Barrett’s Mark (3 f Churchill Downs – Go Ruby Go, by Baryshnikov) showed with a strong win in the $15,000 Border Inn Fillies & Mares Maiden (1200m) at Echuca on Thursday that she is a filly with promise.

On just her second start, Barrett’s Mark flew the gates and led to the home turn where she dug in for Lisa Cropp and was always holding the challenges in the straight to defeat Fastnet Felicity (3 f Fastnet Rock – Treasury Gardens, by Miswaki) by half a length with Queeneera (3 f Grandera – African Queen, by Lion Hunter) back in third in the time of 1:12.13.

“She’s a promising filly, she still has a lot to learn,” said Lisa Cropp. “When she puts it all together she will be a good filly, she’s doing it on raw ability right now.”

The win makes Barrett’s Mark the 12th winner this season for Blue Gum Farm stallion Churchill Downs (Danehill – Silken Whisper, by Diesis) to put him clear on the Second-season Sire listing in Victoria by winners ahead of Artie Schiller (11) and Written Tycoon (9).

Young stallion Churchill Downs has started the new season with a bang and he added another winner to his tally at Kembla Grange on Tuesday when Battles (3 g Churchill Downs – Java Siang, by Desert Sun) won the $16,000 Strongbow Clear Cider Maiden (1200m) on debut

Battles defeated Millenium Raider (Dubawi) a neck in a tight finish and showed plenty of character to score.

Trained by Robert Price at Nowra, Battles cost $70,000 as a yearling at the Melbourne Premier Sale where Price purchased him from the Eliza Park draft.

Following yesterday’s success Churchill Downs has joined Ad Valorem (USA) as the leading second-crop sire Australia wide by winners, both having six winners of seven races with Churchill Downs the best strike-rate, his total achieved from 15 runners compared to Ad Valorem’s 19.

Churchill Downs (Danehill – Silken Whisper, by Diesis) stands at Blue Gum Farm, Euroa, and is advertised at $8,800 (inc GST) in 2011

Second-season sire Churchill Downs (Danehill) added another winner to his record when the David Hayes trained Bladon (3 g Churchill Downs – Weekend Surprise) scored at Mornington.

Fitter for a first-up run, Bladon travelled just in behind the early speed to the home turn where he was angled out by James Winks to come with a good finish to wear down Mega Rich (Exceed And Excel) to win the $12,000 Hip Pocket Workwear Maiden over 1200m.

Bladon cost $140,000 as a yearling at the 2010 Melbourne Premier Sale from the draft of Blue Gum Farm where the son of Danehill stands. Like his sire, Bladon is trained by Hayes who is beginning to see very promising results from his new training establishment at Euroa, not far from Blue Gum Farm.

“He is still learning and we will take him along quietly but he has got good ability and he showed some courage today as well which is always a good sign.” Hayes said.

Churchill Downs (Danehill – Silk Whisper, by Diesis) is standing at $8,800 (inc GST) in 2011.

Churchill Downs (Danehill – Silken Whisper, by Diesis) enjoyed a good first week to the new season with his second winner in two days when Whisper Downs scored at Geelong on Friday. Whisper Downs (3 g Gur, by Lake Coniston) defeated race-favourite Pecuniary (Elusive Quality) by a length in the 3yo Maiden over 1100m.

A $48,000 Magic Millions Adelaide yearling and then a $120,000 2yo-in-training at the BC3 Sale in Victoria, Whisper Downs is the third winner for the Blue Gum Farm stallion.

On Thursday Spelldancer (3 f Churchill Downs – Cantrip, by Canny Lad) defeated older horses in an Open Maiden over 1600m at Bendigo.