Category Archives: Ad Valorem

Group 1 aims for Ad Valorem entire after Caulfield stakes win

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Classy four-year-old Free Wheeling (Ad Valorem – Miss Carefree, by Last Tycoon) had little trouble in posting his third stakes victory in Wednesday’s Caulfield Village Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Free Wheeling claimed the Group 2 Champagne Stakes (1200m) in Brisbane in his juvenile season before easily winning the Listed Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) as a three-year-old.

Free Wheeling raced handy to the speed in the Caulfield Village Stakes before his acceleration proved too much for his opposition to handle late in the race. Interestingly, star Sydney rider Hugh Bowman has partnered Free Wheeling to his three wins rather than Darley’s retained rider Kerrin McEvoy.

Free Wheelinig’s trainer Peter Snowden said the team had Group 1 plans for the entire if he continues his current progress in his current preparation.

“Our main aim was the last day of the Cup carnival, the Group 1 race there (Emirates Stakes),” Snowden said. “There is a 1400-metre race there (Flemington) in a fortnight and the following week is the mile.”

“He is a nice horse that has always shown good ability but I think this time around we will see the best of him.”

Free Wheeling is one of seven stakes winners sired by Ad Valorem (Danzig – Classy Women, by Relaunch), who stands for $16,500 at Darley’s Kelvinside property.

Darley sires quinellaed the race after Lonhro (Octagonal – Shadea, by Straight Strike) gelding Petman (Lonhro – Gift Bouquet, by King’s High) stuck on well after leading.

 

Double for Darley sires in Singapore

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Darley stallions performed strongly at Sunday’s Kranji meeting in Singapore where Hard Spun (Danzig – Turkish Tryst, by Turkoman) and Ad Valorem (Danzig – Classy Women, by Relaunch) both sired winners on the 12-race card.

Harden Up became the 65th individual winner for Hard Spun when the two-year-old led from start to finish to claim the Restricted Maiden (1200m), a race worth $S65,000. The $62,000 Adelaide Magic Millions purchase showed terrific speed before scoring by almost four lengths.

Hard Spun produced a winner in Singapore on Sunday when Harden Up scored in fine style

Don Baertschiger purchased Harden Up while his son Shane prepares the youngster, who made the most of carrying just 50.5kg to score on debut.

Baertschiger said he would aim Harden Up at the Magic Millions Juvenile Championship at Kranji on July 29.

Meanwhile, Ad Valorem’s son Lucky Xuan (Ad Valorem – Zedabelle, by Marauding) scored his second Singapore success in the 1200-metre Class 4 that carried $S55,000 in prizemoney.

. Lucky Xuan cost $55,000 out of the Murrulla Stud draft at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in 2010.

Hunter Valley Open day reviews

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Darley

Darley

Darley

Saturday afternoon saw the huge Darley stallion presentation parade. With big screen and an even bigger crowd in place, Darley were also able to influence the weather gods to keep the rain away.

And there was plenty to get excited about. Darley boast current Champion Sire in Lonhro, the former Champion Racehorse now also becoming champion off the track. He looked magnificent and it is so easy to understand his popularity. There is something very satisfying for team Darley with Lonhro as he was one of the main reasons that Darley purchased the former Woodlands operation.

David Raphael of Sky Channel and Darley’s Nominations Manager Alastair Pulford did a wonderful job taking us through the huge line up of siring talent. Once again, Medaglia d’Oro has jaw-dropping presence and the likes of Ad Valorem, Bernardini (sire of the weekend Travers winner Stay Thirsty), English Derby winner Authorized, the muscular Henny Hughes, and the wonderful ageing warrior Canny Lad all showed to advantage.

Fantastic roster, great parade, enthusiastic crowd, and award winning hospitality, as always.

Coolmore

Coolmore held three stallion parades over the weekend to cater for the different timetables of clientele; the Bluebloods/Stallions team attended the Sunday afternoon parade. As always, James Bester was the most entertaining of parade commentators, assuring the assemblage that any blame for hype or over the top sales pitch uttered by him should be blamed on stallions nominations man Colm Santry. And there was more of that…..

Coolmore

Coolmore

The stallions needed no hype. Turned out in magnificent order by the Coolmore stallion handling team, they had that shine and polish one comes to expect. The new boy, Lookin At Lucky is a great looking addition and his race record speaks volumes. Catch some video of his win in the Grade One Haskell – it gives you an idea of his class.

Encosta de Lago paraded in magnificent order and James pointed out that for earnings in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Africa, Encosta de Lago’s progeny topped prizemoney earnings for that wider region. Some achievement.

Others to impress were the father and son Choisir and Starspangledbanner, Smart Missile and Foxwedge’s sire Fastnet Rock, High Chaparral, Oratorio, Excellent Art, Dylan Thomas, Duke of Marmalade and Spinning World. A world class roster.

Today, Monday, we‚Äôre off to Widden to drink in a couple of Golden Slipper winners and others….

NSW TBA Award winners

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Saturday evening saw the annual awards for TBNSW and TBA Australia held at Scone racecourse in the new mezzanine function centre. A convivial atmosphere, a great sit down dinner with some great conversation also saw awards presented for a number of categories.

Champion Sire (NSW and Australia): Lonhro (Darley Kelvinside)

Champion First Season Sire (Australia): Written Tycoon (Eliza Park Victoria)

Champion First Season Sire NSW; Ad Valorem (Darley Kelvinside)

Champion Broodmare(Australia): Helsinge, dam of Black Caviar (Rick Jamieson Victoria)

Champion Broodmare (NSW): Sunday Joy, dam of More Joyous (Strawberry Hills)

Champion International Horse NSW: Rocket Man (bred by Tyreel) who, it was revealed, just touched off South African HOTY Igugu (bred by Kia Ora).

Hosted well by TVN’s Caroline Searcy, the evening was a great success and credit must go to the TBNSW Committee and Executive Officer Les Young for a very professional effort.

Double for Ad Valorem

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Rolston became another winner from the first crop of Ad Valorem (Danzig) when winning the 1100m Rosehill Gardens Event Centre Handicap at Canterbury Park on Wednesday.

Rolston tracked the early leader Alkie to the home straight where he went clear, staying on to defeat Dream Choice by a long-head.¬†‚ÄúIt was a good ride, there was a bit of speed in the race but he used his initiative and put him outside the leader, kicked strong at the top of the straight, the horse got a bit leg weary but did enough to win.” trainer Chris Waller said. ‚ÄúHe is a good horse who has never done anything wrong, I am more than happy with the way he is going. He has some good races in him.‚Äù

Ad Valorem was also on the board further north when State Of Wealth (3 c Girona, by Giant’s Causeway) won the Noel Wilson Memorial Plate (1200m) at Eagle Farm.¬†”He’s got to prove himself in a three-year-old open race on a Saturday first but he’s nominated for the Caulfield Guineas.¬†He’s a very classy animal.” trainer Brian Smith said.

Bred by Darley, State of Wealth was sold for $18,000 at the 2009 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale where¬†he was purchased by Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock Agency and then sold through the draft of Glastonbury Farm at the 2010 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $50,000.

Ad Valorem won twice at Group 1 level in England and finished second on the Australian First-Season Sires list last season with 8 winners of  $558,425, headed up by the stakes winner Uate.

Ad Valorem

Ad Valorem

Darley trifecta at Geelong

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A trifecta in Friday’s J T Dixon Geelong Maiden Plate (1100m) on the Geelong Synthetic track provided the highlight of a prolific day for Darley sires.

Caulfield trainer Robert Smerdon produced The Kitkat Kid (Gonski РSharna Cabarna, by Dolphin Street) to win the $12,000  race in fine style on debut, beating another debutant, the Peter Snowden-trained Glows (Canny Lad РLustre, by Quest For Fame).

Subtle Charm (Elusive Quality – Fancy That, by Volksraad) completed the Darley sires’ monopoly on the placings.

Earlier, Ad Valorem (Danzig – Classy Women, by Relaunch) provided the first winner for Anthony Freedman when the Darley-owned filly Boredom (Ad Valorem – Insouciance, by Quest For Fame) fought hard to claim the GRC Function & Events Centre Maiden (1900m).

Boredom became the first Australian progeny of Ad Valorem to win past 1400 metres. Ad Valorem’s stock have won up to 2200 metres in Europe during the northern hemisphere season.

Boredom also took Ad Valorem to the top of the Australian second-season sires by winners’ table.

Darley’s win machine Commands was also among the winners on Friday, producing a two-state double with winners in Queensland and NSW. The Bryan Guy-trained Oak Street (Commands – Restless Dream, by Rory’s Jester) won the I-Knead My Passenger Handicap (1200m) while Siegel (Commands – Vegas, by Canny Lad) claimed the App Pro Chemical Handicap (1300m) at Taree/

Detours leads Darley treble

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Darley stallions enjoyed a two state metropolitan winning treble on Wednesday. At Canterbury, homebred filly Detours (3 f Ad Valorem – Hairpin, by Octagonal) showed she is a filly with Spring potential when beating older horses in the Grand Pavillion Handicap over 1200 metres. Detours was spotting the leaders a start into the straight but sprinted fast to catch the six-year-old Brian’s Honour (Anabaa).

“She showed a good change of gears, we’ve always thought she goes nicely.” jockey Kerrin McEvoy said. ” I think she’ll appreciate a little further, she’s got a bright future.”

Further north at Doomben and Commands was represented by two winners.

Patinack Farm-owned Transporter (4 g Commands РPortrait Collector, by Sir Tristram) ran on strongly in the straight to defeat Ampho Power in the Padua College Handicap (1640m). In the following race Commandare (5 g Commands РWrap Around, by Bletchingly) raced away to score by four and a quarter lengths in the Qardss Handicap over 1200m.

Commandare was winning for the third time after finishing second at his past two starts.

Ouija wears the Tiara

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Darley-homebred Ouija (4 m Viscount – Seances, by Canny Lad) came from last at the home turn to charge home and score in Monday’s $20,000 Darley Tiara (1500m) at Muswellbrook.

Ridden patiently by Grant Buckley, the $1.60 favourite came with a big finish in the straight to run down the leaders, defeating Miss Capone (Untouchable) by half a length.¬†Ouija is a half-sister to this season’s Sapphire Stakes (Gr 2) winner Renaissance (Lonhro).

Group 1 winner Viscount (Quest For Fame – Antwerp, by Sir Tristram) commenced his stud career under the Woodlands banner in NSW and is now at Oakland Park Stud in West Australia. To date he has sired nine stakeswinners from 382 runners, headed up by the brilliant Group 1 winner Rocket Man.

Elsewhere in NSW yesterday, Darley stallions past and present landed a treble at Bathurst, headed by Boston Tea (2 g Ad Valorem – Provokes, by Octagonal) who became the ninth first-crop winner for his Group 1 winning sire when winning the $10,000 Don Ryan 2yo handicap over 1200m at his first start.

Ad Valorem (Danzig) now heads the first-season sires’ list by individual winners ahead of Nadeem, Red Dazzler and All Bar One who each have eight.

Sheikhs clash with bluebloods at Geelong

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Darley owner Sheikh Mohammed and Shadwell Stud founder Sheikh Hamdan clashed with a pair of beautifully bred youngsters in Tuesday’s GRC Function and Events Centre Maiden (1200m) on the Geelong Synthetic track.

Darley produced the filly Segue (Ad Valorem – Antwerp, by Sir Tristram), making the two-year-old a half-brother to the 2001 Champion 2YO in Australia, Viscount (Quest For Fame – Antwerp, by Sir Tristram). Viscount won three times at Group 1 level, including against the older horses in the AJC George Main Stakes (1600m).

Segue is also a half-sister to the stakes-winner Helsingborg (Danehill – Antwerp, by Sir Tristram) and the stakes-placed Dangerous (Danehill – Antwerp, by Sir Tristram). Shadwell Stud’s Australian trainer David Hayes produced the juvenile colt Almahaab (Redoute’s Choice – Nasmah, by At Talaq), a half-brother to the Group 1 winner Rewaaya (Singspiel – Nasmah, by At Talaq).

Nasmah (At Talaq – Asawir, by Last Tycoon) hails from the same family as the champion sore Snippets (Lunchtime – Easy Date, by Grand Chaudiere), outstanding juvenile and promising sire Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice – Singles Bar, by Rory’s Jester) and the super mare Forensics (Flying Spur – Prove It, by Dehere).

Segue did the hard work facing the breeze outside the leader with Almahaab getting the cosy run behind the filly before the colt proved too strong over the concluding stages to score by three quarters of a length.

Neither youngster went through a sales ring.

Darley and Viscount among the winners at Geelong

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Ad Valorem’s (Danzig – Classy Women, by Relaunch) seventh two-year-old winner of the season began a four-win day for Darley stallions at Friday’s Geelong Synthetic meeting.

Darley’s main trainer Peter Snowden prepared Henshaw (Ad Valorem – Huit, by Octagonal) to post a first-up win in the Radioactive 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m). The Lee Freedman-trained Pecuniary (Elusive Quality – Monetary, by Diesis) made a Darley quinella when she chased the winner home.

Nasemah (Exceed And Excel – Za Tiara, by Zabeel) made it a running double for Darley stallions when the mare took out the Geelong 93.9FM Maiden Plate (1000m). Ladramahs (Shamardal – Tatham, by Kayhasi) claimed the Bay FM’s Morning Crew Maiden Plate before three-year-old gelding Lonhrotothetop (Lonhro – Princess Tinkabell, by Zeditave) prevailed in the K-Rock Departure Lounge Handicap (1300m).

Meanwhile, former Woodlands and Darley sire Viscount (Quest For Fame – Antwerp, by Sir Tristram) enjoyed a double juvenile success with wins at Geelong and Wyong on Friday.

The Snowden-trained Tunes  (Viscount РTin Pan, by Commands) won the B-Team Maiden Plate (1300m) by an impressive 5-1/2 length margin at the Geelong Synthetic meeting before Anejo (Viscount РCotija, by Covetous) scored in the Serendipity Spelling 2YO Maiden (1100m) at Wyong.

Viscount now stands at the Oakland Park operation in WA.