It's Kris Lees and Australian Bloodstock again as Gem Song Wins the Newcastle Newmarket

Mark Smith - Friday March 5

The rejuvenated Your Song gelding Gem Song made it three consecutive wins for trainer Kris Lees and owners Australian Bloodstock with a heart-stopping win in Friday’s $160,000 Group III Newcastle Newmarket.

Narrow win for Gem Song in Newcastle Newmarket (image Steve Hart)

Ridden by Nash Rawiller, Gem Song found the best going out wide in the straight to nail the game favourite Bottega (Snitzel) on the line.

Cascadian (GB) (New Approach) was a length back in third after being forced to make his run down the inside of the track.

Advertisement

Winner of the Group III ATC Eskimo Prince Stakes and Group III BRC Gunsynd Classic in 2019, Gem Song was off the scene for sixty-seven weeks when making a brilliant return to the track when fourth to Masked Crusader in the Group III Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick on February 13.

With his third stakes win, the 5yo son of Your Song advances his record to six wins, two seconds and three thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $634,395.

“It is a good result. He has been off the scene a long time,” Lees said.

“Some good people have a share in the horse, so it’s very rewarding.

Gem Song Nash Rawiller (mage Steve Hart)

“I think he is back to his best. He stepped slow, so he had a bit of work to do.

“I thought he got beat on the line, so I was relieved when the number went up in the frame.

“He (Nash Rawiller) is pretty handy in those last 50 metres.”

Bred and initially raced by Gooree Stud, Gem Song is a half-brother to stakes-winner The Omega Man (Northern Meteor) out of the crack racemare Beautiful Gem.

A daughter of Peintre Celebre (USA), Beautiful Gem won nine races highlighted by the Group II Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Beautiful Gem is a daughter of the Group III Black Opal Stakes winner and Group 1 Golden Slipper runner-up Just Blooming.

Sold at the 2016 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale with Bowness Stud signing the ticket for $30,000, Beautiful has a troubled last few years at stud and was pensioned in January.

Advertisment

Race Result - Suez Newcastle Newmarket Hcp Gr3 1400m

Newcastle Track: Good(4) Time: 1:23.73
1
Gem Song
- 5g Your Song (AUS) x Beautiful Gem (AUS) (Peintre Celebre (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: N Rawiller 58.5
2
0.1
Bottega
- 4h Snitzel (AUS) x Bennetta (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: K Mc Evoy 54
3
1.1
Cascadian
- 6g New Approach (IRE) x Falls Of Lora (IRE) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J B Mc Donald 59
4
1.9
Maui Girl
- 5m Lope De Vega (IRE) x Run For Naara (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: J C Coyle Rdr: Ms L Day 54
5
2.3
Purple Sector
- 5g Pins (AUS) x Eden Valley (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: J Bowman 57
6
2.9
Texas Storm
- 6g All American (AUS) x Stormy Empress (AUS) (King's Best (USA))
Tnr: R R Milligan Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 54
7
3.1
Asiago
- 4m Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Disputes (AUS) (Manton (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Rachel King 54
8
6.2
Trophies Galore
- 5m Reward For Effort (AUS) x Paradise Mill (USA) (Horse Chestnut (SAF))
Tnr: Andrew Robinson Rdr: J Ford 54
9
7.4
Outrageous
- 5g All Too Hard (AUS) x Fit And Ready (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Tommy Berry 55
More Reading...
Pedigree Watch – G1 and G1 Potential
Last Saturday provided Australian racing fans with a bewildering array of 15 Black Type events spread across four states, so with a newly minted Group I winner and a couple of other horses we see as having G1 potential, a closer look at the pedigrees got me thinking.
Stakes Double for Westbury Stud Sires
New stakes winners for resident stallions Redwood and Tarzino were celebrated by Westbury Stud at the weekend.
Yulong Winner at Otaki
Yulong has wasted little time in making a mark on New Zealand racing this spring, and those emerald green and white colours were carried to another feature-race win by Azeezle in Sunday’s Levin Truck Services Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.
Reliable Man Bargain Buy Wins Cromwell Cup
Peachy Keen capped a super-consistent spring campaign with a last-gasp victory in Sunday’s $50,000 Happy Hire Cromwell Cup (2030m).
Pierata Half-Brother To Slipper Winner Fireburn Breaks Maiden
While it may have taken until his fifth start to break his maiden, 3yo Pierata colt Kilbrannan has pedigree on his side and with the step up to 1300m, the Gary Portelli trained colt impressed at Newcastle on Sunday when breaking his maiden for Laurel Oak Bloodstock and partners.
Savabeel Mare Primed for G1 on Saturday
Stephen Marsh has his sights set on further feature-race success, with his proven performer Provence confirmed for Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham.
Savabeel Colt Wins G3 Wellington Stakes
Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh won the Gr.3 Jennian Homes Wellington Stakes (1600m) for the fifth time at Otaki on Sunday with emerging talent Ammirati, but this was a win unlike any other.
Karaka Million aim for Home Affairs Colt
The two-year-old race staged by the Levin Racing Club at Otaki every November has a proven record of unearthing top-level talent, and Te Akau Racing is hoping for more of the same with Sunday’s Levin Jumpouts 2YO (1100m) winner Kinnaird.
15 Saturday Stakes Races Out of Season
Last Saturday in Australia there were an astonishing 15 stakes races run in a time period most trainers see as being out of season, barring the Perth Summer Carnival, when we consider that our elite horses are programmed towards spring and autumn, so what is going on?
Gem Song Makes the Best of His Second Chance in Star Kingdom
Scratched from the race on Saturday, Gem Song was reinstated for the Group III Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) when the meeting was switched to Newcastle and didn’t the son of Your Song appreciate his home track.