A quartet of Group 1-winning three-year-olds is among the nominations for the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

Darley stallion Reset (Zabeel - Assertive Lass, by Zeditave) won the race for his previous owner Lloyd Williams in 2004 while his fellow top sires Pins (Snippets - No Finer, by Kaoru Star), Dash For Cash (Secret Savings - Gulistan, by Rubiton) and Al Maher (Danehill - Show Dancing, by Don’t Say Halo) have also won the feature.

Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet (Exceed And Excel - Accessories, by Singspiel) and his Peter Snowden-trained stablemate Benfica (Lonhro - Hut, by Danehill) will represent the Darley operation.

Benfica won the Group 1 T J Smith Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm at his last start in June 2011 while Helmet missed a place in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley before a well-earned spell.

Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) winner Sangster (Savabeel - Quinta Special, by Spectrum) could run in the $1 million race as a possible lead-up to the Group 1 AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick later in the autumn.

Runaway Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) victor Mosheen (Fastnet Rock - Sumehra, by Stravinsky) is among the 113 three-year-olds entered for the event.

Click here to view the nominations for the Australian Guineas.

Darley stallions cut a swathe through Friday night’s Moonee Valley meeting with a hat trick of winners.

Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) mare Exceed And Excite (Exceed And Excel - Ladidi, by Palace Music) started things off for Darley with her gritty win in the Essendon Mazda 55-Second Challenge (955m).

Exceed And Excite led at a quick pace before pulling out plenty to win the $30,000 race by a short head. Newmarc Bloodstock paid $65,000 for Exceed And Excite at the 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Reconcentrate (Reset - Border Reverie, by Brief Truce) came from off the speed to claim the next race, the Cleanaway Handicap (1200m). Reconcentrate’s dam Border Reverie (Selkirk - Dreams, by Rainbow Quest) foaled a filly by Reset (Zabeel - Assertive Lass, by Zeditave) earlier this month.

Provincial trainer Malcolm Carson produced the third winner by a Darley stallion when On My Command led throughout to claim the Moonee Valley - Celebrating 150 Years Handicap (1200m).

Earlier, Anthony Freedman produced Alarms (Lonhro - RIona, by Strategic) to win the racingnetwork.com.au Handicap (1100m) at Kyneton.

The Darley roster has four representatives in the top 10 Australian sires by earnings this season. Reset is ranked fourth while Elusive Quality (fifth), Commands (ninth) and Exceed And Excel (10^th) are also among the elite stallions in the first third of the 2011/12 season.

Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller trialled more than $1 million worth of bloodstock at Tuesday’s set of heats held at Rosehill.

Waller’s charges took out seven of the dozen heats contested on Tuesday morning, including two of the three two-year-old trials with a pair of Ingham Racing-owned colts.

Fundido (Lonhro - Red Fever, by Red Ransom) posted an outstanding eight-length win in the third heat of the morning in the time of 53.98 seconds for the 900 metres.

Fundido was a $70,000 purchase at the 2011 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale from the same family as the juvenile stakes winners Way West (Danehill - Prospect Fever, by Mr Prospector) and Jumlah (Catbird - Marlow Waters, by Marauding)

Fob Dubai (Charge Forward - Barsha, by Redoute’s Choice) cost Ingham Racing $150,000 at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Fob Dubai showed he would go a long way to recouping his owners’ investment with a 2.8-length success in the fifth heat of the morning.

The colt’s stablemate Rastro (Mossman - Raise A Dane, by Danehill), a $120,000 2011  Gold Coast Magic Millions sale purchase, worked home nicely to finish second in the heat.

Access Code (Pins - Lilakyn, by Danehill) cost Ingham Racing $260,000 at the Inglis Easter sale. The three-year-old got home narrowly to claim the 11^th heat of the day. The $600,000 yearling purchase Valhussle (Hussonet - Ribe, by Danehill) finished fifth in the sixth trial as he prepared for his return to the track.

Darley announced its Northern Hemisphere fees on Friday with Lonhro (Octagonal) set to stand for $US30,000 at Jonabell Farm in 2012. In England, Exceed And Excel (Danehill) will stand for £22,500, Dubawi at £75,000 and Shamardal at €50,000

The Kentucky roster will be led by Bernardini ($150,000) and Street Cry ($150,000), both of whom stand in Australia this season. Charlie Boden, Darley’s Head of Sales said, “2012 is going to be an exciting year. Bernardini is a young horse we are so proud of and he is proving to be truly world-class. Our other top stallions Elusive Quality, Medaglia d’Oro and Street Cry will be joined by Australia’s reigning Champion sire, Lonhro who has been so well received since we announced him just last month.”

“We can’t wait to show him to breeders in January. Of our four freshmen who have started so well, Hard Spun deserves special mention. He’s leading the table by Stakes winners and we look forward to all of their three-year-olds in 2012.”

Sam Bullard, Darley’s director of stallions in Europe said, “We have a wonderful line up of stallions and their achievements this year have been outstanding. Our elite stallions Dubawi, Shamardal and Cape Cross continue to sire G1 winners each and every year.

Impressive filly Applegate (Exceed And Excel - Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat) became the 42nd individual stakes winner for Darley sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) with her win in the Listed Ottowa Stakes (1000m) at Tuesday’s Flemington meeting.

The Darley homebred settled off the pace before producing a smooth turn of foot to reel in the Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice - Snippets’ Lass, by Snippets) filly Snitzerland (Snitzel - Monte Rosa, by Fraar) to win by a head.

Winning trainer Peter Snowden said he would aim Applegate at the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in the autumn.

“The timing is right to give her a break now,” Snowden said. “She is obviously a talented filly and we’ll have a look at something like the Blue Diamond.”

Sons of Danehill (Danzig - Razyana, by His Majesty) provided all three placegetters  when the Redoute’s Choice (Danehill - Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) two-year-old Rhandara (Redoute’s Choice - Bhandara, by Zabeel) worked home well for third.

Applegate provided Exceed And Excel with his first juvenile win of the season. Darley sires Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) and Commands (Danehill - Cotehele House, by My Swanee) have already produced two-year-old stakes winners this season.

Applegate is the second stakes winner for the Storm Cat mare Klamath Falls (Storm Cat - Link River, by Gone West) after Yulalona (Dubai Destination - Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat) won the Listed Dulcify Quality (1800m) as a three-year-old.

Two outstanding racehorses combined to produce a smart maiden winner when the Peter Moody-trained Soros (Lonhro - Bonanova, by Star Way) won stylishly at Seymour on Sunday.

Soros came from a midfield position to win the www.racingnetwork.com.au Maiden Plate (1300m). The colt, owned in the same interests as the former Australian Racehorse Of The Year Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom - Princess Tracy, by Last Tycoon), won the $20,000 race at his first start.

Soros was withdrawn from the Vinery Stud draft at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Sale.

His sire, Darley resident Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike), was a former Australian Racehorse Of The Year himself as well as last season’s Australian Champion Stallion. Bonanova’s (Star Way - St Klaire, Bletchingly) eight wins included the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) in 1999.

Bonanova has been a successful broodmare in her own right, foaling stakes winners Bonaichi (Fusaichi Pegasus - Bonanova, by Star Way) and Prima Nova (Danehill Dancer - Bonanova, by Star Way).

Soros’s win completed a double for Darley sires at the Seymour Cup meeting. The Peter Snowden-trained Gig (Commands - Busking, by Encosta De Lago) won the opening race of the day, the Railway Club Hotel Maiden Plate (1200m).

Reigning Champion Australian sire Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) is to shuttle to North America in 2012. “Lonhro is a rare thoroughbred, a Horse of the Year on the racetrack and then a champion sire,” Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor John Ferguson said.

“He is among the most talented horses to have graced the Australian turf in living memory and will bring to America the soundness and toughness for which Australian horses are known.”

“As a stallion, his rise has been meteoric. He’s young, he’s fresh and he’s already proved he’s a stallion of influence. He stamps his stock and he’s a great looking horse. Lonhro has totally rewarded our faith in the southern hemisphere and we believe he will be perfect for mares in the northern hemisphere and a real asset to breeders.”

Lonhro was Australia’s Champion sire in 2010-11 with four crops of racing age, headed by Group I winners Beaded, Benfica and Denman.

No fee has been set.

Darley sires Domesday (Red Ransom - In The Past, by Zafonic) and Dubawi (Dubai Millennium - Zomaradah, by Deploy) have combined to produce a Group 1 double at Saturday’s Sydney spring carnival showpiece meeting at Randwick.

Doctor Doom (Domesday - Orcym, by Orpen) started the Darley double after the Guy Walter-trained three-year-old led throughout to claim the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m). Doctor Doom became Domesday’s fifth stakes winner and second Group 1 victor with his brave win but Walter said Doctor Doom would wait until the autumn to build on his record.

“He’s behaved like a good horse this fellow,” Walter said. “The more I work him the more he eats. He’s got a big future.

“He definitely goes for a spell now. We’ll bring him back in the autumn and look at races like the Randwick Guineas and Rosehill Guineas.”

Secret Admirer (Dubawi - Secret Illusion, by Secret Savings) posted the second Group 1 win of her short career after storming home to claim the Epsom Handicap (1600m) at her eighth start.

The Grahame Begg-trained mare produced a similar performance to win the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at the big Randwick meeting last year. Begg said he would give Secret Admirer a chance against the best gallopers in training during the Melbourne Spring carnival.

Reset (Zabeel - Assertive Lass, by Zeditave) mare Pinker Pinker (Reset - Miss Marion, by Success Express) completed an Epsom Handicap double for Darley sires after the mare battled strongly to finish second.

Earlier, promising colt Pierro (Lonhro - Miss Right Note, by Daylami) started Lonhro’s (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) juvenile season in good style with a win in the Listed Breeders’ Plate (1000m).

Pierro’s head win made the colt Lonhro’s 31^st individual stakes winner. The youngster’s trainer Gai Waterhouse declared Pierro would be the “Golden Slipper” winner.

Consistent Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) gelding Pinwheel (Lonhro - Quilt, by Danehill) heads the weights for Saturday’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

The Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) winner will carry 58kg if his trainer Peter Snowden decides to run the six-year-old in the $350,000 feature, half a kilo more than the Queensland gelding Woorim (Show A Heart - Wabble, by Canadian Silver).

Another son of Show A Heart (Brave Warrior - Miss Sandman, by Regal Advice), the Rick Hore-Lacy-trained Toorak Toff (Show A Heart - Orrong, by Grand Lodge), will carry 56.5kg for his attempt at a second Group 1 win.

The 2011 renewal of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes has attracted 28 nominations with six Group 1 winners among the entries.

Randwick trainer Anthony Cummings has provided the most interesting nomination after entering the Group 1 Golden Rose runner-up Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock - Comical Smile, by Comic Strip) for the race.

Smart Missile is one of a trio of three-year-olds entered for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes along with Patinack Farm’s Kneeling (Encosta De Lago - Sunday Service, by Sunday Silence) and Golden Archer (Rock Of Gibraltar - Viennetta, by Pins).

Click here for the weights for Saturday’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.

The emerging mare Raspberries (Lonhro - La Melba, by Grand Lodge) became the 29th individual stakeswinner for Darley’s prolific stallion Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) with her win in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle.

Raspberries produced a brave performance to earn herself an exemption from the ballot in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 1.

“She is just one of those horses that has taken a quantum leap,” Raspberries’s trainer Peter Snowden said.

“Last time in she was struggling to win a maiden then, all of a sudden; she hit form and went right through.

“These sort of horses, you don’t put a lid on them. You just aim them at the right races. I would say a mile is perfect for her but I wouldn’t say she couldn’t win at any distance really.”

Raspberries’s Cameron Handicap success was the third stakes winner for Lonhro for the season and the sire’s 18^th win of the2011/12 term.

Commands (Danehill - Cotehele House, by My Swanee) filly Jester’s Girl (Commands - How Funny, by Rory’s Jester) completed a Newcastle double for Darley sires with her win in the Executive Inn Newcastle Maiden (900m).

Vinery resident Mossman (Success Express - Lichen Lady, by Twig Moss) continued his strong start to September after Class Of Gold (Mossman - Coed, by Honor Grades) provided half of a double for the stud on Friday.

Class Of Gold started Vinery’s double with her win in the XXXX Gold Maiden Handicap (1350m) at Ipswich. Ready As Elle (More Than Ready - Maxerelle, by Strategic) completed Vinery’s successful day with her win in the Viatek Maiden Plate (1000m) on the Geelong Synthetic track.

The winning double for Mossman and More Than Read (Southern Halo - Woodman’s Girl, by Woodman) continued Vinery’s good results in the first month of September.

The international operation’s sires have produced 14 winners in the first nine days of the month. Mossman’s progeny has provided six of Vinery’s successes while More Than Ready has supplied three winners to date this month.

Meanwhile, Darley sires earned yet another double after Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) and Street Cry (Machiavellian - Helen Street, by Troy) both produced winners.

The Anthony Freedman-trained Spatha (Lonhro - Swishes, by Danehill) won the Chifley On The Esplanade Handicap (1100m) before Karanja (Street Cry - Gudkarma, by Kampala) took out the Schweppes Handicap (1200m) at Ipswich.

Young Darley stallion Nadeem (Redoute’s Choice - Candide, by Sound Reason) earned his first winner in New Zealand as part of a successful Wednesday for the worldwide breeding operation.

Military Reign’s (Nadeem - Girl Like You, by Rory’s Jester) win in the Races B4 The Rugby Maiden (1100m) at Arawa Park was one of eight wins on either side of the Tasman Sea for current Darley sires.

Last season’s Australian champion sire Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) led the way with a double at Canterbury. The Chris Waller-trained Hoylonny (Lonhro - Roedean, by Flying Spur) scored in the Rosehill on Facebook Maiden (1200m) before Lohengrin (Lonhro - Suede, by Quest For Fame) claimed the Ascot Club Handicap (1100m).

Darley’s band of sires dominated the Sandown Lakeside meeting, winning four of the seven races contested. Zubbaya (Dubawi - Sabkha, by Green Desert) and Typeface (Elusive Quality - Lucida, by Danehill) carried Darley’s famous maroon and white colours to victory while The Kitkat Kid (Gonski - Sharna Cabarna, by Dolphin Street) remained unbeaten with his second win from as many starts.

Fantastic Light mare Princess Fontaine (Fantastic Light - Dandasila, by Danehill Dancer) completed Darley’s quartet of wins at Sandown. Oak Street (Commands - Restless Dream, by Rory’s Jester) provided a Brisbane leg to Darley’s wins when the gelding won the Sky Racing World Class 3 (1400m) at Eagle Farm.

Darley stallions enjoyed a winning double at Seymour on Thursday courtesy of Taylor’s Command (Commands) and Tahitian Black (Lonhro).

Taylor’s Command (3 f Commands - Pristine Kristine, by Spinning World) won the Height Financial Service Fillies & Mare Maiden over 1109m by 2 lengths while Tahitian Black (4 Lonhro - Perle) came home along the inside to land the Xurich Insurance 0-72 Handicap over 1209m.

Taylor’s Command sold for $90,000 as a yearling at the NZB Premier Sale and was racing for the second time. She is the 25th winner so far this season for Commands who was also represented on Thursday by Commanding Cash (5 g Longueville Lass) won the $15,000 Bendigo Bank Handicap over 1350m at Wyong.

Commands is the leading sire by winners in Australia this season no with 25, one ahead of Redoute’s Choice with Fastnet Rock next on 19. All three are sons of Danehill.

Tahitian Black was winning for the third time in 7 starts. A winner at Betfair Park in March, Tahitian Black is a half-brother to the Gr 3 winner Falaise and Sydney winner Koichi.

Last season’s Australian champion sire Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) recorded his second double of the season with two winners at Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting.

Lonhro earned his first double of the season when the Darley resident produced a pair of stakes winners at the Warwick Stakes meeting on August 20.

The Anthony Cummings-trained Vader (Lonhro - Flame Of Atlanta, by Clay Hero) started the day strongly with a narrow win in the Rosehill Gardens on Facebook Handicap (1900m) at Canterbury. Peter Snowden prepared the sire’s second win of the day when Secession (Lonhro - Walnut, by Procol Harum) took out the Rosehill Gardens Event Centre Handicap (1250m).

Darley sire Domesday (Red Ransom - In The Past, by Zafonic) contributed a third winner to the operation’s success at Canterbury when Trapunto (Domesday - Quilt, by Danehill) won the TJ’s Champagne Bar Handicap (1550m).

Trapunto is a half-brother to the recent Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) winner Pinwheel (Lonhro - Quilt, by Danehill).

Meanwhile, Waikato Stud stallion Savabeel (Zabeel - Savannah Success, by Success Express) earned a midweek double with wins at Wednesday’s Ballarat and Balaklava meetings.

The Mick Price-trained Savour That (Savabeel - Forget It, by Dolphin Street) claimed the Tanya Daniels Good Guys Handicap (1400m) before Roll (Savabeel - Carmel Valley, by Last Tycoon) won the Atlas Event & Party Hire Maiden Plate (1600m) at Balaklava.

Roll is a three-quarter brother to the Group 1 winner Hill Of Grace (Zabeel - Carmel Valley, by Last Tycoon) and Renewable (Zabeel - Carmel Valley, by Last Tycoon).

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

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’re off to Widden to drink in a couple of Golden Slipper winners and others….

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.

Darley’s Pinwheel added a second Group win to his record with a strong win the  $175,000 Markey Saddlery Warwick Stakes (Gr 2) over 1400m yesterday. Coping well with the heavy conditions at Warwick Farm, Pinwheel settled well back before coming with a big run in the home straight.

Pinwheel (6 g Lonhro – Quilt, by Danehill) defeated Ilovethiscity (Magic Albert) by a length and three-quarters with Startsmeup (Danzero) a nose away in third.

“He did it well, he wasn’t enjoying the ground but as his record says, he is a bit of a warrior and he just kept ploughing away for me,” McEvoy said. “After the first 100 yards I thought I didn’t want to be back here, but he was relaxed, he hasn’t had many runs at his home track but he was really relaxed and he was always going to finish well.”

“It wasn’t the script we had written, for three days we spoke about the race and the edge we had on them and using it to our advantage.” trainer Peter Snowden said. “When he had four behind him at the 700 I thought ‘what’s going on here’.”

“What a pleasure to have in your stable. A really, really nice horse, very genuine, his toughness came through and that’s why he’s got the record that he has.”

Lonhro

Makybe Diva has given birth to her fourth foal, a Lonhro colt weighing 52kgs at 3.00am on Tuesday morning, the first time that Makybe Diva has foaled in Victoria.

Both Tony and Deslee Santic were delighted to hear the news stating “we always wait in anticipation for Makybe Diva to foal and this time was no exception. We are extremely happy that both mum and foal are doing well”.

To date, Makybe Diva’s progeny include Rockstardom; a 4yo colt by Galileo who is trained by Danny O’Brien, La Dolce Diva; a 3yo filly by Fusaichi Pegasus in training with Mark Kavanagh and a 2yo colt by Encosta De Lago. The new foal, a bay colt by Lonhro is a welcome addition to the family.

The Santic’s are yet to make a decision on a stallion for Makybe Diva this season.

Australian-bred Clown Master (6 g Lonhro – Seika, by Canny Lad) powered home to score in last weekend’s Macau Cup (Mac Gr 2) over 1500 metres at Taipa.  Given a patient ride by Andrew Calder, Clown Master got up in the final strides to defeat Weathervane (Red Ransom).

It is the  first victory in the Macau Cup for trainer Joe Lau who has won just about every feature race in the enclave, and the master conditioner was full of praise for Calder after the win.

“That was a beautiful ride by Andrew, the difference between winning and losing.” Lau added. “It was Andrew’s first ride on the horse and I told him before the race, I’m not going to tie you down to instructions you ride your own race, but you will need a bit of luck from there.”

“It seemed like the whole world wanted to attack my horse in the lead, even so he did a great job to only weaken the last bit. What they didn’t realise was that while they were attacking St Peter’s Gift up front I had another one waiting out the back and they made the race for Clown Master.” Lau added.

“From the first day I seen him as a late three year old I was always of the opinion that he would be a better horse as a five year old. He needed time to strengthen and mature and he’s had a great season winning five out of nine starts.” Lau added.

Clown Master’s crowning glory this season was victory in the Macau – Hong Kong Trophy (Gr 1) back in April.

Last season’s Australian champion sire Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) has started his title defence in strong fashion with wins on the first two days of the new term.

The Darley stallion recorded his first Australian sires’ title with earnings of more than $8.7 million. Lonhro began the new season well when He’s Trumps (Lonhro - Evana, by Entrepreneur) claimed Monday’s Saltec / Shuffle Master / Auslec Maiden Plate (1300m) at Forbes.

Lonhro earned his second win in two days when Travel (Lonhro - Beam, by Scenic) took out the XXXX Gold Class 1 Handicap (1200m) at Tuesday’s Townsville meeting. Travel posted his second win from nine starts in the $10,000 race.

Travel is a well-bred five-year-old stallion. The son of Lonhro is out of an unraced daughter of the 1993 Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay (Marscay - Eau D’Etoile, by Sir Tristram).

Travel also comes from the same family as the Group 2 winner Mannington (Danehill - Bint Marscay, by Marscay), who in turn produced the Group 1 winner, now Vinery Stud sire, Benicio (More Than Ready - Mannington, by Danehill) as well as the gutsy Group 2 winner Romneya (Red Ransom - Mannington, by Danehill).

Travel cost his current owners $31,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale.