget and the $1250 given for both Takeover Target and Rockpecker.

My First Affair (Afleetaffair) also rates a mention here. She cost just $3500 and is now the winner of six races and $166,000.

Patinack Farm's exciting racing and breeding prospect Onemorenomore (Red Ransom) was the most expensive yearling purchase to win a stakes race during April.

He cost $800,000 out of the Cressfield Stud draft at last year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale but has more than justified that price tag with his dual stakes wins, highlighted by Saturday's G1 Champagne Stakes.

Darley stallions enjoyed a healthy month of success, winning 10 stakes races, highlighted by Group 1 wins to Carnegie and Commands, in addition to the now WA based Viscount, who had Neroli win the G1 Queen of the Turf.

Coolmore, Cambridge Stud and Vinery stallions each had six each.

Stallion honours were shared, with Carnegie, Danehill Dancer, More Than Ready and Zabeel each having three wins each.

Carnegie's son Vision And Power was the only dual Group 1 winner during April.

Of the vendors, both Cressfield and Waikato Studs celebrated three wins.

Waikato though also had the homebred filly Daffodil (No Excuse Needed) giving them another important success when dominating the AJC Oaks.

She joined Vision And Power and Markus Maximus as Waikato products to win at Group 1 level during April. Metal Bender had won dual G1 races in March, while Swick and Alamosa were successful at the highest level during the spring, making it a memorable season for the Chittick family.