Adopting the same catch me if you can tactics that saw his half-brother Trap For Fools capture the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes, the Lindsey Smith-trained Too Close The Sun led at every call in Wednesday’s $225,000 Listed Sungold Milk Warrnambool Cup (2350m) to credit his sire, the former Her Majesty The Queen colour-bearer, Carlton House (USA) with his first stakes-winner.
Too Close The Sun wins the feature at Warrnambool (Pat Scala/Racing Photos)
Ridden by Decaln Bates, Too Close To The Sun defeated Mirimar (Kalanisi) by a length with Sin To Win (Sir Percy) the same distance back in third.
It was the third win on the day for Smith who came close to both features after his All Too Hard gelding Superhard fell a short-neck short in the Listed Wangoom.
It was the third consecutive win for Too Close The Sun who began his career with Smith in Perth.
Declan Bates celebrates his win on Too Close The Sun (Alice Laidlaw/Racing Photos)
The 4yo gelded son of Carlton House (USA) advances his record to 7 wins, 2 seconds and 3 thirds from 13 starts with earnings of $337,245.
“That was a super performance, Bates said.
Carlton House Kerrin McEvoy image Mark Smith
“He began well so I was happy to take it up," said Bates.
“He travelled nicely, he was a little bit keen, but you have got to go with him. He has got such a high cruising speed and that is how he wins it. He gets the rest of them off the bridle early and he stays. He is a very good horse.
A homebred for Distinct Racing & Breeding, Too Close The Sun becomes the second stakes-winner for the grand racemare Old Money (Old Spice) after the $2 million earner Trap For Fools.
Old Money was one of the stars of racing in the west in 2000 with wins in the Group 1 WATC West. Australian Derby, Group II WATC C.B. Cox Stakes and Group III WATC West. Australian Oaks when carrying the colours of Bob and Sandra Peters.
The daughter of Old Spice was sold to American interests and she won an Allowance at Santa Anita and was third in the Grade II Buena Vista Stakes.
Retired to stud in America, Old Money had a troubled history and was repatriated in 2008.
She was no more productive back home, leaving four foals, albeit two very good ones, in nine years before her death in January 2016.
Too Close The Sun is her final foal.
Winner of the Group II Dante Stakes, Carlton House (USA) finished his career on the track in Australia finishing second to Silent Achiever in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes and was third in Dundeel’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Unfortunately, the strapping son of Street Cry was sub-fertile leaving just 57 foals in his two seasons at Darley Stud.
