Group 1 South Australian Derby, Morphettville
Race Summary:
A one-week turn-around proved to be just what Qafila (Not a Single Doubt) needed to win a Group 1, finding the line first a week after finishing fourth by a length in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks.
Breaking well, Qafila took the lead and angled over to the rail from her mid-field barrier draw. When Gayson came up to challenge for the lead, Qafila yielded it to him with Zesto also making a move to run ahead of her in the spread out field.
Qafila moved up to draw even with Gayson as they navigated the far turn and by the time they entered the straight, Qafila had the lead. She built up a strong lead through the stretch under Cory Parish and thought he was running on strong, Savvy Oak (NZ) (Savabeel) was only able to finish 3 ½ lengths behind her in second with Mr Quickie (Shamus Award) third as the race favourite.
Pedigree Notes:
Sold to Shadwell Australasia for $450,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Qafila is the only runner from three foals of racing age out of Zighy Bay (USA) (Tapit {USA}).
Zighy Bay is a three-quarters sister to Group 3 winner Sacristy (USA) (Pulpit {USA}), who is the dam of Group 1 placed Flor de la Mar (USA) (Tiznow {USA}) and from the family of Group 1 winner Purge (USA) (Pulpit {USA}) and Jersey Town (USA) (Speightstown {USA}).
The mare has a 2-year-old Zoustar (Northern Meteor) colt named The Ladies Man who sold for $220,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale in 2018 and a 2018 filly by So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {NZ}). She was bred to I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit {IRE}) in 2018.
Group 3 Sires' Produce S., Morphettville
Race Summary:
She Shao Fly gave sire Epaulette a successful half-hour on Saturday when winning at Morphettville minutes after Military Zone finished second at Scone.
She Shao Fly was keen to be close to the pace set by Rolls and was never far behind when sitting just to the outside of the leader. With 450 metres to go, Dwayne Dunn asked his filly to draw even with the leader and She Shao Fly responded. The filly pulled away from Rolls in the straight but the rest of the field started to close, closing the margin she’d put on the rest of the field with every stride.
The filly still had the win in hand at the line with nearly a length on stablemate Hinchpin (Hinchinbrook) to give trainer Tony McEvoy the quinella with Barcali (Zoustar) close behind in third. It was mixed fortunes for the McEvoy Mitchell stable when McEvoy-trained race favourite You Hadme at Hello (Not a Single Doubt) finished eighth, beating just one horse home.
Pedigree Notes:
She Shao Fly is the second stakes horse for Shao Shao (Shinko Forest {IRE}), whose fourth foal is two-time Group 1 third Samurai Blade (Where’s That Tiger {USA}).
Shao Shao is a full sister to Listed winner and Group 1 placed Dao Dao and from the family of Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint winner All Thrills Too (St Covet), three-time Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel) and two-time New Zealand Group 1 winner Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman {IRE}).
Shao Shao has four winners from five to race with She Shao Fly the youngest of her eight foals. The mare was bred to Reward For Effort on a 9 November cover last year.
Listed Adelaide Guineas, Morphettville
Race Summary:
After coming close to a stakes victory two starts ago, So We Are (So You Think {NZ}) added a valuable stakes win to her resume against the boys in the Guineas.
So We Are was on the outside of the field near the back of midpack, finding cover as the field raced in a fairly orderly line of paired up gallopers early on. The filly was pulled out into the clear as the field navigated the turn and hat running room as they reached the 300-metre mark.
The filly bumped Tongsai Boss (Street Boss {USA}) with 250 metres left to run then drifted to her inside once she cleared the line of horses next to that rival. The greenness didn’t seem to affect her as she grabbed the lead from the favoured East Indiaman (Hinchinbrook) close to the line in a tight pack at the finish.
Lady Young (Fastnet Rock) just nosed out East Indiaman for third while a whisker was all the judges had to separate East Indiaman from the fourth-placed Muswellbrook (Denman).
Pedigree Notes:
So We Are is from Listed placed Oui Si Attitude (Biaconi {USA}), whose only other foal is a two-time winning Medaglia d’Oro (USA) mare named Go Straightandhard.
Oui Si Attitude is a half-sister to Group 2 placed Miss With Attitude (Galileo {IRE}) and from a large family of Group winners in Europe, including champions and classic winners Shawanda (IRE) (Sinndar {Ire}) and Encke (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}) and Group 1 winner Shareta (IRE) (Sinndar).
Group 3 Rotorua Cup, Arawa
Race Summary:
Zacada (NZ) (Zabeel) put in a gutsy performance under Jonathan Riddell to earn his second Group stakes on Saturday in New Zealand.
The gelding was placed near the back of the field by Riddell in the 220-metre race as the field galloped around the track. Gobstopper (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) led as the field turned into the straight for the second time and they raced for home with Zacada finding a perfect trip up the rail.
It was a battle for the lead throughout the final stages with Zacada getting a slight advantage in the last 150 metres and Gobstopper coming back at him with Artiste (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {IRE}) looking a small threat to Gobstopper’s outside as well.
As they hit the line, Lacada was able to hold off his rival’s late lunge by a head with Artiste settling for third by a length.
Pedigree Notes:
Zacada is one of two stakes horses for Lacada (Giant’s Causeway {USA}), who is from Australia and New Zealand champion Showella (NZ) (Lord Ballina).
Showella produced three stakes winners, including Lacada’s champion full-brother Showcause and Group 2 winner Safwan (Encosta de Lago). Lacada’s third dam is two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year Show Gate (NZ) (Gate Keeper {GB}), who produced two stakes winners from three to race.
Lacada has five winners from five to race with a combined 27 wins between them. Her other stakes horse is Giant Turtle (NZ), who finished second in the Group 2 Waikato Guineas. Her final foal is an unraced two-year-old filly by Declaration of War (USA) named Declarada in training with Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in New Zealand.
Group 3 Rotorua S., Arawa
Race Summary:
After finishing second in two of the preceding three races on the card, Craig Grylls was able to visit the winner’s circle aboard Sleeping Beauty (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) when the mare earned her first stakes victory.
Sleeping Beauty took up her spot in fourth as Donna Anne Billy (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) set the pace in the 1400 metre race. She didn’t stay there long, moving closer to the leaders as they entered the turn and finding herself in the lead as they turned into the straight.
She had to battle with Donna Anne Billy to her inside but built up her margin with every stride to win by 1 ½ lengths. Te Toro Pearl (NZ) (Bullbars) made a late run to grab second from Donna Anne Billy, who finished third after a strong run up front.
Pedigree Notes:
Sleeping Beauty (NZ) is the final foal and first stakes winner for Kailey Princess (Danehill {USA}), who also produced two other stakes horses and is the granddam of Group 1 winner Herculian Prince (NZ) (Yamanin Vital{NZ}).
Kailey Princess is a half-sister to Listed winner and Group 1 placed Sir Midas (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) and the granddam of champion Racing To Win (Encosta de Lago) with recent Group 2 winner Classique Legend (Not a Single Doubt) also under that same half-sister.
Kailey Princess produced eight winners from 10 runners with Prosperous Bid (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}) and Canny Princess (NZ) (Canny Lad) her other two stakes runners.
Listed Vale Redoute's Choice S., Caulfield
Race Summary:
Missile Mantra (Smart Missile) provided a quick interstate stakes double on Saturday when winning at Caulfield just minutes after Ready To Prophet’s victory at Scone.
Missile Mantra looked relaxed as she galloped with just the back few horses behind her after the break. Beau Mertens asked her to pick up the pace as the field entered the straight of the 1200 metre race but she still had a lot of work to do with 300 metres left. It looked as though Grand Scholar (Wandjina) was in the clear until the 200 metre mark when Missile Mantra found another gear to close strongly on the leader and pass her in the final 50 metres.
In addition to the double for Smart Missile, the race was notable for the second-third place finishes for first season sire Wandjina, whose Express Pass finished third behind the pair in his career debut for Nick Ryan.
Pedigree Notes:
Wecansay Mak (Starcraft {NZ}) visited Smart Missile her first two years at stud with her first foal selling for $140,000. That filly, now named Maximak, is unraced but in training with Matt Laurie. Missile Mantra was her dam’s second foal and was purchased for $30,000 at the same sale a year later by Triple Crown Syndications while the mare’s Olympic Glory (Ire) yearling filly hasn’t yet seen a sales ring.
Wecansay Mak is a full-sister to two-time Group 1 winner We Can Say It Now, who is also the dam of Group 3 winner Sky Kingdom (Ire) among her winners as a broodmare. Their second dam is Group 2 winner and Group 1 AJC Oaks second Courtalista (NZ) (Pompeii Court {USA}), who produced one stakes winner and four winners from nine to race.
Wecansay Mak didn’t have a foal last year and was served by Dundeel (NZ) on a 1 September cover.
