D-Day looms for Group I winner Yankee Rose

Ben Dorries - Tuesday September 12

David Vandyke has declared Saturday is D-Day for his Group I winning mare Yankee Rose and says she could even be retired if she doesn't perform.

Advertisement
Are Yankee Rose's best days behind her? Trainer David Vandyke hopes not but admits Saturday is D-Day for his Group I winning mare Photo: Steve Hart

Yankee Rose has been simply magnificent for connections, winning two Group Is and over $2million in prizemoney.

But she has always battled soundness issues and troublesome feet, most recently pulling up lame with a bruised heel after running ninth of 11 behind Vega Magic when resuming in the Group I Memsie Stakes.

Vandyke gave her a spin around Cranbourne on Tuesday morning and is confident she has overcome her latest injury worry.

However, he refused to use the bruised heel, and the fact rider Dean Yendall got his whip caught in the reins for a short time, as an excuse for failing to flatter in the Memsie.

Yankee Rose will now line up in Saturday's Group I Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), where she is a $21 chance on CrownBet.

Vandyke admits his confidence levels have been dented by Yankee Rose's first-up effort and says her racing future will come under major scrutiny if she doesn't perform on Saturday.

"The jury is out on whether she has come back well," Vandyke conceded.

"I am not willing to say that having a bruised heel, or the fact the race was a sit-and-sprint affair, was an excuse for her finishing ninth in the Memsie.

"She got through her Cranbourne gallop OK this morning and she seems fine after the farrier cut a bit of her heel away.

"Saturday is a big day for her and I hope she runs well.

"If she doesn't run well we will have to have a long, hard look at her racing future.

"She has a big group of owners and she has been fantastic for them, but if she fails on Saturday then we don't want to just keep doing what we have been doing and expecting a different result."

Last Saturday night, Yankee Rose was recognised as the Queensland Horse Of The Year and it gave former Sydney trainer Vandyke his first award in his new adopted state.

"For me, the award was a real acceptance and a welcome to Queensland," Vandyke said.

"I only wish that Yankee Rose could have raced in Queensland but a few things made that impossible."

Advertisment
More Reading...
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
Toronado’s Snow Mercy Takes Out G3 Scarborough Stakes
Coming off the back of a maiden victory at Morphettville recently at just her second start, the Phillip Stokes trained Snow Mercy highlighted her future class with an impressive victory in the Group 3 MVRC Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Pride of Jenni Too Good for Treasurethe Moment in G2 Feehan
Pride of Jenni might be an eight year-old mare that is drawing ever closer to the end of her glorious career, but there was a sparkle in her eye before the Group II MVRC Feehan Stakes (1600m) and it was the Jenni of old that ran her rivals ragged at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G2 Stutt Stakes
The racing and breeding world was shocked earlier this week by the passing of champion sire Wootton Bassett (GB), whose talented son West of Swindon picked the right race in which to break his maiden when scoring a bold front running victory in the $300,000 Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Richard Johnston has bred some very good horses under his Bylong Park banner including triple Group I winner Think It Over and an Anders three year-old he bred and races was an eye-catching debut winner at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
Ardrossan Filly Wins First Kiwi Juvenile Race of New Season
Otaki horseman Johno Benner has a good association with the Karaka Millions, and he could have another serious contender on his hands for January’s showpiece.
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 25
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.