Category Archives: Strategic

Second Group 1 win for Strategic mare in Goodwood

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Strategic (Zeditave – Sudden Impulse, by Luskin Star) mare Platelet (Strategic – Bloodline, by Dracula) proved her Group 1 Robert Sangster  Classic (1200m) win was no fluke with another strong victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville.

Platelet completed her transformation from an honest mare into an elite performer with her Robert Sangster Classic success but moved into exalted air as a multiple Group 1 winner in the Goodwood.

The Goodwood victory took Platelet within range of the $1 million barrier in earnings, which is an outstanding performance considering the four-year-old was part of a package deal when her dam Bloodline (Dracula – Sketches, by Danehill) was sold for $6000 while carrying the bay at the 2008 Inglis Weanling and Broodmare Sale.

Ben Melham was aboard Platelet in the Sangster Classic and produced an identical ride on her in the Goodwood, positioning her midfield before allowing her to finish hard to deny Conservatorium (Royal Academy – Belong To Madam, by Belong To Me) a shock win while Darley mare Altar (Commands – Hosannah, by Octagonal) was third.

Melham’s second straight win on Platelet was his third victory in South Australia’s four Group 1 races this season after he also won the South Australian Derby (2500m) on Escado (Casino Prince – Secret Cause, by Giant’s Causeway). The Victorian jockey was keen to deflect praise to his mount and her trainer Darren Weir.

“This mare has been at her top for two seasons and this week she was probably as good as she has ever been,” Melham said. “Darren Weir is one of the best there is and he’s shown it today.”

Platelet emulated the deeds of recently retired champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun), who won both events last year while she became the fourth mare in successive years to win the Goodwood after Lone Rock (Fastnet Rock – Pride Of Pine, by Lion Cavern) and Velocitea (Volksraad – Cat Shmea, by Felix The Cat) won the race in 2011 and 2010 respectively.

Platelet is one of three Group 1 winners sired by Darley veteran Strategic, who has produced almost 500 individual winners in a career stretching back to 1997. The rising 21-year-old stallion will stand for $5500 in the 2013 breeding season.

Strategic filly too tough in Monash

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Darley’s tradesman sire Strategic (Zeditave – Sudden Impulse, by Luskin Star) took the limelight at Caulfield on Saturday when his consistent daughter Platelet (Strategic – Bloodline, by Dracula) took out the Listed Monash Stakes (1100m).

There is no cheaper stallion on Darley’s Northwood Park roster but Strategic’s 459 individual winners makes him one of the most consistent producers of talented types in Australia. Platelet is one of 25 Stakes winners for the sire.

Platelet won the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) earlier in her three-year-old season. The three-year-old raced against the older horses for the first time in her career but prevailed in a close finished.

Platelet settled behind the leaders before fighting strongly to defeat her stablemate Royal Bender (Refuse To Bend – Red Royalty, by Sovereign Red) by a half-head. The win was Platelet’s fifth in 12 starts.

Platelet is a daughter of the Woodlands Stud-bred mare Bloodline (Dracula – Sketches, by Danehill). Bloodline has produced four winners from as many to race and foaled a filly by Econsul (Pins – Gypsy Soul, by Centaine) in 2010 and a filly by Bianconi (Danzig – Fall Aspen, by Pretense) last year.

 

Rampaging heads Waterhouse double

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Gai Waterhouse trained both the two-year-old winners at Canterbury on Wednesday with  Rampaging (2 c More Than Ready РFountain Joy, by Flying Spur) winning the colts division and Valerio (2 f Strategic РDianthus, by Red Ransom) the fillies division.

Rampaging started the $1.70 favourite and was getting reminders from Nash Rawiller before the home turn but once he got balanced in the straight he ran on well to reach the lead 100m out and then ease clear to defeat Bradman (Charge Forward) by one and three-quarter lengths.

“He lost his rudder 600 metres from home but when I put his mind back on the job he was a different horse,‚Äù Nash Rawiller explained.¬†”He travelled up really well, hit the front a bit too soon but he got it done.”

“To me he’s a horse with very good ability but he’s more of a three-year-old so whatever we can get out of him at the moment is a bit of a bonus.‚Äù

Rampaging sold for $80,000 at last year’s Inglis Easter Sale from the Makybe draft and is bred on the same cross as Golden Slipper winner Sebring and Raceway, both those trained by Waterhouse.

A race later it was the turn of Valerio, who gave Waterhouse and Rawiller a double in the 1100 metre maiden for fillies.

Valerio burst through between fillies in the straight to come through and nab the Chris Waller-trained Kristy Lee (Encosta de Lago – Shania Dane) in the final strides to score by a half-head.

“I can’t wait until the blinkers go on it will make my job a lot easier,‚Äù Rawiller said.¬†”She got really lost midrace, she was racing awkward between horses and she again got lost on the home turn.¬†She did a good job in the end I thought to pick up and win.‚Äù

Strategic filly tops final MM yearling session

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A filly by Strategic topped the sixth and final session of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Tuesday. Later in the afternoon the Sydney winner Embarrassed topped the National Racehorse Sale.

The top seller, Lot 959, was purchased by local Dayle Grieves, was presented at the sale by Lyndhurst Stud Farm and is a half sister to the Sydney winner Raqas.

Three other yearlings sold for $20,000 or more helping the final yearling sale gross over $420,000 at an average price of $5,649 with a strong clearance rate of 84 percent.

The attention then swung to the Racehorse Sale where over $650,000 was traded on 50 lots sold at an average price of $9,375. All but two of the 52 lots were sold helping return an outstanding clearance rate of 96 per cent.

The Racehorse Sale was highlighted by a quality draft from Darley Рtheir consignment supplying seven of the top eight prices for the afternoon. Sydney winner Embarrassed, a gelding by Exceed and Excel, topped the Racehorse Sale when purchased by WA based buyer Kim Loxton for $57,000. Lonhro filly Joyeux was the second top seller Рpurchased by Jane Henning for $38,000.

“It’s been a big week of selling on the Gold Coast and the entire sale has been a great success,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said.¬†”As was the case over the first five sessions of the yearling sale, it was really pleasing to see the clearance rate for both sessions today so strong.”

“The Racehorse Sale later this afternoon was quite strong with buyers from around the country competing for a lovely line up of top prospects,” Cox added.

First Australian winner for Kheleyf

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European-based Darley stallion Kheleyf (Green Desert – Society Lady, by Mr Prospector) earned his first Australian winner when Praise Be (Kheleyf – Grateful Thanks, by Bering) won the Richmond Club Handicap (2000m) at Hawkesbury.

Praise Be started his career in Ireland before clients of the Chris Waller stable purchased the mare to race in Australia. The four-year-old recorded a comfortable 2-1/2 length win to record her first win from seven starts for the Rosehill stable.

Kheleyf won the Group 3 Jersey Stakes (7f) in the UK in 2004. The stallion has produced stakes winners in France, Britain, Ireland, Italy and the US.

The local Darley sires produced four winners of their own on a profitable day. Elusive Quality (Gone West – Touch Of Greatness, by Hero’s Honor) sired the first winner for dual Group 1 winner Fashions Afield (Redoute’s Choice – Attire, by Wild Again) when Turn On Sixpence (Elusive Quality – Fashions Afield, by Redoute’s Choice) won the Aruze Gaming Maiden (1000m) at Hawkesbury.

Darley veteran Canny Lad (Bletchingly – Jesmond Lass, by Lunchtime) got on the board when Ever The Same (Canny Lad – Jamil, by Giant’s Causeway) won the Aristocrat Maiden (1300m). Bound To Blush (Strategic – Run For Roses, by Danehill) claimed the Hawkesbury Living Handicap (1200m) while Taxee (Street Cry – Helaura Miss, by Helissio) completed Darley’s winning day in the Harris Scarfe Maiden (1200m) at Ballarat.

Champ’s little sister breaks through

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A maiden win for a half-sister to one of Australia’s best-loved racehorses provided young Darley sire Dubawi (Dubai Millennium – Zomaradah, by Deploy) with his 11th success of the season at Sale on Tuesday.

Dubawi’s Daughter (Dubawi – Tennessee Blaze, by Whiskey Road) is a half-sister to the 2007/08 Australian Champion Sprinter Apache Cat (Lion Cavern – Tennessee Blaze, by Whiskey Road). Apache Cat’s distinctive facial markings and boundless bravery endeared him to Australia’s racing public during his 19-win career.

Dubawi’s Daughter won the Mitre 10 Australia Maiden Plate (1424m) to begin a Darley domination of the Sale meeting. Darley’s sires won four of the eight races on the card at the Victorian meeting.

The Anthony Freedman stable produced Sabres (Elusive Quality – Duel At Daybreak, by Dayjur) to win the BOC Gases Maiden Plate (1213m), Sean Baile Mor (Cape Cross – Rockabella Bay, by Sadler’s Wells) claimed the Designed Pine Handicap (1524m) while Ladramahs (Shamardal – Tatham, by Kayhasi) won the Eastcoast Plumbing Handicap (1424m).

Reset’s (Zabeel – Assertive Lass, by Zeditave) stakes winning son Likefatherlikeson (Reset – Classical Star, by Star Way) scored the fourth win of his career at Nowra while Ratstan (Strategic – Inconstant, by Brief Truce) made it six wins for Darley sires on Monday.

Four more For Darley on Sunday

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The Darley operation made its mark on Sunday’s Geelong Synthetic meeting after its stallions sired the winners of three of the first four races on the program.

Street Cry (Machiavellian – Helen Street, by Troy) four-year-old Cry In Awe (Street Cry – Irish Blessing, by Suave Dancer) started the day perfectly for Darley when the Robbie Griffiths-trained stallion won the Centrebet Best Price Maiden Plate (2000m).

Veteran sire Strategic (Zeditave – Sudden Impulse, by Luskin Star) was a winning sire at Geelong after Platelet (Strategic – Bloodline, by Dracula) the Centrebet Name Her To Win Maiden (1000m).

Riverbank (Elusive Quality – Violet Lane, by Danzero) finished Darley’s Geelong treble when the gelding took out the Centrebet Superbest Maiden Plate (1300m).

Yasir (Exceed And Excel – Bayyaan, by Dixieland Band) became the fourth winner of the day for Darley sires when the three-year-old claimed the Xmas Lights Maiden Plate (1200m) at Launceston.

Meanwhile, retired Coolmore champion Royal Academy (Nijinsky II – Crimson Saint, by Crimson Satan) continued to contribute to the success of the stud with a Sunday double.

Royal Society (Royal Academy – Kianben, by Jan Murray) started Royal Academy’s successful day with a win in the Rabobank Handicap (1000m) at Warren before Royal Capishe (Royal Capishe – Supersoft, by Snippets) claimed the Good Paddock Maiden (1000m) at Carnarvon.

The dual success took Royal Academy’s trans-Tasman win tally for the season to six.