Exoteric bounces back

Exoteric (GB (Champs Elyesses {GB}) put a last-start defeat behind him with a strong win in the Listed ATC Cup at Rosehill on Saturday.

He claimed the Port Macquarie and Tattersalls Cups before finishing fifth of six runners when favourite at his lead-up run.

However, Exoteric was back to his best and cleared out from Our Century (IRE) (Montjeu) with front-runner Red Excitement (Excites) back in third.

“I think he is the most improved horse in the stable,” Waller said.

“He won the Port Macquarie Cup, which was a good race and then the Tattersalls Cup.

“We will get him ready for the Christmas Cup in two weeks.”

Stablemate Savacool (NZ) (Savabeel) was sent out favourite, but suffered a second bout of cardiac arrhythmia.

“It happened to her in Queensland,” Waller said. “It is puzzling as to what causes it. It is a hot day but she worked well on Tuesday and was fine leading into the race.”

Stewards told the trainer Savacool would have to undergo a series of tests before she raced again.

Star shines again

Invincible Star (I Am Invincible) has put a frustrating spring behind her with a gallant win in the Listed Starlight S, at Rosehill.

The 4-year-year-old led all the way against the pattern of the day to triumph and earn her a Queensland campaign.

“She told us there was no reason to hold back,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said.

“It's great to see her back. We didn't think about stopping with her and I think there is further improvement in her heading to the Magic Millions Sprint.

“She had to do it tough against the pattern and she dug deep and she appreciated the class drop."

The Magic Millions Sprint at the Gold Coast on January 12 is her target with Bott saying Invincible Star could have one or two more races before then.

Jockey Tim Clark said he was worried when the challengers came at his mount, but was impressed with the way she rallied.

“I was pretty concerned at the furlong, but from the 100 metres I could feel her lifting every time something came near her,” he said.

“She's been a bit inconsistent at times, but when she's on, she's on.”

Filly opens black type account

Espresso Martini (NZ) (High Chaparral {IRE}) continued her rise through the grades with victory in Saturday’s Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial at Ellerslie.

She enjoyed an economical trip in the trail under jockey Leith Innes and wore down the pacemaker Jip Jip Rock (NZ) (High Chaparral {IRE}) in the final stages.

Espresso Martini was making her fourth appearance and had shed her novice tag at her previous appearances following placings at her first two appearances.

“She’s come a long way from a New Plymouth maiden,” said Andrew Forsman, who trains the filly with Murray Baker.

“Leith (Innes) rode her an absolute treat and when he went out he told he had won a Group 1 on the mother.”

Espresso Martini is out of the Levin Classic winner Keepa Cruisin (NZ) (Keeper), who won the G1 Levin Classic and is a half-sister to the two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year and seven-time Group 1 winner Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {IRE}).

Galileo Filly Tops Vibrant Foal Trade

The headline lot on the third day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale was a Galileo (Ire) filly out of Pearling (USA) who was knocked down to Tony Nerses of Blue Diamond Stud for 1.7 million gns (lot 1010), becoming the highest priced filly foal to be sold at public auction this year.

The pricetag for the sibling to Blue Diamond Stud’s star performer Decorated Knight (GB) may seem eye-watering but buyer Imad Al Sagar will only have to find half that amount as he is also the filly’s co-breeder, with Saleh Al Homaizi, whom be bought out to retain the filly at Blue Diamond Stud.

“Saleh is moving away from some of the horses, not all of them, and Imad was keen to retain this filly,” Tony Nerses explained.

The filly played her part in helping the aggregate to a 24% increase during the sale’s premier session, with 21,136,500gns traded for 172 foals at a clearance rate of 79%, just a point off last year’s mark. The average also shot up by 22% to 122,887gns, while the median was up 8% at 70,000gns.

Foals by Dubawi (Ire), Frankel (GB), Sea The Stars (Ire) and Lope de Vega (Ire) also proved popular on a busy day at Tattersalls.

The Dubawi colt out of Irish 1000 Guineas winner Nightime (Ire) (lot 1006), offered through the Castlebridge Consigment, was signed for by Matt Coleman at 700,000gns.

The big-name established sires dominated the foal sale leaderboard, but a new name to sneak into the top ten is that of Haras de Bouquetot’s Shalaa (Ire), who is the leading freshman with 11 sold for an average of 97,545gns.

Top of his five six-figure foals was a colt (lot 1074) bought by Laurent Benoit of Broadhurst Agency for 240,000gns.

Bargain buy bolts in

Cheap purchase Behemoth (All Too Hard) was a runaway winner in his Victorian debut at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Trained by David Jolly in South Australia, he coasted away with the Santa's Workshop @ The Valley H.

He is now likely to be put away to be aimed at races during the Melbourne autumn carnival or the Adelaide carnival later in the season.

Behemoth was a $120,000 weanling, but Grand Syndicates picked him up at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale last year for $6000.

“He was an expensive weanling and a cheap yearling, so we never quite knew what the go was there,” Jolly said.

“But from day one he has shown us that he's immensely talented but he's quite a big horse so we've had to wait for a bit.

“I've seen him do things at home that have been quite astonishing against horses that have won in the city in Adelaide, and at that stage he was still a maiden.

“He's still doesn't quite know what he's doing yet. That's the great thing about him. There's a lot of upside.”

Style of a winner

Zoustyle (Zoustar) had no trouble maintaining his perfect record with victory in Saturday’s Winning Rupert Plate at Doomben.

Any doubts about him running 1200 metres were dispelled when he jumped to the front and strolled home.

Gollan resisted the temptation to take Zoustyle south for the spring after he won his first two starts in the winter.

“John Foote bought this horse. John likes to have a plan and stick to it. I am happy to comply and it has worked out really well to date,” Gollan said.

The Winning Rupert is the first leg of the summer 3-year-old Triple Crown which carries a $500,000 bonus for any horse winning three heats.

“Zoutsyle isn't a Magic Millions horse so we thought we would look at the Triple Crown,” Gollan said.

“Provided he pulls up well, he will run in the Gold Edition Stakes next.

“From there we will see how the horse has come up and then maybe push on to a final heat of the Triple Crown.”

Stayer continues winning ways

Trainer Bill Thurlow has yet to lock a summer programme in place for Glory Days (NZ) (Red Giant {USA}), but it’s a fair bet that it will revolve around more feature staying events.

The 6-year-old won her local Waverley Cup last month and on Saturday she added the Listed Cambridge Thoroughbred Lodge Wanganui Cup to her collection.

Glory Days settled back in the field before unleashing with a powerful finishing burst for rider Lisa Allpress.

“That was a very, very good ride. I said to Lisa to take bad luck out of the equation and get into the middle of the track,” Thurlow said.

“She’s a very good horse and she proved it. I’ll have to sit down and make a plan now.”

Darci Brahma’s girls shine

Two daughters of Darci Brahma (NZ) (Danehill {USA}) look to be black type performers in waiting following stylish displays at Wanganui on Saturday.

First to impress was the Allan Sharrock-trained Sinarahma who overcame a three-wide run with ease to bolt up in the Anne Electrical H. for her second win from three appearances.

She is out of Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}), who Sharrock prepared to win 12 races, including four at Group 1 level in the Spring Classic, Zabeel Classic, Auckland Cup and the International S.

Darci Brahma 4-year-old Brimm then made an overdue return to the track in the Gas and Heating H. and trainer Jaimee-Lee Lupton’s patience was rewarded with victory.

The mare was a winner at her first start 13 months ago, but then suffered a tendon injury and she produced a strong performance on her return to remain unbeaten.

She is out of a half-sister to the G3 Newmarket H. winner Walking Or Dancing (Falvelon) and the family of the G1 Epsom H. winner Hauraki (Reset) and the G1 South Australian Derby winner Kidnapped (Viscount).