News

Easter Graduates Show Their Metal

14th Mar 2009

Less than a month out from the Southern Hemisphere’s best yearling sale, Easter graduates totally dominated feature racing today, with Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner Metal Bender leading a tally of seven stakes winners for the sale at Randwick and Flemington.

Inglis graduates added an eighth black type win for the day via Premier graduate Belong To Many.

In addition to the stakes winning feats of graduates today, the strength of the April 5-7 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale was further enhanced with four of those black type winners having siblings at this year’s sale.

METAL BENDER ($160,000 2007 Easter, 3g Danasinga-Jacqwin) was purchased from the Waikato Stud draft by Hall of Fame trainer Jack Denham, who has prepared him to win four of his first six starts to date.

The son of Danasinga now has races like the G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 AJC Australian Derby in his sights.

The Guineas becomes the 10th Group 1 event claimed by an Easter graduate in Australia this season, once again underlining the sale’s status as the premier source of G1 winners.

Earlier, Tony Santic’s Makybe Stud continued its outstanding season with juveniles, following a notable two-state double.

At Flemington, COMMON INTEREST ($485,000 2008 Easter, 2c More Than Ready-Common Smytzer) and STARSPANGLEDBANNER ($120,000 2008 Premier, 2c Choisir-Gold Anthem) gave Makybe bred and sold yearlings the quinella in the Listed Festival of Racing Stakes.

Exceedingly French is another Makybe sold yearling to win a 2YO stakes race this season.

Then in Sydney, HEADWAY ($175,000 2008 Easter, 2f Charge Forward-Chatelaine) sported the Makybe colours to win the G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes. Makybe purchased the filly from the draft of Turangga Stud.

The Easter juggernaut continued when NEWPORT ($150,000 2004 Easter, 6g Encosta De Lago-Sibelienne) took his earnings through the million dollar barrier when taking the G3 Randwick City Stakes.

OLONANA ($260,000 2007 Easter, 3f More Than Ready-Arkadina) rounded out the Easter domination at Randwick when landing the Group 2 Challenge Stakes, keeping the John O’Shea trained filly’s perfect first up record intact.

Back to Flemington and LARGO LAD ($75,000 2006 Easter, 4g Encosta De Lago-Lady Marion) scored his most important success when landing the G2 Blamey Stakes.

Top three-year-old sprinter WILANDER ($625,000 2007 Easter, 3c Exceed And Excel-Scandinavia) landed his second stakes success over older horses this season when proving too speedy in the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap.

Pinnacles ($100,000) and Renewable ($220,000), who won $75,000 and $100,000 races respectively, made it five wins on the Flemington card for Easter graduates.

Top class mare BELONG TO MANY ($20,000 2005 Premier, 5m Belong To Me-Foil) also delivered a timely reminder for upcoming Easter sales.

The Barbara Joseph trained mare took out the Listed Wenona Girl despite the steadier of 59kg and she is catalogued for sale at the Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale, to be held at Newmarket from April 14-16.

In another indicator of the depth at this year’s Easter Sale, Olonana, Largo Lad, Wilander and Belong To Many all have siblings for sale at next month’s three day sale.

Yarraman Park will offer a Flying Spur half-sister to the three times stakes winning Belong To Many as Lot 492 at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Coolmore will offer a Zabeel half-brother to Largo Lad as Lot 58, while Kulani Park have a Snitzel half-sister to Olonana as Lot 355.

Wilander’s outstanding dam Scandinavia is represented by a God’s Own colt, who will be offered as Lot 212 by Eliza Park.