THE powerful stable of Godolphin, cemented another Golden Slipper Stakes runner when second starter Pin Sec easily won the ACT John McGrath Auto Black Opal Stakes-G3 at the national capital on Sunday.
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The same as Lyre (who won the MRC Blue Diamond Stakes-G1 in February), Pin Sec is another juvenile filly by Lonhro and Godolphin bred and owned, that has qualified for a start in the Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill on March 23.
Other Godolphin Golden Slipper runners include Tenley, Microphone, and Exhilarates, the latter an impressive winner of the Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic in January.
Yes Yes Yes lived up to his name when impressively taking the ATC Todman Stakes-G2 at Rosehill on Saturday. Now prepared in Sydney by Chris Waller, Yes Yes Yes belongs to the first crop of juveniles by Coolmore Stud’s Encosta de Lago sire Rubic.
Among the beaten brigade in the Todman Stakes was highly fancied Time To Reign. If Time To Reign can bounce back and win the juvenile pinnacle, he will join famous brothers Skyline and Sky High as two Golden Slipper winners produced from the same dam. By the mighty Star Kingdom, Skyline won the Golden Slipper in 1958, while his full-brother Sky High won it in 1960, both produced from Flight’s Daughter.
Time To Reign is a Time For War half-brother to 2017 Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign, both from Charge Forward mare Courgette.
Mike Willesee remembered
A trailblazing pioneer in journalism from the 1960s, Mike Willesee – who recently passed away from cancer at the age of 76, also put his time, energy and dollars into the thoroughbred industry.
In the early 1980s, Mr Willesee purchased the Ferd Calvin owned Dawson Stud, a Cootamundra district property he renamed to take his media company's flagship banner, Trans Media Park, and which he transformed into a state-of-the-art showplace.
He introduced a number of stallions, launching the stud careers of well-known champion racehorses Sovereign Red (by Sir Tristram) in 1982, Golden Slipper winner Sir Dapper (Vain) in 1984, and in 1988 the Australian Horse Of The Year Rubiton (Century).
Another flagship racehorse who became a leading sire was Snippets (winner of the inaugural Magic Millions Gold Coast Two-Year-Old Classic), initiating his stud career at Trans Media Park.
Other stallions to stand at the property during this time included the Irish bred Abs and Cerreto, GB bred Lorenzaccio, Joindre (by FR bred Twig Moss), and the Argentinean bred Savage Toss in the early 1990s.
Today the property – under the banner of “Twin Hills”, is owned and operated by Ollie and Amber Tait and successfully continues to strive for excellence as a thoroughbred breeding property.
Verrazano off the mark
While his middle distance stamina may have been a negative for some breeders as he may not sire two-year-old runners, US bred Verrazano has emerged with a stakes winner from his only Australian crop of foals, when Mockery won the VRC Very Special Kids Plate-LR at Flemington recently.
Also being the first Australian two-year-old runner when unplaced in the Debutant Stakes-LR at Caulfield in October, Mockery beat favoured juveniles when taking the 1000 metre event.
A one time shuttle sire to Coolmore Stud, Verrazano won two Group 1 races in the US over 1800 metres, and was a one time favourite for the Kentucky Derby. The son of More Than Ready and the Giant’s Causeway mare Enchanted Rock also raced in England where he was second in the Queen Anne Stakes-G1 at Royal Ascot.
Trained by John McArdle at Mornington, Mockery will relish racing over longer distances.
More Tassie news
Following the Group 1 success of Needs Further filly Mystic Journey in Melbourne, Tasmania hit the news again via stallion Marwingo, who sired his first winner in NSW. Trained by Bjorn Baker, three-year-old Soldier Of Love won as a hot favourite over 1400 metres at Bathurst to initiate his sire’s stud account.
Standing at Grenville Stud at Whitemore, Tasmania, the German bred Marwingo successfully raced in three countries. A son of Tertullian, Marwingo won five races his highlight being the BRC Doomben Cup-G1 in 2012.
