Lighthouse Makes it Two Coolmore Classics in Three Years for America

Mark Smith - Saturday March 12

Two years after Con Te Partiro (USA) won the race for the United States, it was time to wave the flag again with the ultra-consistent Lighthouse (USA) crowning her southern hemisphere sojourn in Saturday’s $600,000 Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill.  

Lighthouse (USA) all alone (image Steve Hart)

Revelling in the conditions, the grey daughter of Mizzen Mast hit the line strongly to defeat the Lonhro mare Mirra Vision by two lengths with the Worthy Cause mare Hinged a nose back in third.

Runner-up at her last two starts in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes and Group 1 Canterbury Stakes, Lighthouse (USA) has been a model of consistency since japing the Maher/Eustice stable.

Advertisement

“They (Foxwoods) race a lot of horses over there, and they thought they would send her out as a tester,” Maher said.

“She was stakes placed and lowly rated and she just hit the ground running. You can see her form, she hasn’t done much wrong.

“The first time we took her to the races she was very excited, she took a bit of calming down. The more runs she has had, the better she has gone. She has always been pretty consistent. She has been a bit of a dream really.

“She probably goes to the other Coolmore (Legacy, now Queen Of The Turf Stakes). She carried a fair bit of weight today, so the weight-for-age conditions probably suit her. She has backed up so she will have an easy couple of weeks and get ready for that.

“I’m not sure what they’re going to do, whether she goes to stud at the end of this season. They’ve got a lot of horses so I would say they’d be pretty keen to send a few more over.”

Lighthouse is the best of two winners from four to race out of the North Light mare More Hoping.

The family has it roots in New Zealand with the export of the 1972 Wellington Oaks winner Port Royal (Ribolight), the sixth dam of Lighthouse (USA).

Lighthouse (USA) becomes the 10th Group/Grade 1 winner for Juddmonte Farm’s pensioned Caro stallion Mizzen Mast.

Advertisment

Race Result - Coolmore Classic Gr1 1500m

Rosehill Track: Heavy(8) Time: 1:30.97
1
Lighthouse
- 5m Mizzen Mast (USA) x More Hoping (USA) (North Light (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J R Collett 56
2
2.0
Mirra Vision
- 5m Lonhro (AUS) x Mirrasalo (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: S Clipperton 53
3
2.1
Hinged
- 3f Worthy Cause (AUS) x Tints (AUS) (Tycoon Ruler (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: W Pike 52.5
4
2.2
Promise Of Success
- 6m Dansili (GB) x Summer School (IRE) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: Rachel King 51
5
2.3
Expat
- 4m Makfi (GB) x Utmost Caution (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: Tom Sherry 54
6
4.5
Wandabaa
- 5m Wandjina (AUS) x Mabkhara (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: Tommy Berry 53.5
7
4.8
Vangelic
- 4m Vancouver (AUS) x Angel Bee (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 56.5
8
5.5
Espiona
- 3f Extreme Choice (AUS) x Dahooil (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Ford 50
9
10.1
Cap Estel
- 3f Zoustar (AUS) x Our Drahma Queen (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: A J Cummings Rdr: Q Krogh 50
10
12.3
Polly Grey
- 7m Azamour (IRE) x Allanah (NZ) (Zenno Rob Roy (JPN))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Avdulla 56.5
11
22.6
Yes Baby Yes
- 4m Dissident (AUS) x Exabelle (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: Tyler Schiller 51
More Reading...
Racing’s Night of Champions August 28
45 of the top horses in Australia will be recognised for outstanding performances during the 2024/2025 racing season at Racing’s Night of Champions.
Valuable Black-Type for Lighthouse (USA)
 The plan to send the American-owned mare Lighthouse (USA) down under in search of black-type paid off big time at Flemington on New Year’s Day when keeping her Australian record at a perfect four for four in the Listed Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m).
A Family Affair - Russian Camelot Filly Salutes at Sandown
Danny O’Brien enjoyed Group I success with outstanding colt Russian Camelot (IRE), so was understandably excited to produce his first metropolitan winner as a sire at Sandown on Wednesday and Censori comes from a family that he knows inside and out.
Zoustar Entering the Zenith
The dictionary tells us Zenith is an astronomical term —describing the highest point in an arc travelled by a star, planet or another celestial body- and in the case of this story it’s planet Zoustar!
Melbourne Cup on Radar for Sons and Lovers
Joseph O’Brien knows what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and that was mentioned as a possible goal for progressive young stayer Sons and Lovers, who won the Group III Ballyroan Stakes (1m4f) at Leopardstown overnight.
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 7
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Extremely Good Week!
It’s been a memorable week for Star Thoroughbreds having sold their multiple Group winning mare Olentia for $2.6million and then the purple and white stars were back in the winner’s circle at Canterbury on Wednesday carried by 3YO Extreme Choice colt Estremo.
Wootton Bassett Set to Blast Out of Winter
Many people may have anticipated Wootton Bassett (GB) would have been our Champion Australian First Season Sire last season and while that didn’t quite eventuate, he did finish the season with a wealth of horses holding spring potential and several were in action at the trials this morning.
Greg Polson previews Wagga Tuesday August 1
Punters will need to tread wary on the heavy (10) surface at Wagga on Tuesday but if we are prepared to show some patience there is a standout bet in the last.
First Foal for Hilal Delights Grangewilliam Stud
The first foal by Grangewilliam Stud’s Group Two winner and multiple Group One performer Hilal arrived on Thursday morning with a filly born out of the well-related No Nay Never mare La Frox.