First Winner for Stratosphere

Mark Smith - Sunday November 27

Grenville Stud’s handsome Snitzel stallion Stratosphere is off the mark with his first winner coming at Hobart on Sunday, and he made it a quinella for good measure.

Stratosphere supplied half of the six runners in the Hype TV Maiden Plate (1000m), and the Graeme McCulloch-trained stablemates Encounter Sphere and Popilita fought out the finish.

With both making their career debuts, it was the gelding Encounter Sphere, under Chelsea Baker, who overpowered the filly Popilita to win by a length.

The short-priced Hilarity (All Too Hard) was a further one-and-a-quarter length back in third.

Bred, raced, and trained by Grenville Stud's Graeme McCulloch, Encounter Sphere failed to make his $45,000 reserve

A Grenville Stud homebred, Encounter Sphere, failed to make his $45,000 reserve at the 2022 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.

He is the second winner from three to race from the Incumbent (Choisir) mare Flying Dami who failed to win in eleven starts.

Advertisement

Flying Dami is a half-sister to the stakes-winner Kenjorwood (Snippetson) and stakes-placed Queen La Diva. She missed in 2020 and slipped last year.

Stratosphere came close to getting off to the perfect start when Bona Fide Star was second on debut at Murray Bridge, earning him a shot at the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. It did not work out for him there, but Bona Fide Star looks sure to win races.

Stratosphere made just one start in his career. The son of Snitzel was narrowly defeated by Performer in the Group III Canonbury Stakes at Rosehill.

He is a half-brother to Group III winner Sprightly Lass, who won six of her eight starts, and Listed winner Le Cordon Bleu out of the stakes-winning Rory’s Jester mare Ultimate Fever.

Stratosphere stands at  Graeme and Christine McCulloch’s Grenville Stud for a fee of $4,400.

Stratosphere

Advertisment

Race Result - Hype Tv Mdn Plate 1000m

Hobart Track: Good(4) Time: 0:59.75
1
Encounter Sphere
- 2g Stratosphere (AUS) x Flying Dami (AUS) (Incumbent (AUS))
Tnr: G J McCulloch Rdr: Chelsea Baker 55
MM Tasmanian Yearling Sale $0
Seller: Grenville Stud, Whitemore, Tas
Buyer:
2
1.0
Popilita
- 2f Stratosphere (AUS) x Pin Of Hope (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: G J McCulloch Rdr: Codi Jordan 55
3
2.3
Hilarity
- 2f All Too Hard (AUS) x Vitalism (AUS) (Vital Equine (IRE))
Tnr: Barry Campbell Rdr: A Darmanin 55
4
2.4
Kaboom Kaboom
- 2f Smart Missile (AUS) x Pizzazz (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Brendan McShane Rdr: B Muhcu 55
5
4.1
Needs Sugar
- 2f Needs Further (AUS) x Galeocerdo (AUS) (Sharkbite (AUS))
Tnr: S Gandy Rdr: Sigrid Carr 55
6
9.3
Gretal
- 2f Stratosphere (AUS) x Gentle Melody (AUS) (Niello (AUS))
Tnr: Patrick Dargan Rdr: M Ulucinar 56
More Reading...
First Winner for King of Comedy
Novara Park Stud stallion King Of Comedy (IRE) is on the board as a sire, with his son Sir Ruby becoming his first winner when victorious over 1300m at Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia on Sunday.
Famous Foal with Coolmore Stud Stakes Connections
The Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes this weekend is a race that has developed a deserved reputation as a sire making race and a foal image that arrived to the Breednet Foal Gallery on Monday is a colt with an undeniable connection to this pivotal race for the breeding industry.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale (November 12 and 13) is online with breeze up video now in place and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Rewarding Weekend for Waikato Stud
A double strike at stakes level, a filly with a black-type future and a welcome family success handed Waikato Stud another rewarding weekend.
Maher and Waller Strike at Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale
Champion Australian trainers Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher have been active during the first session of the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale, which was topped last year by Sir Delius (GB) at 1.3million guineas.
First Stakes Win for The Autumn Sun Half-Brother
The Listed Chantilly Grand Prix du Nord (2000m) in France overnight provided a first stakes win for blueblood Dubawi colt Azimpour, the half-brother to Champion Australian 3YO Colt and now G1 sire The Autumn Sun.
Sires With Winners - Monday October 27
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Tara Talks Racing Podcast Online
We’re talking Cox Plate and whether Bucky can win the Cup, plus Godolphin colts, how can you not, they have had a fabulous spring and it’s not over yet!
Melbourne Cup Dream Alive for Kiwi Stayers
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) dreams are still alive for connections of Kiwi stayers Mark Twain and Trav.
New Cup Goal for Wolfgang
It may not be the Cup target they were aiming for, but Wolfgang put himself firmly into Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) calculations following his victory in the SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup Prelude (2400m) at Te Rapa on Monday.