October 26th, 2008

Choisir featured last Saturday with impressive Sydney juvenile winner Horizons and was back in the frame this weekend with another promising youngster in Starspangledbanner, winner of the $250,000 Inglis Juvenile at Moonee Valley.

The Leon Corstens trained colt led throughout and then held off a determined finish from the filly No Comment (Danzero - Won't Tell by Rory's Jester) to win the rich juvenile event over 1000 metres by a short half head.

A jubilant Leon Corstens paid tribute to jockey Vlad Duric for the work he has done with the colt.

“Vlad has been a big help, he’s come up and jumped on these horses and helped us out but it’s a team effort, without the team I’m nowhere,” he said.

Corstens said that Starspangledbanner would immediately be sent to the spelling paddock with the big two-year-old race in the autumn in mind.

“He’s growing really quickly so it’s best to put him out in the paddock to develop, he’ll be a lovely horse in the autumn,” he added.

A $120,000 purchase at the 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Starspangledbanner was bred and offered for sale by Tony Santic’s Makybe.

Starspangledbanner is the third foal of stakes-placed Gold Anthem, whose dam National Anthem is a half-sister to Group One AJC Australian Oaks winner Circles of Gold, renowned as the dam of champion racehorses and young stallions, Elvstroem and Haradasun.

Gold Anthem has a yearling filly by Royal Academy and produced a filly by Rock of Gibraltar this spring.

October 22nd, 2008

Stimulation was rewarded for some gallant placed efforts throughout the season with a good win in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket on Champions day. The three-year-old son of Choisir is trained by Hughie Morrison for Michael Kerr-Dineen and he should prove to be a live contender for many of the top mile races next year.

Choisir was the leading second crop sire in Australia last season by individual winners and this spring his fee at Coolmore has been listed at $33,000 (inc gst).

September 28th, 2008

Choisir, a group one winning sprinter, will be represented in the Caulfield Guineas with the Gooree Pastoral owned Dreamscape following his solid win in Saturday's Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes at Randwick.

Trained on course for Gooree by Gai Waterhouse, Dreamscape settled well for his rider, Nash Rawiller, behind the free going Whitefriars, who went a very keen mid-race.  Rounding the home turn Rawiller allowed the bay colt to stride up alongside Whitefriars under a solid grip.  Giving Dreamscape a bit of rein once balanced the colt simply lengthened stride and got a winning break on his rivals.

Dreamscape went on to beat Whitefriars (Arena ex Alsatia by Marauding) by 1-3/4 lengths with Judge Me Not (Lonhro - Miss Guilty by Kinski), who made ground late for third another 1-1/2 lengths away. 

To underline the worth of his win, it was Dreamscape's third career start and his second win.  Both of his victories have been in stakes events he will now take on the Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes winner, Whobegotyou in the Group I Caulfield Guineas over a mile on October 11th.  

Lonhro is the last Stan Fox Stakes winner to go on and win the Group I Caulfield Guineas at his next start in 2001.

“I love training this horse, he's such a gentleman, that was a great effort,” trainer Gai Waterhouse told TVN's Richard Calendar.

A homebred for Gooree Stud, Dreamscape is the fourth winner and first stakes-winner for the Ferdinand maiden winning mare Faith in Dreams, a half-sister to the Group 2 winner, Festival Hall (by Sadler's Wells) and the Group 3 winner, Hymn (by Fairy King).   She is out of the unraced Sir Ivor mare, Hanswen a half-s sister to the dual Group I winner, King Pellinore (by Round Table), the Group I Goodwood Sussex winner, Thatch (by Forli), and the stakes winning Lisadell (by Foril) and  Espadrille (by  Damascus).  

This family has produced some great stallions in the shape of El Condor Pasa (by Kingmambo), the winner of the Group I Saint-Cloud Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Japan Cup.  Jade Robbery (by Mr Prospector), Group I Longchamp Grand Criterium, Sadler's Wells (by Northern Dancer), Group I Phoenix Champion Stakes, Irish 2000 Guineas and Sandown Eclipse Stakes and Tate Gallery (by Northern Dancer) winner of the Group I Curragh National Stakes.  

Recently another Group I winner has appeared in this remarkable family when Archipenko (by Kingmambo) won the Group I Hong Kong Jockey Club's Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Despite her impressive credentials, Faith in Dreams proved a largely disappointing producer for Gooree until now and was on-sold at the 2006 Inglis Broodmare Sale where she made $7,000 and was exported to the Philippines.

Forty minutes later, Choisir, made it a stakes winning double when Sara's Choice broke her maiden stakes with a last stride win in the Listed Reginald Allen Quality Handicap (1400m).

Owned by George Cloros, and trained for them by former jockey Kevin Moses, Sara's Choice win will no doubt lift the spirit's of his trainer as he had gone through a torrid time with his Group I Sydney Cup winner No Wine No Song recuperating from a displaced bowel that required a life saving operation.

With No Wine No Song safely back at his owners' property recuperating, Moses, chased some of the black type on offer at the George Main Stakes meeting.  Striking in the first race his three-year-old Catcher in the Rye, colt, Rhyno Chaser won the Listed Dulcify Quality and four races later Sara's Choice was driven through a small gap to deny Intuit (Commands - Wrap Around by Bletchingly) the valuable black type victory.

Sara's Choice is Choisir's tenth stakes winner, she was purchased for the Cloros family by Bloodstock Agent Jon Freyer from the 2007 William Inglis Classic yearling sale for $25,000 from the draft of Southern Cross Breeders.  She is out of Momentous Ride (by Puissance), a winner of two races and half-sister to the stakes placed eight time winner, Fetes Galantes (by Brave Warrior).  Sara's Choice is her second winner and first stakes winner.

September 15th, 2008

Coolmore's historic Golden Jubilee winning stallion, Choisir, has been on a roll lately turning out some classy winners and at Rosehill on Saturday the son of Danehill Dancer and Great Selection (by Lunchtime), added another black type winner to his growing list of group successes when Hurried Choice won the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m).

Hurried Choice was tried with front-running tactics just as Choisir used when he took his historic double in 2003. Ridden by Jeff Lloyd, Hurried Choice, jumped away best from a wide draw to take up the running as she had done in the Premiere Stakes. With Lloyd rating Hurried Choice in superb fashion she prove too good for her opponents and scored by a half-neck from Forensics (Flying Spur - Prove It by Dehere) with Ice Chariot (Semipalatinsk - Snow Chariot by Chariot) another one-and-a-half lengths away in third.

Hurried Choice was purchased by her trainer David Payne at the 2006 Magic Millions Premier sale on the Gold Coast from the draft of Bellerive Stud where he gave $150,000 for her. With five wins from 15 starts she has paid for herself many times over with earnings passing $500,000. She is out of the Catrail (by Storm Cat) mare, Hustle Bustle an unraced commodity and dam of four foals with Hurried Choice being her only foal to have raced and won. 

Hustle Bustle's dam is the high class New Zealand mare Lurestina (by Sir Tristram), winner of the Group I Sky Sport Classic and runner up in two Auckland Cup's. A sister to the black type winning Stirring and half-sister to the Group 3 winning, Lanolin (by Marscay), Lurestina is also the dam of the stakes winning Danzero juvenile, Miss Bussell.

Last Wednesday in Victoria, Choisir, had an impressive three year-old winner when Stanton led all the way to claim a solid Ratings 72 event over 1200m at Sandown. 

A flashy chestnut, trained by John Sadler for Lloyd Williams, Stanton crossed quickly from an outside draw. With Steve Arnold rating him well they controlled the event and when Arnold asked for a sprint home he ran a slick 21.2sec for his last 400m to score by a widening two-and-three-quarter lengths. In doing so he recorded his second win from as many starts.

Arnold told TVN's Bruce Clark, “He travelled enormous in the run and I knew he had plenty left for a kick at the end of the race,” 

“He goes along at a nice tempo and then can really quicken, so that’s going to win him a lot of races.”

An $80,000 purchase by Nick Williams from the draft of Oakford Thoroughbred Farm at the 2007 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Stanton is the third foal of an unraced Spinning World mare in Sandy Lane, who is a grand-daughter of Irish stakes-winner Inishdalla.

Choisir was the leading second crop sire in Australia last season by individual winners and breeders will need to part with $33,000 (inc gst) for his services this spring at Coolmore.

August 24th, 2008

Few horses make their debut in a Group Three event as a three year-old and even fewer go on to win, but that was the case with the Gai Waterhouse trained colt Dreamscape who scored a spine-tingling victory in the Group Three AJC Up and Coming Stakes at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

Unbeaten in two recent barrier trials, Dreamscape was very much thrown in the deep end for this assignment against far more seasoned peers, but emerged with flying colours as he surged for jockey Peter Robl over the last furlong to claim a nose win over talented gelding Aichi.

“That was a top class effort and Peter (Robl) was very patient,” said Gai Waterhouse.
“We knew we had a superior colt, so why not start him off in a stakes race.”

A homebred for Gooree Stud, Dreamscape is by champion sprinter Choisir, who conquered Royal Ascot in 2003 before retiring to Coolmore Stud.

Dreamscape is the fourth winner and first stakes-winner for the Ferdinand mare Faith in Dreams, whose pedigree is one of the best in the world as she claims legendary producer Thong as her grandam.
A remarkable mare, Thong is the dam of Group One winners Thatch and King Pellinore, her many superior descendants including champions sires Sadler’s Wells and Nureyev.

Despite her impressive credentials, Faith in Dreams proved a largely disappointing producer for Gooree until now and was on-sold at the 2006 Inglis Broodmare Sale where she made $7,000 and was exported to the Philippines.

Dreamscape is the eighth stakes-winner worldwide for Choisir, who was the leading second season sire in Australia last season by individual winners.  A son of outstanding sire Danehill Dancer, Choisir stands at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $33,000.

June 4th, 2008

Fatboy is proving a sprinter to be reckoned with registering his third black-type win in the Listed Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock in England on Saturday.

Bred by Peter Mooney, Fatboy is from the first crop of the former brilliant sprinter Choisir, and was bought by Peter Doyle at last years Goffs breeze-up at Kempton.

Choisir stands at Coolmore this spring with his fee set at at $33,000 (inc gst).

January 2nd, 2008

Supporters of Choisir would have enjoyed Royal Randwick on New Year's Day when the in-form Hurried Choice won the Ratings 93 Handicap (1200m) in solid fashion.

Hurried Choice improved from her first up second to subsequent Carrington stakes-winner Al Be Nimble. 

Winner of the Listed AJC Gimcrack Stakes, on debut, as a juvenile last season, Hurried Choice then won her next start an Open 1100m Handicap, and since she has been thereabouts in the better races.  Unfortunately her spring campaign was cut short as a result of Equine Influenzia outbreak.

With a solid second behind Al Be Nimble at Rosehill two weeks earlier, her trainer David Payne elected to run in the Ratings 93 Hcp instead of the Carrington where she had the same weight as the four-year-old colt. 

Payne told TVN, “She’s a top class filly and we’ll turn her out now and look at the better races in the autumn.” 

One of a string of recent winners sired by young Coolmore based sire Choisir, Hurried Choice was secured by Payne for $150,000 from the draft of Bellerive Stud at the 2006 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Raced by South African based owner Marcus Jooste, Hurried Choice has won three races and placed twice from eight starts winning $250,000 in prizemoney.

Hurried Choice is the first foal of Hustle Bustle, an unraced half-sister by Catrail (USA) to former smart stakes-winning filly Miss Bussell, raced by Arrowfield Stud.

Arrowfield purchased Hustle Bustle as a broodmare prospect at the 2004 Magic Millions National Sale for $110,000 when in foal to Choisir in her first season at stud with Hurried Choice the result of that mating.

Choisir will be represented at the 2008 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale (January 28th & 29th) with five lots on offer.  He has a lone lot in the Select session of the sale (February 1st) and another three on offer at the Magic Millions Perth sale in February (15th - 22nd).

September 23rd, 2007

In the northern hemisphere, Choisir is leaving his hoof print on plenty of the juvenile results this season and again on Friday at Newbury, Stimulation (ex Damiana, by Thatching) was described as the best colt by Choisir that he had ridden by Steve Drowne after landing a high-class six-furlong maiden on his racecourse debut.

Stimulation’s trainer Hughie Morrison is not known for his first-time out winners and expects the colt, a 96,000gns yearling bred by Illuminatus Investments, to be an exciting prospect next year.

"I think I am right in saying that is my first two-year-old colt to ever win first time out, so he must be all right! He is a proper horse, with a great temperament and I hope he is going the right way," said Morrison.

"I didn't put him in any of the big races and we'll just see how he goes as he is a big horse and he might fall apart on us, in which case I will put him away for the winter."

Drowne added: "He was always travelling like a winner and is a lovely horse. He’s got the scope and a big frame to improve and he could be quite exciting. He’d be right up with the best - if not the best - two-year-olds I’ve ridden on the racecourse this year."

July 24th, 2007

Racing returned to Caulfield on Saturday and Troy Portelli continued his brothers' good run in Melbourne when Allervite took out the Snitzel Handicap in comfortable fashion.

Ridden by top jockey, Michael Rodd , the bay gelded son of Choisir worked his way to the front after being slowly away.  Mustering speed Allervite was soon in charge going strongly.  Cornering left-handed for the first time with a nice break over his rivals Allervite quickly put the race beyond doubt kicking away at the 300m to score by a widening length-and-a-quarter from Bankers Lamp (Fantastic Light - Spice Girl by Southern Appeal), who came from well back and looked the only danger to Allervite.

Bianco Luci (Black Hawk - Belle Uno by Delgado) was third another two-and-a-quarter lengths away.

Gary Portelli set up a satellite stable in Victoria three-years-ago and with his brothers' help the move has produced some very nice results, especially this winter. Portelli has sent several wet-trackers down to his Flemington base and the stable has chalked up wins with Marwin Gold (twice), Something Anything (twice), Empire Dancer and Allervite in the metropolitan area. 

Allervite was originally nominated to be sold as a weanling in the 2005 Magic Millions Gold Coast National sale, however he was withdrawn, six months on he appeared in the 2006 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale and wily bloodstock agent Vin Cox chose him for clients for $60,000.00.  The win at his sixth start on Saturday took Allervite's earnings past $60,000.  Since his syndication into the Portelli yard, Allervite won his maiden at Wyong at his second start and shown plenty of speed and ability against the top-grade juveniles when sixth to the subsequent Golden Slipper winner Forensics in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes at Warwick Farm on March 3.

Out of the six-time winner and Silver Jubilee stakes placegetter Hit and Run (by Success Express), Allervite is the second runner and winner for Hit and Run.

The gelding gave his sire, Choisir, his eleventh winner for the southern hemisphere season - his 26th individual winner overall.  Choisir returns to Coolmore this spring for $33,000.00 inc gst.

April 16th, 2007

On top of the good news from the northern hemisphere for Choisir at Moonee Valley on Saturday his daughter, Love's Great, took out the opening race on the card with a good solid on pace effort. 

Raced by Rob Clemenger and Rod Dufficy, Love's Great gave her trainer Tom Dabernig his first metropolitan win, who wasn't on course to celebrate the occasion.  Dabernig had given out a topical tip as he was on his honeymoon - proving love's great.

The bay filly from the Rubiton mare Explosive Love jumped well from barrier eight to show nice speed early with Spectacula and Gold Chant showing the way.  While Devil May Care and Love's Great took a sit off them.  Love's Great moved up to the leaders on the turn and proved too strong for her rivals to claim a half-length victory over Gold Chant (El Moxie - Gold Anthem by Made of Gold) with Devil May Care (Umatilla - Destry Girl by Noalcholic) another two lengths away in third.

Devil May Care did lay in down the straight and maybe worth following along with Love's Great.

April 11th, 2007

More news coming through from Ireland with another winner for Choisir, giving him two winners from as many runners when Porto Marmay won the EBF Maiden Fillies Stakes at Cork on Easter Monday.

A 24,000 euro purchase at the Goffs Sportsman’s & Bonus sale, Porto Marmay (ex Nordicolini) defeated Sawherfirstandknew, a daughter from the first-crop of fellow Coolmore sire, Statue Of Liberty.

April 10th, 2007

Another stallion whose fortunes have received a timely boost is Choisir.  The dual-hemisphere winner had his first European success last week, thanks to a colt with the less-than-flattering name of Fat Boy.
In just the first week of the British flat season, Fat Boy took out a 1000m maiden at Kempton Park.
Trained by Richard Hannon, he won only four weeks after being bought for £70,000 at the Goffs breeze-up sale by agent Ross Doyle.
"He is a strong horse. He sprinted clear and will be even better over six or seven furlongs," said Hannon.
"Choisir will be a good stallion and thank God I’ve got about five of them."

March 11th, 2007

One of the most competitive races on the 'Super Saturday' card at Caulfield was in the Group 2 VRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) and Choisir's son Incumbent backed up a week after his victory in the Inglis Premier (1200m) to the take the Group 2 feature in comfortable fashion.

Incumbent will now head to New South Wales for the autumn juvenile triple crown at Randwick and Rosehill.

Incumbent (ex Chalonne by Rubiton) who had suffered a setback earlier this year appears to have thrived on his return this campaign.  The chestnut colt looked very healthy prerace and he travelled kindly for rider Damien Oliver midfield as Potomac and Joyous Rapture set the pace in the early stages before Ehor was allowed to stride from the 1000m ensuring a solid tempo.  Sitting midfield Incumbent raced out wide and grabbed Ehor and strode away from Marching (Commands - Step by Grand Lodge), who ran on well after getting into bother on the turn, by 1-1/4 lengths with Below Zero (Dehere - Belzero by Danzero) the same margin away in third.

Incumbent cost $255,000 and after his second win took he his career earnings past $475,000. 

March 4th, 2007

Choisir colt Incumbent staked his Group One STC Golden Slipper berth with a last stride victory in the 2007 Inglis Premier Race (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. 

Mike Rodd was able to get Incumbent away well from barrier seven and the chestnut settled nicely as the field was taken along at a very fast pace by Brazen Hussey, who showed wonderful speed from gate 14 to cross the field and lead.  However, Brazen Hussey's effort quickly told on her as Tresor went up to grab her.  Wider out, Incumbent, who had enjoyed a nice run just off the pace, proved too strong and grabbed the rich purse by a long head over Tresor (Belong To Me - My Mo Rally by Mi Preferido) with last week's Group One MRC Blue Diamond third placegetter Shrewd Rhythm (Danehill Dancer - Balcanny by Canny Lad) in third.

Incumbent, races in the famous royal blue, white armbands and cap of Lloyd Williams and if he does well in the next two weeks he will head towards the world's richest 2YO race - the Group One STC Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 31st.

Incumbent is out of Chalonne an unraced mare by Rubiton and he is her first foal. Chalonne is a three-quarter sister in blood to multiple Group winner Innovation Girl (by Rubiton) and a half-sister to the multiple winning stakes placed Bright Gleam (by Jugah), who in turn is the dam of the Group I Doncaster Handicap winner, Soho Square (by Jugah). 

Her second foal by Royal Academy was sold on the second day of the Inglis Premier yearling sale to South Africa's Form Bloodstock for $170,000.

Form Bloodstock's Jehan Malherbe explained that his trainer Dean Kannemeyer had steered two Royal Academy's to Group One glory in South Africa last year and that Chalonne's yearling was “a truly lovely type”. 

“I have purchased yearlings previously at Easter, but this was my first trip to Melbourne and I've been highly impressed with the quality of bloodstock presented,” Jehan enthused.

The colt was bred and offered for sale by Des Pope from Rubiton Bloodstock.

October 8th, 2006

The winning streak of Magic Millions two-year-olds in the stakes races continued at Randwick on Saturday when Hurried Choice led home a trifecta of Gold Coast buys in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m).

After watching quinella results in last week's Breeders Plate in Sydney and the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes in Melbourne, the Millions juggernaut rolled on in the Gimcrack.

Hurried Choice made history in winning the race for former South African trainer David Payne, jockey Michael Rodd and South African owner Markus Jooste.

He is the first winner and in turn stakes winner for former globetrotting sprinter Choisir. Prior to the win of Hurried Choice, Choisir had notched two individual stakes placed performers.

“We were confident she would have improved on her trial and she drew a good barrier,” a delighted David Payne said.
"Maybe Coolmore will give me a few more to train now," he added with a grin.

Payne purchased Hurried Choice for South African retail king Markus Jooste from January's Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast for $150,000 from the draft of Bellerive Stud.

"She has a bit of bitch about her, which all the top fillies have," Payne reported.
"I will spell her now and let her joints settle as I think she will be something special," he summed up.

The runner up Miss Argyle (Iglesia - Precious Pearl by Semipalatinsk), a member of the Gai Waterhouse stable, was purchased for $270,000 from the Gold Coast, while the fast finishing third placegetter Superfly (Rock of Gibraltar - Allez France by Hennesy) was a $430,000 purchase.

Hurried Choice is the first named foal for the unraced Catrail mare Hustle Bustle. A daughter of the Group One winner Lurestina, Hustle Bustle is a half-sister to stakes winner and Magic Millions 2YO Classic runner-up Miss Bussell (by Danzero).

June 20th, 2005

Sale ring action will focus on Victoria from this Sunday, when the massive 2005 June Weanling & Thoroughbred Sale gets underway at the Oaklands complex. The catalogue features 1085 lots in total, commencing with 393 weanlings to be sold on Sunday and Monday (June 26, 27), followed by broodmares and tried racehorses on Wednesday and Thursday (June 29, 30).

Just two years have passed since powerhouse sprinter Choisir took the racing world by storm with his devastating performances to dominate the sprint racing at Royal Ascot. His first weanlings have been well received to date and his four entries at this sale will undoubtedly command great interest.

They are: 

· Lot 71 filly from Ideal Option, half-sister by Scenic (IRE) to stakes-winners Embargo and Don Zao, from the family of Marscay.

· Lot 81 filly from Joffa Lass (NZ), dam of smart metropolitan winner Heathcote.

· Lot 275 colt from Tennis, dam of two good winners including HK galloper Majestic Feeling.

· Lot 297 filly from Vitamins, half-sister to VRC Oaks winner Tributes and dam of two winners.