Category Archives: Flying Spur

Dual Scone stakes success for Flying Spur

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Classy mare Satin Shoes (Flying Spur – Star Satire, by Volksraad) scored a deserved victory when she produced a fighting performance in the Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) at Scone.

Satin Shoes posted her previous victory at Caulfield in October 2011 but the grand mare finished second in four Group 2 events, including the Challenge Stakes and Premiere Stakes, in the period between her successes.

The Flying Spur (Danehill – Rolls, by Mr Prospector) mare trialled well leading up to the Ortensia Stakes, which was her first run back from a freshen following the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes on April 13.

In-form rider Blake Shinn partnered Satin Shoes, riding her positively to take a forward position on the back of the early leader Zaratone (Zariz – Comeback Queen, by King’s Theatre) before hitting the lead halfway down the long Scone home straight.

Satin Shoes showed plenty of heart to defeat the consistent Anise by a neck while Border Rebel (Johannesburg – Frontier, by Flying Spur) finished strongly for third.

“Jimmy Cassidy used to ride her and said she was better ridden with a sit but I was convinced that she runs her best races when you allow her to roll,” Conners said.

“I told that to Blake and he rode her a treat.”

Satin Shoes fetched $700,000 at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale but the grand four-year-old’s latest win took her stakes tally past the $800,000 mark.

The daughter of Flying Spur won the Group 2 Silver Slipper (1100m) as a two-year-old while she was also successful in the Listed Widden Stakes and Listed Quezette Stakes (1100m).

The Anthony Cummings-trained mare Arctic Flight (Flying Spur – Scandinavia, by Snippets) started Flying Spur’s successful day at Scone when she claimed the Listed Dark Jewel Classic (1400m).

Already valuable as a sister to Group 1 winner and emerging stallion Magnus ((Flying Spur – Scandinavia, by Snippets) and hailing from the same family of champion sprinter Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun), Arctic Flight joined Cummings’s Randwick-based stable at the start of her current preparation after beginning her career as part of the Mick Price yard at Caulfield.

Jockey Peter Robl sent Arctic Flight to the lead early in the Dark Jewel Classic before she fought desperately over the concluding stages to beat the Pivotal mare Pipette (Pivotal – Amaryllis, by Sadler’s Wells) to win by a half-head while Miss Stellabelle (Dehere – Sam’s Belle, by Spinning World) was third.

Arctic Flight’s victory left Flying Spur as the sire of 89 stakes winners.

Arrowfield retires Flying Spur

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Arrowfield Stud has withdrawn champion stallion Flying Spur (Danehill – Rolls, by Mr Prospector) from service due to “a sudden and irreversible decline in fertility this season”.

A resident of Arrowfield Stud since 1997, Flying Spur has sired 86 individual stakes winners but chairman John Messara said the sire would enjoy a well-earned retirement at the NSW property.

“Flying Spur is a very special horse for us, as we bred him, raced him in partnership and have been proud to stand him since 1997,” Messara said.

“He is one of the pillars upon which Arrowfield Stud has been built and his home will be here with us for the rest of his life.”

“We are very grateful to the Flying Spur Syndicate, and the breeders, buyers, owners and trainers who have supported him over the past 17 years.

“However, with more than 250 current two-year-olds, yearlings and foals, Flying Spur’s story is far from over and his sought-after broodmare daughters and emerging sire sons will ensure he appears in top-class pedigrees for years to come.”

Flying Spur won three Group 1 races – the Golden Slipper, Australian Guineas and All Aged Stakes – during his racing days while his son Casino Prince (Flying Spur – Lady Capel, by Last Tycoon) sired Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner All Too Hard (Casino Prince – Helsinge, by Desert Sun).

More Than Ready and Flying Spur combine again in Skyline

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A youngster bred on the More Than Ready / Flying Spur cross has already won one Golden Slipper and the combination will have at least one chance to build on that record after Ashokan (More Than Ready – November Flight, by Flying Spur) claimed Saturday’s Group 3 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.

Sebring (More Than Ready – Purespeed, by Flying Spur) claimed the 2008 edition of the Golden Slipper for the Gai Waterhouse stable. Ashokan battled through to wet conditions to win by three-quarters of a length over another juvenile combining the blood of More Than Ready and Flying Spur, the Waterhouse-trained Raceway (More Than Ready – Claws, by Flying Spur).

Ashokan became the 95th individual Stakes winner for More Than Ready (Southern Halo – Woodman’s Girl, by Woodman). The two-year-old also became the fourth Stakes winner this season resulting from the mating of a Flying Spur (Danehill – Rolls, by Mr Prospector) mare with More Than Ready.

“Ashokan is a lovely free-running horse,” Ashokan’s trainer John O’Shea said. “The hood (blinkers) has helped.

“He is very exciting and has a stout pedigree with a bit of Zabeel on his dam’s side.”

Bloodstock agent James Harron combined with De Burgh Equine to secure the colt for $810,000 out of the Kitchwin Hills draft at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Inglis will offer a half-brother to Ashokan by another champion Vinery Stud sire Red Ransom (Roberto – Arabia, by Damascus).

Flying Fulton lifts Trophy

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Jockey Opie Bosson capped off a good weekend for the Te Akau Racing Stable by claiming the Group 3 $200,000 Polytrack Mile Championship over 1600m at Kranji aboard Flying Fulton (5 g Flying Spur – Fulton, by Zabeel) on Sunday.

On Saturday Bosson was in New Zealand and landed the Group 1 Diamond Stakes on the Tang Weng Fei owned Warhorse, who had been purchased as a yearling by Te Akau principal David Ellis, at Ellerslie before flying to Singapore overnight.

Starting the $14 favourite, Flying Fulton scored a strong one-and-a-half length victory over Rafaga (S) with Clint () a length-and-a-quarter away third.

It was the second feature race success of the year for Flying Fulton which took out the first feature race of the year – the Group 3 New Year Cup – back on January 1.

Flying Fulton

Flying Fulton

“He’s a good old horse,” said Bosson. “He just loves the Polytrack.It’s a big thrill to win another feature race. This horse gave me a feature race win when I first started this time around and it caps off a great weekend.”

Bosson said it had been Walker’s plan to target this race first-up following his last start fifth behind Tenzing in the Group 3 Fortune Bowl over 2000m on January 24. “It was Mark’s plan all the way through to target this race and it has turned out just perfectly. He had the horse fit and primed for this and there will still be improvement to come from him as well.”

Walker said he would now aim Flying Fulton at the $150,000 Marsling Classic over 1800m on the Polytrack on March 25 and then workout a program from there. “He’s a great horse and even though he was wide today he just kept rolling into the race. He loves the Polytrack also and the 1900m is about as far as he wants. I just don’t think he gets the 2000m on the grass.

Flying Fulton had come from New Zealand in 2010 as a well credentialed galloper and has continued to thrive since his arrival in Singapore.He was purchased for NZ$210,000 as a yearling and has certainly more than paid his way since.

“He had won a Listed race in New Zealand before he came here but was becoming very colty and the decision was made to cut him,” said Walker. Flying Fulton is raced by Te Akau Racing and the orange and blue colours were carried to success in New Zealand on Saturday.

“Te Akau and David Ellis have had a pretty good weekend,” said Walker. “They won a Group 1 and a Listed race back home and they’ve picked up a Group 3 here as well.”

Flying Spur and Zabeel cross combines for Valley double

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Arrowfield Stud stallion Flying Spur (Danehill – Rolls, by Mr Prospector) combined with Cambridge Stud champion Zabeel (Sir Tristram – Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) for a winning double at Moonee Valley on Friday.

The combination has produced four individual stakes winners at distances between 1300 and 1800 metres, including the Hong Kong Group 3 winner Sapelli (Flying Spur – Ishkala, by Zabeel).

The Flying Spur / Zabeel combination’s Moonee Valley winners came over sprint and staying trips.

Ballarat trainer Darren Weir produced Flying Hula (Flying Spur – Great Hula, by Zabeel) to win the Andrews & Parker Handicap (2500m) before the Anthony Freedman-trained Follonica (Flying Spur – Get The Hint, by Zabeel) posted a half-length win in the EJ Whitten Race Night Handicap (1200m).

The Moonee Valley double completed a treble for Flying Spur on Friday after Flying Dynamite (Flying Spur – Graceful Lily, by Dr Grace) posted a 1-3/4 length win for the Louise White stable in the Eastcoast Steel Fabrication Handicap (1600m).

John Wallace originally paid $220,000 for the gelding, who is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Danleigh (Mujahid – Graceful Lily, by Dr Grace), at the 2009 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Meanwhile, another Arrowfield Stud mainstay, Redoute’s Choice (Danehill – Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) sired the quinella in the Corporate Interiors Handicap (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

The Peter Moody-trained Chateau Margaux (Redoute’s Choice – Kylikwong, by Red Ransom) defeated the Hawkes Racing-trained entrant Girl Gone Rockin (Redoute’s Choice – Sorrento, by Just A Dancer).

Big day for Arrowfield sires on Saturday

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Arrowfield Stud sires teamed up for a big day on Saturday with six winners at the day’s Melbourne and Sydney meetings.

The Darley-owned colt Galah (Redoute’s Choice – Rinky Dink, by Distorted Humor) gave Redoute’s Choice (Danehill – Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) his 79th individual stakes winner when he charged home from last to claim the Listed Lightway Australia Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Master trainer Bart Cummings produced Flying Spur (Danehill РRolls, by Mr Prospector) filly Gliding (Flying Spur РMarrego, by Marscay) to win the Listed Ethereal Stakes (2000m).  The half-sister to the outstanding galloper Eremein (Timber Country РMarrego, by Marscay) began a double for Flying Spur, which concluded when Satin Shoes (Flying Spur РStar Satire, by Volksraad) won the Carlton Draught Plate (1100m).

Sabrage (Charge Forward – Galroof, by Maroof) as a Group 1 Victoria Derby contender with his success in the Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) to complete a quartet of successes in Melbourne.

Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan produced a pair of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice – Snippet’s Lass, by Snippets) gallopers to win at Randwick. Hot Snitzel (Snitzel – Flames Of Paris, by Blushing Groom) earned the sire his sixth stakes win with his success in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) while Amorino (Snitzel – Steal My Love, by Marauding provided the stallion with a two-year-old success in the City Tattersalls Plate (1000m).

Cambiaso gives More Than Ready 90 stakes wins

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More Than Ready (Southern Halo – Woodman’s Girl, by Woodman) juvenile Cambiaso (More Than Ready – Flying Alpha, by Flying Spur) has created a strong impression with his win in Melbourne’s first two-year-old race of the season, the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

Trainer Danny O’Brien paid $300,000 for the colt at this year’s Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Cambiaso’s win returned $60,000 to connections but O’Brien said the youngster would have the opportunity to earn further riches when he returns from a break in the autumn.

O’Brien said Cambiaso, who was named after the Argentinean polo player Adolfo Cambiaso, had shown him a good amount of talent prior to his first start but would benefit from the experience and further time to develop.

“He’s a beautiful colt,” O’Brien said.

“He was a lovely yearling and he’s one of those horses from the minute you broke him that he was pretty special and he’s done this today pretty much on raw ability. He’s only had the one jump-out.

“We’ll put him away now. He’s going to be a really serious two-year-old in the autumn. We’ll give him a break and aim him for the Blue Diamond and possibly Sydney.”

Cambiaso provided More Than Ready with his 90th individual stakes winner and the Vinery’s first stakes success of the season. Cambiaso is bred on the same More Than Ready / Flying Spur (Danehill – Rolls, by Mr Prospector) cross as Golden Slipper winner Sebring (More Than Ready – Purespeed, by Flying Spur)

Aus bred wins Singapore Gr 3

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First-year trainer Mark Walker notched his first Group success in Singapore when handy miler Flying Fulton landed the Group 3 Committee’s Prize (1600m) at Kranji on Sunday.

Sent out as the $15 favourite in the 13-horse field, the Flying Spur five-year-old came off a handy spot for jockey Vlad Duric to first outgun race-leader and second-elect Arowana Dot Com at the 200m before working home nicely to score by one length from a gallant Best Knight with Singapore Derby winner Clint turning in the eye-catcher of the race to pip Arowana Dot Com for third by a nose. The winning time was 1min 36.6secs for the 1600m on the Short Course.

Walker, a five-time champion trainer in New Zealand and who held a mortgage on the feature races there, such as the Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes (three wins), was thrilled he had been able to savour his first feature success at his new backyard.

‚ÄúIt sure is a big thrill to win my first Group race in Singapore,‚Äù said the Kiwi conditioner.¬†‚ÄúWinning big races back home seems to happen all the time (he won 20 at Group 1 level), but it‚Äôs a bit of a struggle when you are in a new country.”

‚ÄúIt‚Äôs only our first season here and if you think about it, we‚Äôve been punching well above our weight in the big races here.¬†This horse (Flying Fulton) is very interesting because (Te Akau principal) David (Ellis) bought him at a Ready-To-Run in Karaka and paid a bit of money (NZ$210,000) for him.”

“He won a Listed race as a colt but after that his form dropped. It was a hard decision to geld him, but it turned out to be the best decision. David always buys beautiful athletes and this bloke is certainly one. He has come through as an older horse and I think he will improve further.”

Walker’s appetite for feature wins may now be whetted as the next big race on the mile is only two weeks away – the Group 1 Panasonic Kranji Mile on October 2. “I think he is more of a 1600m-1800m horse. The Kranji Mile and the Raffles Cup (1800m) will be right up his alley,” he said. “But I’m not sure about the 2200m of the Gold Cup. It all depends what weight he gets in.”

Second straight stakes treble for Arrowfield

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Arrowfield Stud recorded a stakes treble for the second successive Saturday, including a Group 3 double at Caulfield for the Hunter Valley operation.

Arrowfield’s champion Redoute’s Choice (Danehill – Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) shouldered the load for the stud with all three stakes winners last Saturday. Redoute’s Choice was among the winners again when Sister Madly (Redoute’s Choice – Jade Tiara, by Bureaucracy) claimed the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Sister Madly made a winning debut for the John Sadler stable after Segenhoe Stud paid $1 million for the Group 1-placed mare at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale earlier this year.

“It’s terrific, we’ve only just started this relationship with Segenhoe – Kevin Maloney,” Sadler said.

“He paid a lot of money for her as a broodmare and gave her to us up in Brisbane and asked us through racing manager Bill Mitchell whether we should go on and give her another campaign or head to stud.”

“She showed us that we should go on with her as she’s shown here today.”

A half-sister to Hong King legend Silent Witness (El Moxie – Jade Tiara, by Bureaucracy), Saturday’s win was Sister Madly’s third from 14 starts.

Earlier, Bliss Street (Flying Spur – Jade Diva, by Jade Robbery charged home to dead-heat for first with another Arrowfield Stud sire’s progeny Celebrity Girl (Starcraft – Dashing Granada, by Keltrice) before a protest left her as the sole winner of the Group 3 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield.

Arrowfield sires produced the quinella to the $125,000 race when stewards promoted Hallowell Belle (Starcraft – Bella Inez, by Beautiful Crown) to second while relegating Celebrity Girl to fourth.

Karuta Queen (Not A Single Doubt – Card Queen, by Final Card) completed Arrowfield’s treble with an all-the-way win in the Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.