Duais Flags Her Oaks Credentials

Mark Smith - Saturday April 10

The purchase of a Johannesburg (USA) filly Meerlust for $22,000 at the 2009 Scone Yearling Sale is the gift that keeps on giving for the Matthew Irwin and the Harris family from Queensland.

It's not that Meerlust proved any great shakes on the racetrack. A debut win at Grafton proved to be the career highlight in a 5-start career.  

But she has two stake-winners and a Doomben winner from three of her first four foals.

Hugh Bowman goes for home on Duais (image Steve Hart)

The first stakes-winner was the charismatic Casino Prince mare Baccarat Baby who won the Group III SunCTC Guineas and Listed SCTC Princess Stakes while banking over $500,000.

On day one of the Championships at Randwick on Saturday, the 3yo Shamus Award filly Duais became the second stakes-winner for Meerlust, and the first for trainer Edward Cummings, when she captured the Group III Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m).

With Hugh Bowman in the saddle, Duais defeated the fast-finishing Bargain (Ocean Park) by a half-length with the favourite Flexible a long-neck back in third.

"It’s a lot of hard work come to fruition, we’ve been working very very hard the last two years,” Cummings said.  

“She’s always been earmarked a filly with a bright future.

“It’s really nice that we’ve been able to set a goal, set a plan for her and thus far it’s all come off.”

Bowman said he feels Shamus Award's daughter will have no trouble with the distance in next weeks Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks.

Advertisement

“She put the writing on the wall last start at Warwick Farm,” Bowman said.

“I know it was only midweek company but the feel she gave me, back the three-year-old filly company over this trip, she was going to eat it up.

“She is going to make her presence felt in the Oaks next week if that is where they decide to go.

“She has got staying filly written all over her. She is strong, she can stay, she settled well today, she joined in when I asked her to and she showed a lot of fight when she needed to. And, she has a Cummings training her.

“Congratulations to Edward - he has managed her very well. Full credit to him.”

Duais is a direct decendent of the great racemare and influential producer Fanfreluche (CAN) the dam of L'Enjoleur, La Voyageuse and D'Accord and ancestress of Flying Spur and Encosta de Lago.

Meerlust has an unraced 2yo sister to Dasis named Amity Gal but she has not had a foal since.

Meerlust was covered by All Too Hard last spring.  

Duais becomes the 11th stakes-winner for Rosemont Stud's Shamus Award.

Advertisment

Race Result - Tab Adrian Knox Stks Gr3 2000m

Randwick Track: Soft(7) Time: 2:06.32
1
Duais
- 3f Shamus Award (AUS) x Meerlust (AUS) (Johannesburg (USA))
Tnr: Edward Cummings Rdr: J Bowman 56
2
0.5
Bargain
- 3f Ocean Park (NZ) x Shopaholic (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: R Dolan 53
NZB Karaka Book 1 $140,000
Seller: Waikato Stud Ltd
Buyer: R Yiu
3
1.8
Flexible
- 3f Hallowed Crown (AUS) x Dextrous (AUS) (Quest For Fame (GB))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Tommy Berry 57
Hallowed Crown
4
2.5
Star Point
- 3f Bull Point (AUS) x Starsplash (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Ms G Markwell Rdr: G Boss 53
5
3.7
Signora Nera
- 3f Sweynesse (AUS) x Madonna Mia (NZ) (Red Clubs (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Avdulla 55
6
4.4
Land Ahoy
- 3f Dundeel (NZ) x Aiden Sea (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: A B Collett 55
7
4.5
Chequerboard
- 3f Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Chi (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: J B Mc Donald 58
8
6.5
Darling Diamond
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Diamond Drille (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: Rachel King 53.5
9
7.5
Seduction Queen
- 3f Kermadec (NZ) x Seduction Line (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: R & M Freedman Rdr: Tim Clark 54
10
10.5
Himiko
- 3f Deep Impact (JPN) x Elusive Sparkle (USA) (Elusive Quality (USA))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: J R Collett 53.5
11
10.8
Easifar
- 3f Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Storm Fronts (AUS) (Hurricane Sky (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56
12
11.1
Obvious Step
- 3f Sidestep (AUS) x State The Obvious (AUS) (Magic Albert (AUS))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: K S Latham 55
13
13.7
Credit Crunch
- 3f Real Impact (JPN) x Bec Said No Credit (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: Craig Williams 53
14
20.9
Salto Angel
- 3f Sacred Falls (NZ) x Jacilo (NZ) (Entrepreneur (GB))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: T Marquand 58.5
15
39.0
Tycoon Hallie
- 3f Written Tycoon (AUS) x Fiction (NZ) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: A Adkins 53
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Tuesday August 26
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
Finding the Perfect Match for Your Mare
Now that the first foals of the season have hit the ground at farms across the country, breeders are finalising stallion bookings and searching for the perfect match for their mares.
Shamus Award's Duais Primes for Caulfield Cup with Victory in Coongy
Queensland Oaks heroine Duais will head to Saturday’s $5million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) following a determined win in Wednesday’s Group III Coongy Cup (2000m) at Caulfield.
Coolmore Stallion Parade – A to Z-Catch Up on What You Might Have Missed!
The annual Coolmore Australia stallion parade is one you just can’t miss and if you didn’t make it this year, do read on as you will feel like you were there after all!
Was it that Unusual? Who is the Oldest?
There was a lot of attention in the media regarding the age of Australian Horse of the Year elect Via Sistina (IRE) when she returned to racing for a new campaign at Randwick last Saturday, but was it really that uncommon to see an eight year-old G1 winner?
Oaks Heroine Duais Completes a Grand Day for Shamus Award
An incredible day for Rosemont Stud’s Shamus Award at Eagle Farm began with a nine-length winner, Incentivise, and ended with the Edward Cummings-trained Duais, the runaway winner of the $600,000 Group 1 James Squire Queensland Oaks (2200m).
Well Bred Zousain Debut Winner
A full sister to Zousain’s Group III winning filly Drifting, Cheeky Contiki made a winning debut at Pakenham on Monday for the Lindsay Park Racing team.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 25
Here is the full list of 12 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Shamus Award Mare Duais in a Class of Her Own in Tancred Stakes
Tailed off last early, the 4yo Shamus Award mare Duais gathered her opponents in so quickly in the straight that Josh Parr had the luxury of standing in the irons, saluting the crowd over the final 50 metres of Monday’s $1,500,000 Group 1 Kia H E Tancred Stakes (2400m).