Second winner for The Mission
Mishani Metal became the second winner for Aquis' first-season sire The Mission when victorious in the Sky Racing H. (1100 metres) at Doomben on Saturday.
The Les Ross-trained 2-year-old was having his fifth start when given an excellent ride by Jackson Morris to score by 0.2l from Heroic Son (Heroic Valour), with Saweetie (I Am invincible) back in third.
For owner/breeder Mike Crooks it is another $100,000 bonus after Mishani Warfare became The Mission's first winner for Ross at Eagle Farm a fortnight ago.
“It’s a good incentive for breeders. There is usually a QTIS bonus available for the owners and trainers but this is just for breeders,” Ross said.
“Mike has 33 2-year-olds and six of them are by The Mission so hopefully we can win with another four.
“I was quite surprised by his price today even though he had four runs. We took him to Toowoomba last week and were tossing up whether to put him in the paddock, but we did not have another for the 1100 metres and with the $100,000 (bonus) we said we will send him around.
“He is tough as teak. I don’t know what to do with him now. No sense in putting them in the paddock when they’re winning.”
Bowman, Dolan suspended
Hugh Bowman may have taken out the $1 million The Hunter on Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) but received a five-meeting suspension for a ride earlier in the day at Newcastle.
Bowman was suspended on a careless riding charge while he escaped with a reprimand from the second of two separate pieces of interference aboard Raoul (Kermadec {NZ}).
The star jockey will be able to ride at next Saturday’s The Gong meeting at Kembla Grange, but will miss the Festival S. meeting at Rosehill a week later.
Robbie Dolan copped a four-meeting suspension after pleading guilty to a careless riding charge stemming from the main race of the day – The Hunter, where he rode Prime Candidate (Denman).
Williams outed over Cranbourne ride
Nine-time Melbourne Premiership winner Craig Williams was outed for careless riding during Saturday's Cranbourne meeting.
Williams received at 10-meeting ban for causing interference aboard Greyt Mumma (Capitalist) in the opening race.
Williams rode one winner on Cranbourne Cup Day, aboard Dexelation (Ambidexter) in the Apache Cat Classic, moving him to outright third in this season's Melbourne Jockeys' Premiership on 20 wins, trailing Damian Lane and Brett Prebble on 22 wins.
Torrens all the way in Beauford
Trainer Lauri Parker and jockey Jenny Duggan combined for a second rich payday with 5-year-old Torrens (Adelaide {Ire}) in as many starts, as he bolted away to win the $300,000 The Beauford over 2300 metres at Newcastle.
Torrens was a last-start winner of the Listed Tattersall's Cup at Randwick, and he continued in that form with, leading all the way at Newcastle and winning by 4l.
"I love this horse and can’t thank Lauri and the owners for giving me the opportunity,” said Duggan.
“One thing we knew going into this was he would run the distance. He seems to race better when he finds the fence, so that was my plan.
“Lauri does a lot of treadmill work as he’s not an easy horse to train. She’s a mum with little ones as well!”
Eurell making plans with Taut You Could
Trainer Greg Eurell has high hopes for Taut You Could (O'Lonhro), the 2-year-old brother to the talented and stakes-placed O’Tauto, after his debut win at Cranbourne on Saturday.
Both horses are trained by Eurell and bred and owned by Larneuk Stud and Eurell was rapt with the narrow success in the metropolitan race over 1000 metres.
“Neville Murdoch of Larneuk Stud had the mare (Taut) who is unfortunately not with us anymore, but everything she had can run and this guy is no exception,” Eurell said.
"He's a little bit more precocious than what O'Tauto was. At this stage he is doing everything right and it was the right time to bring him to the races.
“He toughed it out. I said to Damian (Lane - jockey) that the more you ask the more he will keep giving. That’s the style of horse he has shown us all the way through.
"I have no doubt that 1200 metres or 1400 metres and a bit further later in his career will be a more suitable trip for him. We will have to have a good look (at the program) now. He is holding up all right and has been very good in the stable. He is a tremendous doer so hopefully there is a bit more left in the tank and he is heading in the right direction.”
Another Turn for the good
The winners continue to flow for Vinery Stud's second-season stallion Star Turn with the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained Me Me Legarde victorious at Doomben on Saturday.
The Gerry Harvey-bred and owned Me Me Legarde was having the first start of her 3-year-old campaign and scored narrowly over 1200 metres, becoming the 15th Australian winner of the season for her sire.
Capitalist currently leads the second-season sires when it comes to winners with 17, while Star Turn joins Maurice (Jpn) on 15, with Me Me Legarde's victory.
Lucky Vega's Irish fee confirmed
Lucky Vega (Ire), who stands his first Northern Hemisphere season next year at the Irish National Stud, will debut at €15,000 (AU$23,400). Raced by Yulong Investments, Lucky Vega won the G1 Phoenix S. at two and placed in this year's G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. before retiring to stand at Yulong's Australian headquarters.
Also new at the Irish National Stud for 2022 is last year's G2 Coventry S. winner and G1 Prix Morny and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up Nando Parrado (GB). He will stand for €6000 (AU$9400).
Invincible Spirit (Ire) once again leads the Irish National Stud roster, and his standout performers in 2021 included Group 3 winner and Group 1 performer Pearls Galore (Fr) and G2 Rockfel S. scorer Hello You (Ire). Invincible Spirit, at the age of 24, is available for €60,000 (AU$94,000) next year, down from €80,000 (AU$125,000) in 2021.
Among the other highlights, National Defense (Ire), whose first-crop runners this year were highlighted by the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint scorer Twilight Gleaming (Ire), will stand for €8000 (AU$12,500).
Lope De Vega stays steady
Lope De Vega (Ire) will stand at €125,000 (AU$195,000) in 2022, that figure being unchanged from his 2021 fee at Ballylinch Stud, where he has stood throughout his 11 covering seasons in the Northern Hemisphere.
“This year Lope De Vega confirmed that he is one of the world's elite sires, with an exceptional 48 black-type horses in 2021 alone,” said Ballylinch Stud Managing Director John O'Connor. “He has achieved success at the highest level on four different continents and is one of those rare sires who can truly be called a global success. Ever popular at the sales, Lope De Vega was the leading sire at Tattersalls Book 1 by aggregate and his yearlings averaged over €220,000 (AU$344,000).”
Lope De Vega (Ire) | Standing at Ballylinch Stud
Lope De Vega's stud-mate Make Believe (GB) has also had wide international representation via his leading son Mishriff (Ire) and his fee has been put up for 2022 to €17,500 (AU$27,300).
New Bay (GB), who was represented by his first Group 1 winner in the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Saffron Beach (Ire) has had his fee rise to €37,500 (AU$58,500).
Completing the lineup at Ballylinch Stud is the 2019 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist (GB). The son of Galileo (Ire), who has his first foals for sale this year, has had his fee reduced to €15,000 (AU$23,400) for his third season at stud.
Showcasing's fee confirmed
Showcasing (GB), the sire of three Group 1 winners with five sons at stud, will remain at £45,000 (AU$82,000) at Whitsbury Manor Stud for the 2022 season.
Announcing the fees for his five stallions, stud director Ed Harper said, “Following last year's downward adjustment of our fees due to COVID we have decided to keep our fees similar to last year. We are delighted that so many of our clients have had great success at the sales and feel it's important to maintain value commercial stallion options for breeders.”
He added, “Once again, Showcasing had a great year on the track as Britain's leading sire of 2-year-olds. His results have also translated through to the sales ring as he achieved more six-figure yearling sales this year at Books 1 and 2 than ever before.”
As Whitsbury Manor's son of Scat Daddy (USA), Sergei Prokofiev (USA), embarks on his second season at stud, his fee has been reduced slightly to £6000 (AU$11,000).
“He was the most popular first-season sire in Britain this year covering 154 mares,” said Harper. “I can honestly say no Whitsbury stallion has ever had a stronger start in terms of numbers and quality.”
The Group 1-winning sprinter Havana Grey (GB) will be represented by his first runners in 2022 and his fee has been held at £6000 (AU$11,000), while Due Diligence (USA) has been cut to £5000 (AU$9000), the fee at which his fellow resident Adaay (Ire) remains for the fourth season in a row.
