First Stakes Winner for Lucas Cranach

Mark Smith - Saturday March 13

By the time Flash Aah came to the stable of Mitchell Fry he had double the number of trainers than he had starts.

The son of the ill-fated Lucas Cranach (GER) honoured his sire with his first stakes-winner on Saturday when ploughing through the mud in the Listed Australian Turf Club Trophy at the Gold Coast.

Ridden by Madeleine Wishart, the 30/1 outsider of the field was the last horse standing over a brutal final 100 metres. The 5yo gelding defeated the Kris Lees-trained Top Prospect (Swiss Ass) by three-quarters of a length with the Tony Gollan-trained favourite Socialising (Bel Esprit) one and a quarter lengths back in third.

It would have been a bitter-sweet result for Australian Bloodstock who owned the runner-up Top Prospect. One of the much-loved horses to carry the Australian Bloodstock silks was the Melbourne Cup placegetter Lucas Cranach (GER).

The German-bred son of Mamool bowed out of racing after winning the Group II Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield. He stood at Bullarook Stud before transferring to Leneva Park where he met his untimely death in September last year.

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Mitchell Fry was the fourth trainer of Flash Aah despite coming to the stable off just two starts.

The 5yo gelding has a decent strike rate with five wins from his ten starts with earnings of $141,650.

Bred by Clear Mountain Fairview, Flash Aah is the first foal of the Brisbane winning Hotel Grand mare Never Despair whose dam Sweet Venture (Quest For Fame) I a three-quarter sister to the Group 1 AJC Flight Stakes heroine Unworldly.

Never Despair has a 2yo colt by Worthy Cause, a yearling colt by Tycoon Ruler, a weanling colt by Worthy Cause and was covered last spring by Love Conquers All.

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Race Result - Australian Turf Club Trophy LR 1400m

Gold Coast Track: Heavy(9) Time: 1:28.05
1
Flash Aah
- 5g Lucas Cranach (GER) x Never Despair (AUS) (Hotel Grand (AUS))
Tnr: M J Fry Rdr: Madeleine Wishart 54
2
0.8
Top Prospect
- 7g Swiss Ace (AUS) x Princess Carolina (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: A Mallyon 55.5
3
2.1
Socialising
- 5m Bel Esprit (AUS) x Costa Mesa (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: J Byrne 54
Bel Esprit
4
3.1
The Candy Man
- 7g Casino Prince (AUS) x Melody (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: B S Baldwin Rdr: M Cahill 60.5
5
3.3
Victory Eight
- 7g Nadeem (AUS) x Queen's Colours (GB) (Rainbow Quest (USA))
Tnr: T N Miller Rdr: Ms S Thornton 54
6
3.6
Macewen
- 5g Rothesay (AUS) x Gogoreilly (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: M R Du Plessis 54
7
3.9
Junction
- 6g Real Saga (AUS) x Ends Meet (NZ) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: M A Currie Rdr: B El-Issa 54
8
7.7
Take Tea
- 4m Testa Rossa (AUS) x Tramontana Lass (AUS) (Xaar (GB))
Tnr: L D Kelly Rdr: R Fradd 54
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