News

Premier Performance in Reid

13th Feb 2010

Despite the scratching of hot favourite Black Caviar, the Melbourne Premier Sale still shone brightly in today’s William Reid Stakes, with ultra-consistent Turffontein landing his second Group 1 prize.

TURFFONTEIN ($70,000 2006 Premier, 5h Johannesburg-Spirit Of Grace) led home an Inglis quinella, with runner-up WANTED ($800,000 2008 Easter, 3c Fastnet Rock-Fragmentation) running his third Group 1 placing for the season.

Trainer Anthony Cummings has consistently taken on the very best with Turffontein right throughout his career and was rewarded with an initial Group 1 breakthrough last spring in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. Today’s win took his earnings beyond the $1million mark.

Bred by Pat Carroll’s PC Racing Investments, Blue Gum Farm will offer a Churchill Downs half-sister to Turffontein as Lot 432 at this year’s Premier Sale.

Premier is now the source of 25 stakes wins in Australia this season, with the tally headed by Turffontein and Caulfield Guineas winner Starspangledbanner, not to mention the World’s Highest Rated Sprinter Sacred Kingdom’s deeds in Hong Kong.

The 2010 Melbourne Premier Sale will be held at Oaklands from March 1-4.

The Oaklands sale ring was also the source of Listed Queen Adelaide Stakes Winner WARM LOVE ($9000 2008 Great Southern Weanling, 2f Octagonal-Charangas).

Earlier, GEORGETTE SILK ($730,000 2009 Easter, 2f Flying Spur-Apparel) kickstarted the Inglis stakes haul when a dominant winner of the Listed Widden Stakes. The Clarry Conners trained filly had previously run second on debut to $1million Easter colt and current Blue Diamond favourite Beneteau.

ALVERTA (P$20,000 2005 Easter, 6m Flying Spur-Grilse) recorded the fourth stakes success of her career when proving too classy in the Group 2 Breeders Classic. The Paul Messara trained mare was previously a three-times Listed winner, but thoroughly deserved this career best Group 2 victory.

Dual Group 1 winner Zarita’s win in the G2 Sunline Stakes highlighted a Zabeel half-sister heading to this year’s Easter Sale. The filly, to be offered by Rich Hill Stud, is catalogued as Lot 448.