Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday June 17

With the season winding down, the two-year-olds take centre stage.

There is a fascinating newcomer in the opening event over 1420m at Flemington on Saturday.

He is the Godolphin homebred  Bon Vivant, a son of Epsom Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Golden Horn, from the family of Miss Finland.

Three fillies dominate the betting, Somewatt Fabulous (Astern), Secret Glamour (Sebring) and Forbidden City (I Am Invincible).

The 162 live foals in the penultimate crop by the sadly missed Sebring is the second largest of his career.

Advertisement

Secret Glamour made a winning debut at Cranbourne (image Ross Holburt/Racing Photos)

Secret Glamour made a winning debut at Cranbourne (image Ross Holburt/Racing Photos)

The son of More Than Ready (USA) has quietly crept up the rankings for number of individual two-year-old winners this season. His total of 14 is on a par with another son of More Than Ready (USA), Better Than Ready, and two behind the leader Capitalist and one adrift of Snitzel.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Secret Glamour is one of them.

A $270,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Racing out of the Bhima Stud draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Secret Glamour made a winning debut at Cranbourne on May 14.

She is the latest winner from a thriving family descending from the Sovereign Edition (IRE) mare Early Edition, a sister to Helen Of Troy and Te Akau Princess.

Helen Of Troy was the best performed on the track, winning the CJC Canterbury Welcome Stakes.

At stud, she left the top-class Zamazaan mare Calera, winner of the VRC Wakeful Stakes and AJC Princess Handicap. Calera is the dam of the VATC Caulfield Cup winner Imposera, AJC Spring Champion Stakes winner Imprimatur and the dual Listed stakes winner Calaboose.

Secret Glamour a $270,000 Magic Millions Yearling

Secret Glamour a $270,000 Magic Millions Yearling

Te Akau Princess is the dam of SAJC Hill Smith Stakes winner Palace News whose stakes-winning daughter Twitter is the dam of MRC One Thousand Guineas winner Serious Speed.

Early Edition produced two stakes-winners, the South African Guineas winner World News and the 3-time Group III winner Palace Gossip.

A daughter of In The Purple, Palace Gossip had four winners from five to race. They included the STC Christmas Cup winner Mountebank and Palace Scandal (Western Symphony), dam of the stakes-placegetters Diana's Secret (Anabaa) and Heir Affair (Salieri).

Diana's Secret (Anabaa) took the family to another level as the dam of the Horse Of The Year, 5-time Group 1 winner, Dissident (Sebring).

Diana's Secret's half-sister Palace Whispers (Snippetson) was only a moderate performer on the track. She won once from 16 starts, and 15 of those starts came at the Sunshine Coast.

Purchased for just $12,000 as a yearling, Palace Whispers close relationship to Dissident saw her make $150,000 to the bid of Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock at the 2015 National Broodmare Sale and made a suitable suitor n easy decision. She visited Sebring in her first four seasons.

Secret Glamour is the second foal and first to get to the track.

Palace Whispers produced one of the 18 live foals left by Scissor Kick in his final season at Arrowfield, and that colt will form part of the Bhima draft heading to the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale next month (lot 105).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Group 1 Durban July Success For Son Of Australian Bred Gimmethegreenlight
Although not having previously sired a winner of South Africa’s greatest race, the Australian bred, South African-based sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) added a 13th individual Group 1 winner to his record when the Dean Kannemeyer trained The Real Prince (SAF) added Saturday’s R5m Group 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July (2200m) to his record.
Resolute Racing Win G1 Prix Jean Prat – Wootton Bassett Sire Power
A crackerjack meeting at Deauville in France overnight highlighted the power of Wootton Bassett (GB), who sired yet another new two year-old stakes-winner and he also featured as the grand-sire of Woodshauna, who captured the Group I Prix Jean Prat (1400m) for US based Resolute Racing.
Public Attention Sold to Hong Kong
New Zealand-bred three-year-old Public Attention will continue his racing career in Hong Kong following his recent sale.
Spring Goals Await Caloundra Cup Winner Half Yours
With spring staying features on their minds, Tony and Calvin McEvoy sent their improving stayer north to Queensland for Saturday’s $300,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) with instant success as the 4yo gelding Half Yours romped home by four and a half lengths.
Sires With Winners - Sunday July 6
Here is the full list of 68 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Te Akau Stars Headed to Cranbourne
Te Akau’s Cranbourne barn has welcomed some exciting reinforcements ahead of spring racing, headlined by $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) heroine Damask Rose.
New Sprint Star for WA?
Oakland Park's veteran WA sire Sessions is rarely without a good horse to represent him, and the son of Lonhro now has his sixth stakes winner after exciting 3YO galloper Repossession spanked the older horses to win the Listed Beaufine Stakes at Pinjarra Park.
Aussie Interest at JRHA Sale Next Week – First foal of Golden Slipper Winner
The 2025 JRHA  Select Foal and Yearling Sale will be held next week in Japan on July 14 and 15 and as usual there are some interesting entries for Aussie racing fans with a significant number of our star mares at stud in Japan including the 2022 Golden Slipper winner Fireburn.
Debut Winner for St Mark’s Basilica
Set to shuttle to Coolmore Australia this spring, St Mark’s Basilica (FR) had an impressive debut winner overnight in the UK with Cape Ashizuri opening his account in style.
Stakes Success for Spritely 7YO Warhorse
Pearce Racing's seven year old warhorse Ginger Baker collected his first ever stakes win in the Listed 2200m South West Cup yesterday.