Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
G3 Dark Jewel Classic, $200,000, 1400m
Up along the rails at big odds, Bring The Ransom (Sebring) had already won over $400,000 without a stakes success and she increased her value with this game performance.
A homebred for the Edwards, Marty, Morstyn and Roger families, the 76th stakes winner for her late sire is the first foal produced by the three-time Group 3-placed multiple city winner Gold Epona (Stratum) whose second foal Once Epona Time (All Too Hard) was a solid fourth at her only start, served last spring by Russian Revolution.
Also dam of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained 2-year-old Gold Witness (Star Witness) - a $160,000 graduate of the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale - Gold Epona was served last spring by Star Turn (Star Witness).
A half-sister to the stakes-placed Our Hand Of Faith (Testa Rossa), Gold Epona is out of the metropolitan winner Gold Ransom (Red Ransom {USA}) whose dam is the G1 1000 Guineas winner Shizu (NZ) (Manntari {Ire}) - also dam of the G3 Spring S. winner Zupaone (Flying Spur).
Hailing from the family of the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Loader (NZ) (Pre Catelan), Bring The Ransom is bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Danehill (USA) (Danzig {USA}) and a 4 X 4 cross of Luskin Star (Kaoru Star).
Listed Denise's Joy S., $140,000, 1100m
Charging home to record her first stakes-level victory having been so game in defeat in the G3 P.J Bell S. at her previous outing, Zapateo (Brazen Beau) looks to be a nice type for Godolphin.
A daughter of their Victorian-based stallion Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) - and his 17th stakes winner - she is out of the Listed Ramornie H. winner Jerezana (Lonhro) who is doing such a great job at stud with her first foal foals all being winners.
Sadly, she died in 2019, leaving behind a Street Boss (USA) colt who has been named Zaragoza. Also dam of the Group 2-winning sprinter Osborne Bulls (Street Cry {Ire}) and the Group 3-placed Badajoz (Commands), Jerezana is out of the Group 1-placed dual city winner Saddler's Silk (Barathea {Ire}) whose grandson Viridine (Poet's Voice {GB}) is a two-time Group winner.
Also from this family are the stakes winners Barawin (Barathea {Ire}), De La Terre (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Brief Embrace (Irgun {USA}).
Listed Luskin Star S., $140,000, 1300m
Flying Crazy (Flying Artie) just keeps racing well, this determined success his fifth from 10 starts and his third at Listed level.
Bred by SF Bloodstock and Blake Sandblom Pty Ltd, the $40,000 Inglis Classic graduate purchased by WBF Thoroughbreds and Equi-Com Syndications is one of the three stakes winners for his Newgate Farm-based, G1 Coolmore Stud S.-winning sire.
He is the second foal for the multiple city winner Forever Crazy (Encosta De Lago) whose next foal Crazy Russian (Russian Revolution) - an $80,000 Inglis Easter graduate - is also a member of the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable
Last spring foaling a Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) filly with her yearling being a colt by No Nay Never (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}), Forever Crazy is out of the stakes-placed Fiammarosa (Danehill {USA}) whose dam is the record breaking G1 Coolmore Classic winner Shindig (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}) - dam of the G1 CF Orr S. winner Shinzig (Danehill {USA}) and, by the same stallion, the dual Listed winner Strada.
Line-bred to the great mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}), Flying Crazy can also count amongst his relations the Group winners Hawkshot (Fiorente {Ire}), Power Scheme (Fiorente {Ire}), Alfolk (Lonhro) and Money Matters (Canford Cliffs {Ire}).
Listed Ortensia S., $140,000, 1100m
It was a busy finish to this feature but it was Vulpine (Snitzel) finishing off strongest - in doing so winning the seventh race of her 29-start career, her third at stakes level.
Bred by Mr M F Doyle and purchased by Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA), Millsy Girls Racing and BK RCG for $340,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, she is one of her Arrowfield Stud-based, four-time Champion Sire's 121 stakes winners.
Her dam is the city-placed winner Elusive Leone (Elusive Quality {USA}) whose dam is the G3 R.N. Irwin S. winner Leone Chiara (Lion Hunter) who has done a great job producing three stakes winners - the dual Group 1-winning stallion Star Witness (Starcraft {NZ}), the triple Group 3-winning stallion Nostradamus (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) and the Listed winner Embracer (Sebring).
Her dam's second last foal (her final being the two-time Canterbury winner Eight Diamonds by Sebring - served last spring by Showtime by Snitzel), Vulpine is bred on a 3 X 4 Danehill (USA) (Danzig {USA}) cross, also boasting duplications of the excellent mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Flower Bowl (USA) (Alibhai {GB}) and Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}).
Listed Woodlands S., $140,000, 1100m
Finishing too strongly for her rivals, In Secret (I Am Invincible) impressed having just her second start on the back of a smart maiden victory at Hawkesbury.
A $900,000 purchase for Godolphin at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, she was bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds and Saconi Thoroughbreds. The 78th stakes winner for her high-achieving Yarraman Park-based sire, she is the second foal and second winner for the dual Group 3 winner Eloping (Choisir).
Last spring paying a return visit to I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Eloping has a Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) filly foal and a Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) yearling who was purchased by Mick Price for $200,000 at this year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
A three-quarter sister to the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner Of The Brave (Starspangledbanner), Eloping is out of the lightly raced Runaway Jesse (Rory's Jester), half-sister to the G3 Carbine Club S. winner All Courage (Danzero).
This is also the family of the high-class stallion Acclamation (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}).
