News

Kiwi Vendors Provide Easter Guineas Quinella

28th Mar 2009

Metal Bender and Sousa became the latest Easter graduates to quinella a Group 1 race in today’s Rosehill Guineas, in the process once again underlining how Easter brings together the very best yearlings the Southern Hemisphere has to offer.

METAL BENDER ($160,000 2007 Easter, 3g Danasinga-Jacqwin) continued Waikato Stud’s outstanding run of success in making it back-to-back Group 1 victories in today’s 2000m contest.

Waikato Stud has provided the winners of five Group 1 races this season and the stud will offer a quality draft of seven yearlings at the upcoming Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with progeny by resident stallions O’Reilly, Pins and Savabeel.

Metal Bender remains on target to become the first horse since the mighty Octagonal to claim the Sydney Autumn 3YO Triple Crown, following his win in the G1 Randwick Guineas earlier in the month.

Runner-up SOUSA ($420,000 2007 Easter, 3c Galileo-Liberty Song) made a pleasing return to form in today’s Guineas and the G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner is right on target for a re-match with Metal Bender in next month’s G1 AJC Australian Derby.

Sousa is a graduate of Trelawney Stud, who also have a select draft of seven yearlings for Easter this year, with progeny by leading stallions Zabeel, Encosta De Lago, Danehill Dancer, Flying Spur and Stravinsky.

Easter graduates again lead the way in Australian Group 1 races this season, with the tally now at 11. Overall, Easter graduates have won 69 stakes races since August 1.

The New Zealand Easter theme continued in the following event when Windsor Park graduate CENTENNIAL PARK (P$140,000 2007 Easter, 3g Thorn Park-Trephina) opened his stakes winning account in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes.

Earlier, the Tim Martin trained INDIAN OCEAN ($150,000 2008 Easter, 2f Danehill Dancer-Dashkova) provided the first leg of an Easter stakes winning treble at Rosehill when claiming the G2 Parramatta Leagues Club Stakes.

The filly is now the winner of three races in four outings and made it two wins in the past three years for Danehill Dancer in this race. The Coolmore based stallion has a draft of 15 yearlings for next week’s Easter Sale.

Opening race winner Kroner (Viking Ruler) also provided a timely update, with Widden Stud to offer an Anabaa colt from his Zabeel dam Monroe Magic – making him a full-brother to G1 AJC Derby winner Headturner – as Lot 114.

The 2009 Australian Easter Yearling Sale begins next Sunday, April 5, and runs over three sessions. Sirecam videos for all lots are now online.

Inglis graduates also tasted Group 1 success in New Zealand today, with THE HECKLER ($26,000 2007 Australian Select Weanling, 2g Lucky Owners-Comedy Cafe) taking the G1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes.

The son of Lucky Owners, who was offered for sale at Newmarket by Amarina Farm before being successfully pinhooked as a yearling, had previously won the Karaka Million this year.

Nominations for the 2009 Australian Weanling and Breeding Stock Sale, to be held on June 25, 26 and 28, are now open and entry forms can be downloaded HERE. Entries close on May 1.

The Inglis stakes winning theme continued at Caulfield, with SKIDDAW PEAK ($65,000 2005 Classic, 5g Generous-River Flow) taking out the Listed Anniversary Vase. His record now reads out at eight wins in 18 starts for earnings of $300,000.