First Stakes Horse for Merchant Navy

Tara Madgwick - Sunday October 3

Fastnet Rock’s exciting young sire son Merchant Navy had two runners in the time honoured first Australian juvenile stakes races of the season in Sydney at Randwick on Saturday with both horses acquitting themselves well and Drisana earning valuable Black Type with a gallant second placing.

The Group III ATC Gimcrack (1000m) was won in explosive fashion by the race favourite Coolangatta, who clocked a new class record in running the 1000m in 56.78 seconds, but the run of the Peter and Paul Snowden trained filly Drisana to finish second was full of merit.

Drisana, chestnut with white blaze, powers into second behind the flying Coolangatta - image Steve Hart.

She had a chequered run up the straight, but did enough to garner high praise from her rider Kerrin McEvoy.

“That was really pleasing. We had to duck and weave up the running after beginning a bit slowly but the best is ahead of her,” he said.

Drisana was foaled and raised at Segenhoe as was her sire Merchant Navy and fetched $125,000 at the Inglis Weanling Sale when purchased by Donald Dickie.

Bred by Peter Horwitz, she is the first foal of Group III winning Sebring mare Broadband, a juvenile winner whose dam is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group I winner Anamato, the dam of superstar colt Anamoe.

In the Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) for colts and geldings the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained colt Calico Jack finished off his race well to finish sixth beaten just over two lengths by the winner Sejardan.

“Very happy with the run,” said his rider Robbie Dolan..

“He didn’t really know what he was doing the first half of the race, but hit the line very well at the end.”

Merchant Navy has 49 entries for the 2022 Golden Slipper that include both Drisana and Calico Jack.

Merchant Navy is a Premium stallion, click for more information.

A dual Group I winner by Fastnet Rock, Merchant Navy is well priced this spring at a fee of $33,000.


 

Advertisment
More Reading...
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 - Saturday July 5
Here is the full list of 112 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
New Juvenile Stakes-Winner Wootton Bassett
A two year-old Wootton Bassett  colt bred to stay, Daytona made it two wins as many starts when scoring a dominant win in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes (1m) at Naas in Ireland overnight.
Sixth Winner for Anders
First past the post at Wyong on June 24, talented Anders filly Sapling lost that race on protest, but quickly made amends when returning to the same track on Saturday to score her first actual victory.
Sweet Redemption for Stable Favourite Jimmy the Bear
Patrick and Michelle Payne enjoyed a red letter day at Flemington on Saturday with their rising star Buccleuch winning the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and then later in the day stable favourite Jimmy the Bear won the Listed VRC Winter Championship Series Final (1600m).
Dubawi Colt from $US8million Mare Wins G1 Coral Eclipse for Coolmore
Blueblood Dubawi colt Delacroix was a beaten favourite in the Group I Epsom Derby when unplaced behind his stablemate Lambourn, but he found his time to shine overnight when scoring a miraculous last to first win in the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) at Sandown.
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.