First Aussie Stakes-Winner for Highland Reel

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday November 1

A regular shuttler to Swettenham Stud in Victoria, Galileo’s champion son Highland Reel (IRE) is off the mark with his first Australian stakes-winner with High Approach making light of testing wet conditions at Flemington to score a courageous win  in the Listed VRC Tab Trophy Stakes (1800m).

High Approach wins on the big stage at Flemington - image Grant Courtney

Trained by Archie Alexander, Highl Approach broke his maiden over 1500m at Ballarat at his fourth start and jumped straight from there to Black Type company with a happy result.

He staged a thrilling battle up the straight with runner-up Linderman, prevailing to win by a long head for Ben Melham and has now won two of five starts earning nearly $150,000 in prizemoney.

&

;ldq

uo;He’s a horse that has come from a maiden win to town, but we wouldn’t have been here if we didn’t like the horse and we’ve always liked him and it’s a great result for everyone,” said Archie Alexander.

High Approach was a $50,000 Inglis Premier purchase.

A $50,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Alexander Racing / Rogers Bloodstock from the MB Thoroughbreds draft, High  Approach was bred by Dr Judith Mulholland.

Advertisement

“I can’t take any credit for it (his purchase), my racing manager Jeremy Rogers, on the last day of the sale said ‘come on you better have a look at this horse’ … $50,000 later and here we are,” Alexander said.

“We’ve always thought he was a Derby horse and thought maybe right now, but it all came a bit soon. He’ll have a break now and come back in the autumn and maybe aim up at a Derby, who knows.”

High Approach is the best of eight winners from good producing Encosta de Lago mare Encapsulate, a half-sister to the dam of Group II winning sprinter Super Cash.

Encapsulate was covered last spring by Strasbourg after missing to him the year before.

Highland Reel (IRE)

High Approach is from the first Australian crop of Highland Reel and is his first Australian stakes-winner and the third worldwide for the six time Group I winner.

Highland Reel is at Swettenham stud this spring at a fee of $16,500.

Advertisment

Race Result - Tab Trophy LR 1800m

Flemington Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:53.52
1
High Approach
- 3g Highland Reel (IRE) x Encapsulate (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Archie Alexander Rdr: B Melham 57
2
0.2
Lindermann
- 3c Lonhro (AUS) x Self Esteem (AUS) (Stratum (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Damian Lane 57
3
1.5
Dream Hour
- 3g Dawn Approach (IRE) x Ambivalent (AUS) (Aussie Rules (USA))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: D Oliver 57
4
1.9
Dashing
- 3g Magnus (AUS) x Westchester (AUS) (Reset (AUS))
Tnr: Aaron Purcell Rdr: Ms L J Meech 57
5
2.4
Tokenist
- 3g Iffraaj (GB) x La Souvenir (NZ) (Nuclear Freeze (USA))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: Ethan Brown 57
6
3.2
Sugoi Legend
- 3g Maurice (JPN) x Arleigh (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: K Mc Evoy 57
7
3.6
Cool Kaap
- 3c American Pharoah (USA) x Ashley's Kitty (USA) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57
8
4.3
Zoe's Promise
- 3f Swear (AUS) x Kinz Funky Monkey (USA) (The Green Monkey (USA))
Tnr: D J Cannon Rdr: Alana Kelly 57
9
7.1
Serangoon
- 3g Ilovethiscity (AUS) x Maraudamiss (AUS) (Clangalang (AUS))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: B Shinn 57
10
13.1
Quang Tri
- 3f Shalaa (IRE) x Saigon Tea (NZ) (Thorn Park (AUS))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: M J Dee 56
11
19.1
Born Hustler
- 3f Tarzino (NZ) x Joint Aspiration (GB) (Pivotal (GB))
Tnr: Jason Warren Rdr: Craig Williams 55
More Reading...
G3 Fred Best Showdown for Quality Colts – Rosemont vs Yulong
The rescheduled $300,000 Group III BRC Fred Best Classic (1350m) brings stakes racing to a Wednesday this week with a field of 17 to go around at Doomben and at the head of the market is a pair of quality colts.
Pride of Jenni to Visit I Am Invincible - Match Made in Heaven
Three-time Champion Sire I Am Invincible has been confirmed as the first mating for reigning Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Pride Of Jenni, who will head to the breeding barn this season following a phenomenal racing career.
Almanzor Colt Wins G2 Italian Derby
Wootton Bassett sired the winner of the Group I Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) on Sunday in Camille Pissarro and then overnight his champion Cambridge Stud based son Almanzor (Fr) produced the winner of the Group II Derby Italiano (2200m).
Pencarrow Stud hits a hundred winners in stellar season
Pencarrow Stud has celebrated an outstanding achievement with a century of homebred winners for the season.
Impressive First Winner for St Marks Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) was the 2021 European Horse of the Year and the son of Siyouni is on the board as a sire with his first winner after Rogue Supremacy scored an impressive debut victory.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday June 3
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Monday June 2
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Echuca
Twin Hills Stud’s Peltzer had an impressive winner at Echuca on Tuesday for his breeder Olly Tait.
$1500 Weanling Becomes $525,000 Top Lot at MM National Yearling Finale
A colt by Harry Angel set a new benchmark in Australia for his sire and topped the final day of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale when selling for $525,000 to conclude a hugely successful two weeks of sales.
In-Demand Stallions Feature in NZB Weanling Sale Catalogue
The catalogue for the 2025 NZB National Weanling Sale features the progeny of a broad range of sires, from proven topliners to exciting up-and-comers as well as the brand-new kid on the block, Profondo.