Category Archives: Elusive Quality

Darley’s streak on the line in Champagne Stakes

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Guelph (Exceed And Excel – Camarilla, by Elusive Quality) and Champollion (Exceed And Excel – Hierogram, by Octagonal) have the task of continuing an amazing streak for Darley stallions in Saturday’s Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

Darley sires have produced the winner of the past nine Group 1 events for two-year-olds in Sydney, a run of success that began when Skilled (Commands – Dextrous, by Quest For Fame) won the 2010 edition of the Champagne Stakes.

Sepoy (Elusive Quality – Watchful, by Danehill) and Helmet (Exceed And Excel – Accessories, by Singspiel) split the three races of the 2011 ‘triple crown’ between them while Lonhro’s (Octagonal – Shadea, by Straight Strike) wonderful son Pierro (Lonhro – Miss Right Note, by Daylami) won the Golden Slipper, ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes in 2012.

Daughters of Exceed And Excel (Danehill – Patrona, by Lomond) have won the two races held in 2013. Overreach (Exceed And Excel – Bahia, by Snippets) took out the Golden Slipper on April 6 before Guelph finished too strongly for her opposition in the ATC Sires’ Produce.

The stock of Coolmore stallion Fastnet Rock (Danehill – Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) is likely to provide the toughest competition to the Exceed And Excel duo with Fast ‘N’ Rocking (Fastnet Rock – For The Good Times, by Hennessy), Scandiva (Fastnet Rock – Scandinavia, by Snippets) and Shahad (Fastnet Rock – Shamekha, by Secret Savings) all set to run big races.

Below is the full field for Saturday’s Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

No Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Sire
1 RIOCETTO Neville & Christopher Voigt Brenton Avdulla 7 Oratorio (IRE)
2 CRITERION (NZ) David Payne Hugh Bowman 8 Sebring
3 FAST ’N’ ROCKING David Hayes Steven Arnold 1 Fastnet Rock
4 FUERZA Bjorn Baker Jim Cassidy 12 Snippetson
5 CHARLIE BOY Gerald Ryan Christian Reith 10 Myboycharlie
6 CHAMPOLLION Peter Snowden Blake Shinn 11 Exceed And Excel
7 HAVANA Paul Messara Craig Williams 4 Starcraft
8 EQUATOR Gai Waterhouse Nash Rawiller 9 Northern Meteor
9 DRAGO Anthony Cummings Michael Rodd 14 Danehill Dancer
10 STAR WARS (NZ) Scott Aspery Ms Kathy O’Hara 2 Starcraft
11 GUELPH Peter Snowden Kerrin McEvoy 6 Exceed And Excel
12 SCANDIVA Anthony Cummings Peter Robl 5 Fastnet Rock
13 DIVA DEE Anthony Cummings Dwayne Dunn 13 Encosta De Lago
14 SHAHAD Gai Waterhouse Tommy Berry 3 Fastnet Rock

 

Black Caviar claims Cartier sprinters’ title

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Superstar Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) became the second Australian-bred winner of the Cartier Sprinter Award in three years in London on Tuesday night.

Black Caviar’s epic win in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6f) during the Royal Ascot carnival enabled her to secure enough points, plus votes from journalists and the public, to join July Cup winner Starspangledbanner (Choisir – Gold Anthem, by Made Of Gold) as a winner of the award.

Meanwhile, the progeny of Darley stallions swept the juvenile categories of the Cartier Racing Awards.

Dawn Approach (New Approach – Hymn Of The Dawn, by Phone Trick) joined his sire New Approach (Galileo – Park Express, by Ahonoora) as a winner of the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt trophy while Elusive Quality’s (Gone West – Touch Of Greatness, by Hero’s Honor) undefeated daughter Questing (Elusive Quality – Please Sign In, by Doc’s Leader) won the fillies’ category.

Dawn Approach won his six starts as a juvenile in 2012, including the Group 1 National Stakes (7f) in Ireland, which prompted Godolphin to buy the horse off clients of the Jim Bolger stable.

The Godolphin-owned Questing’s four wins included the Group 1 Shadwell Fillies’ Mile (8f) at Newmarket in late September.

 

79 for Elusive Quality in Tibbie Stakes

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Elusive Quality (Gone West – Touch Of Greatness, by Hero’s Honor) mare Nocturnelle (Elusive Quality – Dama De Noche, by Snippets) became the 79th Stakes winner for the Darley stallion with her victory in the Listed Patinack Farm Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle.

Nocturnelle was luckless during her two previous runs in Stakes company as a three-year-old filly but things went her way in her latest assignment.

The four-year-old raced on the pace before sprinting clear in the straight to beat New Beginning (Reset – Gypsy Girl, by Lion Hunter) and Irish Dream (Falbrav – Queen Emma, by Irish River). The Segenhoe-owned Irish Dream was especially unlucky in the 2012 edition of the Tibbie Stakes after being blocked for a run for most of the straight at her final start.

“She was never going to get beaten,” winning jockey Glyn Schofield said. “I knew the horse under me, I know how she can quicken and where I was in the run I knew she wouldn’t get beaten.”

“She’ll measure up to a better race than this.”

Nocturnelle is a daughter of the juvenile Group 3 winner Dama De Noche (Snippets – Daisy Bates, by Danehill) and is a half-sister to the Stakes-placed Seduced (Encosta De Lago – Dama De Noche, by Snippets).

 

74 for Elusive Quality after Belmont Classic

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Smart three-year-old Elusive Image (Elusive Quality – Reflected Image, by Bluebird) charged home from the back of the field to claim Saturday’s Listed Belmont Classic (2200m) in Perth.

The Bob Peters homebred became the 74th individual Stakes winner for the Darley stallion Elusive Quality (Gone West – Touch Of Greatness, by Hero’s Honor with his smart performance.

Elusive Image battled for form for the first four runs of his winter preparation before top Perth jockey William Pike combined with the three-year-old for the first occasion this time in.

Pike waited until the 400 metres before unleashing Elusive Image. The gelding let down stylishly in the straight to beat Rantorini (Balestrini – Supranto, by Laranto) by three-quarters of a length.

Elusive Image is a son of the 1999 Group 2 WA Oaks (2400m) winner Reflected Image (Bluebird – Superb Prospect, by Superbity). Reflected Image is also to dam of the dual Stakes winner New Image (More Than Ready – Reflected Image, by Bluebird).

The mare is in foal again to More Than Ready (Southern Halo – Woodman’s Girl, by Woodman).

Kiwis out to continue Rosehill Guineas streak

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Six New Zealand-bred three-year-olds will be out to continue the winning run of horses bred in the Shaky Isles in Saturday’s Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m).

New Zealand-bred stayers have won the last three editions of the Rosehill Guineas and four of the past six runnings of the race.

The Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Silent Achiever (O’Reilly – Winning Spree, by Zabeel) heads the pre-post betting on the race with another New Zealand-bred contender, Ocean Park (Thorn Park – Sayyida, by Zabeel) on the third line of the market.

Thorn Park (Spinning World – Joy, by Bluebird) produced last year’s Rosehill Guineas winner when Jimmy Choux (Thorn Park – Cierzo, by Centaine) stormed to victory.

Below is the field for Saturday’s 2012 Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m).

No Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Sire
1 SANGSTER (NZ) Trent Busuttin Danny Nikolic 7 56.5kg Savabeel
2 INDUNA Peter Snowden Christian Reith 3 56.5kg Elusive Quality
3 ROCK ‘N’ POP Jason Bridgman Jim Cassidy 10 56.5kg Fastnet Rock
4 DOCTOR DOOM Guy Walter Rod Quinn 16 56.5kg Domesday
5 GALAH Peter Snowden Joshua Parr 2 56.5kg Redoute’s Choice
6 STRIKE THE STARS (NZ) Anthony Cummings Blake Shinn 4 56.5kg Savabeel
7 DARCI BE GOOD (NZ) Bede Murray Peter Robl 15 56.5kg Darci Brahma
8 SABRAGE Michael Moroney Damien Oliver 12 56.5kg Charge Forward
9 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Peter G Moody Luke Nolen 6 56.5kg Exceed And Excel
10 SAID COM (NZ) Chris Waller Dwayne Dunn 20 56.5kg O’Reilly
11 PROLIFERATE Mick Price Michael Walker 13 56.5kg More Than Ready
12 AMBIDEXTER Peter Snowden Mark Zahra 8 56.5kg Commands
13 LASER HAWK Gai Waterhouse Nash Rawiller 9 56.5kg Artie Schiller
14 MERLIN MUSTANG Michael J Murphy Brenton Avdulla 19 56.5kg Nothin’ Leica Dane
15 BIG TIME Chris Waller Corey Brown 5 56.5kg Danewin
16 OCEAN PARK (NZ) Gary Hennessy Glen Boss 11 56.5kg Thorn Park
17 HOYLONNY Chris Waller Michael Rodd 18 56.5kg Lonhro
18 SILENT ACHIEVER (NZ) Roger James Hugh Bowman 17 54.5kg O’Reilly
19e ETHIOPIA Pat Carey Rhys McLeod 14 56.5kg Helenus
20e ON EVERY LEVEL Scott Aspery Jay Ford 1 56.5kg Outback Prince

Bullbars for stud

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Group 3 winner Bullbars has been purchased from Darley in a private deal negotiated by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock and will commence stallion duties in 2012. A stud and service fee is yet to be decided.

Mills has purchased Bullbars, a son of Elusive Quality (USA) and a half-brother to Group 1 winner Helmet, on behalf of a private client.¬†”We are wrapped to get hold of a horse with his credentials. He is by Elusive Quality, sire of Champion 2YO Sepoy, and a half brother to both triple Group 1 winner Helmet and last Sunday’s Black Opal winning two-year-old Epaulette who now looks a leading Golden Slipper chance,‚Äù said Sheamus Mills.

A winner at Caulfield in his only two-year-old start, Bullbars ¬†won the Gr 3 C.S Hayes as a three-year-old, a race previously won by the likes of Zabeel, Starcraft, Mossman and Dash For Cash.¬†”If ever there was a ‚Äòstallion making’ Group 3 race this would have to be it,‚Äù Mills added.

A location is yet to be decided for Bullbars, who also finished runner-up in the Gr 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).

“He is an outstanding type – touch over 16hh with good presence, correct and very masculine,‚Äù said Mills. “I’m sure anyone who inspects him will book in a mare.”

“This horse combines the blood of the two best three-year-old males in Australia this season and his pedigree is only going to get stronger. He has performed in races that make stallions and he’s a great type ‚Äì there’s plenty to recommend him.‚Äù

Black Caviar world’s best

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Black Caviar and Frankel dominated the headlines following the release of the 2011 World Thoroughbred Rankings (WTR) by the International Federation of Horse Authorities in London overnight.

In a remarkable year where Black Caviar won all eight starts including six at Group One level and extended her career winning sequence to 16, the Peter Moody- trained mare was assigned a rating of 132 by the WTR Committee and for the second successive year is the Champion Sprinter in the World.

Black Caviar had been published with an interim rating of 130 after her brilliant win in the Newmarket Handicap in March and in the final listings has had that rating lifted to 132.

Australia’s representative on the WTR Committee, Greg Carpenter said “The rating assigned to Black Caviar reflects her absolute dominance in the Newmarket Handicap where she gave weight and trounced her rivals to win in the fastest time ever recorded in the 138 year history of Australia’s iconic sprint race.”

Australian-bred topped three categories on the Rankings with Sepoy (Elusive Quality) and Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock) heading their respective divisions.

Sepoy was assigned a rating of 123 for his victories against older horses in the Gr 1 Manikato Stakes at WFA and the Gr 2 Caulfield Sprint under handicap conditions against older horses. The Peter Snowden-trained colt was the Champion 3yo Sprinter in the World in 2011.

The son of Elusive Quality is set to contest the G1 Oakleigh Plate over 1100m at  Caulfield next month, before travelling to Dubai for the World Cup Carnival and then will be campaigned in Europe in the major short course sprints.

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Atlantic Jewel was the Champion 3yo Filly in the Intermediate distance category for her 7 length romp in the Gr 2 Wakeful Stakes at Flemington over 2000m. Atlantic Jewel was assigned a rating of 121 for that win, as she was for her brilliant victory over Mosheen in the Gr 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield over 1600m.

She shared the title of Champion Filly in the mile category with outstanding French trained filly Immortal Verse (121), who defeated Goldikova in winning the Gr 1 Jacques le Marois against older horses at Deauville in August.

“The 2011 World Thoroughbred Rankings again confirmed Australia as a major player in World Racing and are a stunning advertisement for the quality of Australia’s racing and breeding industries,” Carpenter said

Another Diamond contender for Elusive Quality

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Darley stallion Elusive Quality (Gone West – Touch Of Greatness, by Hero’s Honor) has another Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes contender after Sweet Little Lies (Elusive Quality – Borobudor, by Strategic) made an outstanding debut at Caulfield on Saturday.

Elusive Quality sired last year’s champion two-year-old, the Blue Diamond Stakes and Golden Slipper winner Sepoy (Elusive Quality – Watchful, by Danehill) for the Darley operation. Another Golden Slipper-winning stable, the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra partnership, trains Sweet Little Lies.

The youngster began the Thomas North Plate extremely quickly to find the front with little effort before Sweet Little Lies produced a neat turn of foot under moderate pressure on the home turn.

Jockey Chris Symons gave the filly an easy time in the straight before Sweet Little Lies won the $70,000 race by 4-3/4 lengths. The margin could have been much greater if Symons allowed it.

“It was good to see her translate what she has been doing at home to today,” Ellerton said. “Today is the quickest we’ve asked her to go and she has done it well.”

Ellerton said the stable would give Sweet Little Lies a short break before the filly returns to Caulfield for the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) on January 26.

Owner and breeder Brian Agnew retained the filly to race after buyers passed her in at $45,000 at the 2011 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

71st stakes winner for Elusive Quality

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Patinack Farm filly Real Stolle (Elusive Quality – Lemon Ruski, by Desert King) became the 71st individual stakes winner for Darley sire Elusive Quality (Gone West – Touch Of Greatness, by Hero’s Honor) with her success in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington.

Real Stolle started her career with a fifth to Jimando (Commands – Finko, by Caerleon) in the Listed Debutants Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield last month. The filly relished the Tony McEvoy-trained colt’s absence to record a solid win after racing down the centre of the Flemington straight track.

Real Stolle was a pinhook success story. The filly cost $4500 at the 2009 Inglis Select Weanling Sale before reaping a 400 percent return for her original purchasers when sold to Patinack Farm for $18,000 at the 2010 Inglis Select sale.

The filly is out of Lemon Ruski (Desert King – Lemon Spice, by Prince True), who is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Chattanooga (Scenic – Lemon Spice, by Prince True).

Real Stolle provided Elusive Quality with his first two-year-old winner of the season. Elusive Quality sired last season’s Australian champion two-year-old Sepoy (Elusive Quality – Watchful, by Danehill).

Real Stolle became the third juvenile stakes winner for Darley sires this season with her win.

Coolmore sires on top going into final day

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Coolmore Stud sires will take a handy lead into the final day of Flemington’s famous four-day carnival at Saturday’s Emirates Stakes meeting.

Coolmore’s band of stallions has won five of the 28 races contested to date of the first three days of the Flemington carnival. The Fastnet Rock (Danehill – Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) filly Mosheen (Fastnet Rock – Sumehra, by Stravinsky) provided the stud’s highlight of the carnival to date with her win in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m).

Mosheen posted a nine-length success in the $1 million event. The ease of her win left the connections of Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock – Regard, by Zabeel) wondering what might have been after the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) had trounced Mosheen at their previous meetings.

Atlantic Jewel missed the VRC Oaks with a pulled hamstring.

Darley sires have won three races over the carnival. The outstanding Elusive Quality colt Sepoy (Elusive Quality – Watchful, by Danehill) won the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes while Exceed And Excel (Danehill – Patrona, by Lomond) produced his first two-year-old winner of the season when Applegate (Exceed And Excel – Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat).

Arrowfield’s gun sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill – Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) has carried the NSW operation during the Flemington carnival with two successes. Sister Madly (Redoute’s Choice – Jade Tiara, by Bureaucracy) claimed the Group 2 Salinger Stakes (1200m) while Galah (Redoute’s Choice – Rinky Dink, by Distorted Humor) won the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) on the opening day of the four-day festival.