A Fastnet Rock 1-2 at Bendigo

Mark Smith - Wednesday September 2

There were mixed emotions for the Chittick family of Waikato Stud following the running of a competitive class 1 over 1400m at Bendigo on Wednesday as their colourbearer Early Morning Rise had to play second fiddle to the promising Irish Playboy, a son of the Waikato Stud-bred dual Group 1 winning Savabeel mare Scarlett Lady,

A 1-2 for Fastnet Rock as Irish Playboy gets the better of Early Morning Rise (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

In a race that featured three 3yos that had won their only start, both the winner and runner-up are by the champion Fastnet Rock.

The Danny O’Brien-trained mare Early Morning Rise had been on her own for a long way in the straight before Michael Poy found a seam on the Henry Dwyer-trained gelding Irish Playboy who shuffled back to near last on the turn after being cluttered up on the rail, before powering home to win by a long-neck.

The Fighting Sun gelding Inspired Sun was doing his best work at the finish to be a further one and a half lengths back in third.

It was the second win on the trot for Irish Playboy who had opened his winning account at Swan Hill after finishing second in two of his previous three starts.

Advertisement

Bred by Max Whitby and Neil Werrett, Irish Playboy was a $300,000 purchase by Henry Dwyer Racing / Randwick Bloodstock (FBAA) out of the Kitchwin Hills draft at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Irish Playboy was a $300,000 Inglis Easter Yearling

He is the second winner from three to race out of the top-class Scarlett Lady (Savabeel) who was trained by Graeme Rogerson to win the Group 1 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm and Group 1 New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie and a further four stakes races.

Scarlett Lady has an unraced 3to Snitzel filly named Tickle Me Scarlett in the Kris Lees stable and a 2yo Snitzel colt named Enjolras who is in the stable of Brad Widdup.

After missing to Snitzel in 2018, Scarlett Lady was one of 149 mares to visit triple Crown hero Justify (USA) at his first season at Coolmore in 2019.

Advertisment

Race Result - The Big Screen Company Hcp-C1 1400m

Bendigo Track: Good(4) Time: 1:23.57
1
Irish Playboy
- 4g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Scarlett Lady (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Henry Dwyer Rdr: Michael Poy 59
2
0.4
Early Morning Rise
- 4m Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Kay's Awake (NZ) (Towkay (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Craig Williams 59
3
1.9
Inspired Sun
- 4g Fighting Sun (AUS) x Cape Moss (AUS) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: V L Malady Rdr: D W Stackhouse 60.5
4
2.6
Blondeau
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Bit Of Cheek (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: D Oliver 60.5
5
3.6
Epic Ranger
- 3g Choisir (AUS) x Northwest (NZ) (Falkirk (NZ))
Tnr: Robert Hickmott Rdr: J Bowditch 59
6
5.6
Maccabee
- 3g Deep Field (AUS) x Apocrypha (AUS) (Octagonal (NZ))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: L Currie 59
7
7.4
Stradari
- 4g Strategic Maneuver (AUS) x Ladari (AUS) (Ladoni (GB))
Tnr: K L Corstens Rdr: Jye McNeil 61.5
8
10.6
Anirishman
- 4h Anacheeva (AUS) x Miss Ireland (AUS) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 61.5
More Reading...
Breeding To Win - 2025 $10m Golden Eagle
Racing fans and punters love a good debate, but if there's one thing they tend to unite on, it's the view that the retirement of talented young horses from the racetrack to the stud happens far too early for their liking!
Promising Winner for Peltzer
Michael Freedman trained his first winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Thursday at Wyong and promising Peltzer gelding Sir Loyne won in a manner to suggest there is much more to come.
600k Fantasy World Heads Third Day of Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
FANTASY WORLD was one of three lots to realise 500,000 guineas or more on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale which saw significant increases to the median, average and turnover from the equivalent session in 2024.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 30
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Walker Upbeat Heading into Flemington
Trainer Mark Walker will have a two-pronged attack on the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, headed by last start Listed 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) winner Azazel, with lightly-tried McWoody also making the field.
One To Watch – Wyong
With her half-brother Private Eye set to line up in Saturday's $3m ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, 3yo Shalaa (IRE) filly Confidentiality broke her maiden on Thursday at Wyong at just her second start for trainer Joe Pride.
High Hopes for Pencarrow Stud Homebred Farnan Filly
Passiflora will provide her connections with a sound guide at Tauranga as to where she sits in the three-year-old pecking order.
Henry Dwyer Secures Top Lot on Day 4 Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
Promising Wootton Bassett two-year-old SKIATHOS topped the fourth day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at 150,000 guineas with robust trade resulting in a clearance rate of 90% for the session. Turnover for the sale exceeded 33,000,000 guineas for only the fourth time in its history with a fifth and final session still to come on Friday, followed immediately by the Tattersalls Aut
Tabitha Ridley-Thomas Joins Magic Millions Bloodstock Team
Australia's leading thoroughbred auctioneer Magic Millions has boosted it's impressive Bloodstock Team with news Tabitha Ridley-Thomas has this week joined the company.
2025 Victoria Derby Pedigree Preview - Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.