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Mutamayel tops Melbourne Sale

The well-related Mutamayel (Snitzel) had the honour of the highest-priced lot at Friday’s Inglis Spring Thoroughbred Sale at Oaklands. On account of Lindsay Park racing, the chestnut was secured by agent Mark Pilkington for $90,000.

The 4-year-old won two of his eight starts for David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, including his most recent appearance at Sandown.

Mutamayel is a half-brother to the G1 Spring Champion S., winner Hampton Court (Redoute’s Choice), their dam is Roses ‘N’ Wine (CAN) (Broken Vow {USA}) whose four foals to race have all been successful.

Mutamayel as a yearling

Immediately before he went through the ring, the Belmont Bloodstock Agency went to $70,000 for Sukoot (NZ) (Savabeel), the winner of one of his six starts. Also offered by Lindsay Park, he is a sibling to two winners.

Their dam Queen Of Avalon (Montjeu {IRE}) is a half-sister to the G1 VRC Derby and G1 Spring Champion S., winner Monaco Consul (NZ) (High Chaparral {IRE}), whose daughter Tiamo Grace was expected to provide the Sale highlight.

However, she failed to meet her $400,000 reserve and the G2 Wakeful S., winner was passed in when bidding stalled at $360,000.

Double For Toronado

Toronado (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) recorded an impressive double in Europe on Thursday afternoon. Mon Ouragan (Fr), €38,000 Arqana October yearling, broke his maiden at second asking for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.

While Praxidice (GB) followed up by winning first time out at Carlisle for the in-form Karl Burke. BBA Ireland purchased the filly as a yearling for 16,000gns at Tattersalls October.

Toronado (Ire) is standing at Swettenham Stud for $20,000 (+GST), and will be represented by his first Australasian 2-year-olds this season.

Toronado is standing at Swettenham Stud this season

Clarry Connors' 2yo filly dominates trial

Diddles (Snitzel {Aus}), the daughter of Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Mimi Lebrock (Show A Heart {Aus}), impressed with a comfortable trial win at Warwick Farm on Friday.

A $400,000 buy at this year's Magic Millions Sale, Diddles, who is raced by Strawberry Hill Stud, led all the way, comfortably beating her stablemate Kariba (Delago Deluxe {Aus}) by 2.5L.

Diddles was a $400,000 Magic Millions purchase

The Clarry Conners trained fillies had an additional five lengths on the rest of the field, with the winning time over 794m of 48.39s.

Mimi Lebrock has had four foals reach the racetrack, with three of them winners, while Diddles' 3-year-old full sister Oh My Mimi, has had just one start. Her half brother California Fortune (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) won three races in Hong Kong last season.

Lady Aurelia To Sell At Fasig

Lady Aurelia (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}), twice a winner at Royal Ascot for Wesley Ward and owners Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel, will sell at Fasig-Tipton November. Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency will consign the 4-year-old, scheduled for Nov. 4th in Lexington.

“What made her so special? She was fast, extremely fast,” Ward said. “She was equally as good on the dirt as grass.”

“Lady Aurelia is the embodiment of Stonestreet’s breeding program,” added Stonestreet’s Barbara Banke. “A brilliant filly out of a champion, she took on all comers across the globe at the pinnacle of our sport."

A winner in three countries, the U.S., England, and France, Lady Aurelia won five of 10 career starts and earned US$834,945.

Watch: Lady Aurelia winning the 2017 King's Stand S.

ATC holding on Everest call

The Australian Turf Club is adamant it won’t be rushed into deciding which horse will get its slot for the $13 million TAB Everest.

Reports earlier in the week suggested that the ATC had all but signed a deal for Nature Strip (Nicconi {Aus}) to run in its slot in the world's richest turf race, but the ATC's General Manager of Racing, James Ross, said while discussions had been ongoing, no decision had been made ahead of the horse's run in Saturday's G2 McEwen S at Moonee Valley.

"It's getting to the pointy end," he told Sky Sports Radio. "We're still looking at a few key chances. We said a couple of weeks ago that the McEwen was a key point of interest with Nature Strip and a couple of others."

"We see that as an interesting test for Nature Strip, at Group 2 level against the quality of horses such as Viridine and Houtzen and Shoals. I think it will tell us, as well as Nature Strip's owners and Darren Weir, as to what his competitiveness would be in an Everest."

Ross said that it was still a possibility that the ATC could opt for an emerging 3-year old or any of the other horses who could be targeted at the race.

"We're still exploring a range of horses before we land on one," he said.

Maiden winner headed for black-type

3-year-old filly Gheedaa (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) broke her maiden in style at Geelong on Friday and is destined for black-type racing down the path.

The Lindsay Park trained filly spotted her rivals a significant start over 1300m and mowed them down late to score by 0.5 length on her first run since March under jockey Regan Bayliss.

Stable representative Bruno Rouge-Serret said there had always been confidence that Gheedaa was metropolitan class, and she may measure up to black-type level over 1600m and further.

"She's got that ability and she's well-bred enough to be that good," he said.

Gheedaa was initially sold as weanling for $125,000 and then pinhooked for $200,000 to Shadwell at the 2017 Magic Millions Sale. She is out of Isola (Hussonet {USA}, who is from the family of Whisked, Tie the Knot and Hood.

Gheeda was a $200,000 yearling purchase

Waller not getting involved in Regu-mate debate

Winx's trainer Chris Waller has played a firm straight bat when asked to weigh-in to the debate over Racing Victoria's ruling on the use of altrenogest, better known as Regu-mate.

Racing Victoria has indicated it will have a no tolerance approach to any positive samples to steroids as the result of the use of altrenogest, which differs to that in New South Wales.

Racing NSW has introduced a local law, where a threshold level for trenbolone/trendione has been established so trainers can continue to use the treatment for fillies and mares to prevent them coming into season.

The conflicting position between the two major racing states has caused concern among trainers, but Waller, who trains the most prominent horse in the country, who is of course a mare, would not be drawn into the discussion.

"I'd rather not make comment. I don’t think Winx should be used as the horse to make a decision or be used in that light, I'd just prefer to stay out of it and let Winx be in the headlines for the right reasons," Waller told RSN.

Waller confirmed that the G1 Turnbull S at Flemington was Winx's most likely destination after her next run in the G1 Colgate Optic White S. at Randwick on September 15. That is the same path she took to the G1 Cox Plate last year.