First Season Stallions On Show in the Gimcrack Stakes

While the first season sires have gone missing from the Listed Arrowfield Breeders' Plate it's a different story in the Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Darley new boys Epaulette and Dawn Approach (IRE) are represented as is Three Bridges Unencumbered.

With 15 winners on the board in Europe, the Group I Golden Rose and Group I Doomben 10000 Winner Epaulette (Commands) has made an encouraging start to his career.

Currently in sixth spot on the first season sire table for Great Britain/Ireland, Epaulette will be represented by the Lee Curtis-trained Meryl (pictured as a yearling) in the Gimcrack.

The Canterbury barrier trial winner was a $150,000 purchase by Randwick Bloodstock/Mystery Downs out of the Riverdale draft at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

 A half-sister to three winners including the stakes placegetters Chosen Idol (Choisir) and Miss Idyllic (Exceed And Excel), Meryl is out of the winning Made Of Gold mare Academy Idol a sister to Group III Gilgai Stakes winner and Group I VRC Salinger Stakes third Cosmic Strike.

Four-time Group I winner Dawn Approach (IRE) (New Approach) sits just one spot behind Epaulette on the first season sire table in Great Britain/Ireland.

Dawn Approach (IRE) will be represented in the Gimcrack by the Clarry Conners-trained filly Dawn Moon who signed the ticket for $40,000 for the Widden Stud consigned chestnut at the Magic Millions.

A half-sister the stakes-placed American Genius (All American), Dawn Moon is out of the 5-time winning Rock Of Gibraltar mare Gibraltar Moon who hails from the family of Golden Slipper winner Polar Success.

As the purchaser of the $10,000 filly Yankee Rose and the $20,0000 filly She Will Reign Darby Racing has set the benchmark for sourcing Group I winners at the low end of the price spectrum.

Scott Darby will be hoping to do it again with the Gary Portelli-trained I Stole Your Love who was purchased in association with de Burgh Equine for $55,000 out of the Riverdale draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling sale.

The daughter of Magic Millions winner Unencumbered (Testa Rossa) is the second foal of the quality racemare Orutan (Pins) was placed in the Group II Wakeful Challenge Stakes and the Listed Dunedin Guineas.

Orutan's dam Naturo (Postponed) could also gallop. She won the Group II Matamata Stakes and Group III Hawkes Bay Highview Stakes and was fourth in the Group I Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.

Derby Racing will have a second starter in the Gimcrack with the All American filly Now Or Never who is also trained by Gary Portelli.

She came out of the same sale and cost the same amount, $55,000.

The most expensive filly in the Gimcrack Brad Widdup-trained Witherspoon who is likely to start favourite.

Entering the sales ring the lot after the least the least expensive filly in the Gimcrack, Dawn Moon, left for a new home, Witherspoon (pictured as a yearling) was knocked down to Jadeskye racing for $500,000.

Consigned by Segenhoe Stud, the flashy chestnut daughter of Exceed And Excel is the second foal of the class racemare Girl Hussler (Hussonet) whose five wins included the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes.

Other notables in the Gimcrack are Smart Missile filly Galina a $300,000 Magic Millions purchase by China Horse Club and the Redoute's Choice filly Cap Gris Nez who was knocked down to Blue Sky Bloodstock for $400,000.