March 16th, 2008

The disappointment of a late scratching on Melbourne Cup Day last November was far from the minds of The Fuzz’s connections after the ex New Zealand galloper collected the Group Two Blamey Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

The Fuzz enhanced his reputation as more than a “handy handicapper” with trainer David Hayes now considering him a realistic weight-for-age prospect.

Sourced from New Zealand by Lindsay Park’s Mark Pilkington in conjunction with bloodstock company First Tuesday Racing The Fuzz won the Group 3 Geelong Cup last spring before running a strong second in the SAAB Quality.

“That was prime staying form and with the dash he showed yesterday he looks to have plenty of upside,” Hayes commented.

The green and blue hoops of First Tuesday Racing, established as David Hayes Racings official syndicator in 2004, are becoming increasingly prominent in the Hayes stable. 

“We have over 35 horses in David’s stable now and aim to buy another 10 or so horses for syndication at the upcoming Gold Coast and Sydney sales,” First Tuesday boss Andy Makiv explained.

The Fuzz along with multiple Group 3 winner Catetchuchu will be flying the flag for David Hayes and First Tuesday in Sydney this Autumn.

“David is considering the Group One Ranvet Stakes at Canterbury on April 5 for The Fuzz and Catechuchu arrived in Sydney last night to contest in some of the feature mares and fillies races over the carnival,” Makiv said.

If all goes to plan over the upcoming months the connections of The Fuzz are looking forward to the prospect of seeing the First Tuesday colours on the first Tuesday of November, 2008. 

The Fuzz is by the Danehill stallion, Danasinga and is the only stakes winner for his dam the stakes placed five-time winner Drama Queen (by Prince of Praise). Drama Queen is out of Lady Ukiah (by Straight Stirke) a half-sister to the Group 2 AURC Lion Red Stakes, Great Northern Challenge, Star Way Stakes and Canterbury Gold Cup winner, Megabucks (by Schweppeshire Lad) and the Group I New Zealand Derby runner-up, Jurango (by Taipan).

The Fuzz is the second stakes winner this season for his sire Danasinga with the other being Sarajay (ex Sriwijaya by Last Tycoon), winner of the Group 2 Waikato Norrie Stakes (1600m) in New Zealand.

Danasinga has proven popular with breeders in Australia since his relocation to Baerami Thoroughbreds at Denman in New South Wales covering more than 260 mares since his move. With the solid returns of more than $2.8million from 66 individual winners so far this season he will continue to prove popular.

Danasinga has 18 yearlings listed for sale at the forthcoming Queensland Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast (March 24 - April 2), a lone offering during the Inglis Select Session (April 20 - 24) and another 16 yearlings on offer in the Inglis Classic sale (April 27 - 29).

October 26th, 2007

Trainer David Hayes unearthed another Melbourne Cup prospect on Wednesday when The Fuzz took out the Geelong cup (2400m).  Bookmakers turned the gelding in from $81 to $26 following a victory that left his jockey Craig Williams convinced he had a chance in the Flemington two-miler.
  "He's going the right way and he's only a young horse,” Williams said.
  “But he’s a grinder and you’d have to think he’ll still be running at the end of 3200.”
Williams sent The Fuzz (Danasinga - Drama Queen by Prince of Praise) past the favourite Zavite (Zabeel - Miss Vita by Alleged) in the final 200m to win the Group 3 race by three-quarters-of-a-length.  While Hayes has had a Cup campaign in mind for the gelding since he came into work, he now has to hope for a sufficiently severe penalty in order to get a run.
“It’s always a delicate thing with a horse like this, making sure they have a manageable weight but also making sure they get into the race,” Hayes said.
The Fuzz is 51st on the Melbourne Cup order of entry with 50kg.  The five-year-old gave Hayes his first Geelong Cup winner and Williams, who scored on Mandela last year, his third.

September 14th, 2007

The Danasinga half-sister to the world champion older miler Starcraft made the best possible start to her racing career at Otaki on Thursday with a debut win over 1400m.  In a performance dubbed by the commentator as 'big, powerful and strong', More To Love (ex Flying Floozie) asserted her class early as pacemaker and when asked to extend on the swing for home, pulled away by some three lengths.

Prepared by Jeanann Hercock, the four-year-old mare entered Thursday's 1400m test lightly tried with just three placed trial performances under her belt.

Bred and owned by Waikato Stud's Garry Chittick, More To Love is the fifth winning foal from as many to race for the three time NZ Broodmare of the Year, Flying Floozie (Pompeii Court).  Whilst best represented so far by the five time Gr.1 winner Starcraft (Soviet Star), Flying Floozie has already nicked well with the Baerami Thoroughbreds based-sire Danasinga, successfully producing the Listed winner and Gr.1 STC Coolmore Classic (1500m) runner-up, Forum Floozie at her first breeding attempt.

The mare returned to Danasinga after producing More To Love in 2003 with the resultant progeny being an unraced three-year-old filly named Heavenly.

December 18th, 2006

  The New Zealand bred Super Dane was victorious in the Class 4 Somerset Handicap (2000m) in Hong Kong on Saturday.  A Rich Hill Stud graduate Super Dana (Danasinga x Aer Lingus), a NZ$95,000 purchase at the 2001 Karaka Select Sale, got home for his sixth career win. 

July 24th, 2005

Hong Kong Cheri returned back to Victoria after a tough win in South Australia three weeks earlier to claim the Don McKenzie Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Hong Kong Cheri (ex Mon Cheri by Straight Strike) jumped away from barrier six settling well for young apprentice rider Anthony Darmanin with Hunter Hermitage taking up his usual roll out in front.  As Hunter Hermitage rounded the home turn Evil Master (Zabeel - Lypsac by Sackford) raced up beside him to claim the lead with Floydeboy looking a chance.  Darmanin saved many lengths with Hong Kong Cheri as he elected to stay near the rail.  

Evil Master started to get very tired, with Hong Kong Cheri going well on the slow track to pick him up and grab victory in the last couple of bounds to score by a half-neck. Floydeboy (Mellifont - Fleche D'Or by Northerly Native) 2-1/2 lengths away in third. 

July 4th, 2005

Victorian trained Hong Kong Cheri claimed the Distinctive Homes Hcp (2475m) at Cheltenham Park on Saturday.

Trained by Ray Cleaver, Hong Kong Cheri (ex Mon Cheri by Straight Strike) strode home 1-1/4 lengths clear of Pipkin (Gallo Di Ferro - Cuplet by Will Dancer) with another 3-1/4 lengths to Exalted Time (Bellotto - Alleged Lady by Delgado) in third.

Hong Kong Cheri, a five-year-old gelded son of Danasinga's has a liking for Cheltenham winning well two starts earlier on a good track. The extra distance on Saturday was a blessing as he chalked up his seventh career win from 40-starts.

June 9th, 2005

Hong Kong juvenile Toffee added to the great run being experienced by Danasinga since it was announced that the Danehill stallion was being repatriated to Australia to stand the 2005 season at Baerami Thoroughbreds.

An $85,000 purchase by Michael Steadman Bloodstock at the 2004 New Zealand Select sale and trained by Casper Fownes, Toffee won the 1200m event for Griffins in fine style. Caught deep early, he raced away to beat last start winner Lucky Stravinsky by a three-quarters-of-a-length with the balance of the 12 horse field stretched out over a further 23 lengths. 

It was Toffee's fourth start in Hong Kong this year with him yet to finish beyond a third. Toffee’s victory, continues Danasinga's success in Hong Kong, with three-year-old Danacourt, after being undefeated at two-years took his record to three from three with a resounding first up win at 1000m two weeks earlier.

Danasinga's yearlings continue to sell very well, with progeny heading to the stables of Paul Perry, John Foote and Anne-Marie Moller, Gai Waterhouse, Aquanita Racing, Lance O'Sullivan and Kieran Moore Bloodstock. 

Results were simply expected from Danasinga who hails from one of the greatest families in the Australian Stud Book.  A solid racehorse, Danasinga showed brilliance and soundness, winning stakes races from 1000m to 1600m. These traits are well replicated in his progeny.