Levendi led the way with an impressive win in the Group Two Tulloch Stakes and in doing so booked a berth in next Saturday’s Group One ATC Australian Derby at Royal Randwick on Day One of the Championships.
Prepared by Peter Gelagotis from Victoria’s Gippsland region, Levendi ground down his rivals in the Derby lead up and his strong finish was a good pointer for what is looking like his next run in the New South Wales blue riband.
The Pierro colt, a $140,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for Peter Gelagotis’ brother Manny from Widden Stud, is now a group winner in Melbourne and Sydney and is one of the country’s most talented and genuine three-year-olds.
Bred by Robert Anderson, Levendi is from the stakes performed Redoute’s Choice (ex Tully Thunder) mare Lipari. The win was celebrated by the Tait’s of Twin Hills Stud after their purchase at last year’s National Broodmare Sale of Lipari – who has since produced a slashing More Than Ready filly who looks set to be a Gold Coast sales star in her own right.
The big Rosehill card kicked away with the two-year-olds contesting the Schweppervescence at Group Three level and it was a momentous win for the exciting youngster Irukandji.
A $500,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for Spendthrift Farm from Musk Creek Farm, Irukandji proved too strong for a classy field to win for Hawkes Racing and Corey Brown.
Irukandji was bred by Roger Langley in association with Riversdale and sold by Riversdale for $240,000 at the 2016 National Weanling Sale. Also sold at that same sale was the race runner-up Aristocratic Miss, sold by Newgate Farm.
The untapped youngster is the first stakes winner for Arrowfield Stud’s former outstanding multiple Group One winner Dundeel and he is from the stakes performed Adelaide mare Cerberus Gal.
Later in the afternoon the ultra consistent galloper Cellarman added another win to his incredible preparation when he cruised home in the Group Three Doncaster Prelude.
Carrying the famous pink and white colours of Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds, Cellarman finished strongly to beat Ecuador by three parts of a length.
A son of Mossman bred and sold by the team from Vinery Stud, was sourced from the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $70,000.
Cellarman is not among the entries for the Doncaster Mile and will not be adding to the powerful group trainer Chris Waller is aiming at next weekend’s feature.
Bold front runner Arbeitsam is one galloper who is set to back up in the Doncaster with co-trainers Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse confirming today’s impressive Neville Sellwood Stakes winner is on track for the rich Randwick feature.
The son of Snitzel showed speedy and tenacity to win today’s Group Three contest in the colours of the Watt family’s Dynamic Syndications.
A $120,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy in 2015 for Dynamic from Macquarie Stud, Arbeitsam has earned connections about $750,000 from his 18 starts to date.
At the famous South Australian Easter meeting at Oakbank quality local galloper Heart of a Lion scored a brilliant win in the listed Oakbank Stakes.
Prepared from Morphettville by Lloyd Kennewell, Heart of a Lion overcame a big weight to impressively win the feature flat race at the famous Adelaide Hills track.
Heart of a Lion, a $42,000 Adelaide Yearling Sale buy from Mill Park, is the fourth stakes winner produced by Brenton and Liz Parker’s grand producer Madame Flurry – her others being Happy Trails, Danish Twist and All Too Huiying.
Friar Fox emerged as the filly to beat in the upcoming Western Australian Oaks with an absolute thrashing of her rivals in today’s listed Natasha Stakes at Ascot.
Prepared by Justine Erkelens, Friar Fox came with a withering burst in the straight under Shaun O’Donnell for the easiest of wins.
Bred and sold by leading WA breeders, Scenic Lodge, Friar Fox is a daughter of the stud’s former champion resident sire Blackfriars. She cost Erkelens just $14,000 at the Perth Yearling Sale.
Congratulations to leading Melbourne based bloodstock agent Tim Stakemire who purchased the dam of the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum homebred Hiyaam, winner of today’s Group One Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill.
Hiyaam is from the Zabeel mare Mazarine, who was purchased by Stakemire from Coolmore Stud for just $35,000 at the 2011 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
It continues an incredible run for the breed shaping auction with other recent stars Winx, Shoals, Trapeze Artist and Estijaab being produced by mares sold on the Gold Coast.
