Stakes Success for Aussie Breeder – Melbourne Cup Contenders

Tara Madgwick - Saturday May 20

The Group racing continued at York and Leopardstown overnight with Australian breeder John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds tasting stakes success, Coolmore shuttler Churchill (IRE) posting a new Group winner and the Group II Yorkshire Cup Stakes won by a stayer with Melbourne Cup aspirations.

The Listed York Oaks Farm Stables Stakes (1m) was won by promising three year-old Kingman filly Sounds of Heaven, who did best in a thrilling finish to post a narrow short head win and has now two of three starts.

Advertisement

Trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Ronan Whelan, Sounds of Heaven hold entries for several upcoming Group I races.

“On paper it looked a nice race, there were a lot of unexposed fillies, none more so than Sounds of Heaven. I think she rode like a filly who's going to improve a huge amount for that,” said Ronan Whelan.

“I got there a little bit soon and she got a little bit lonely, she had a blow and there's a lot more to come from her. As the year goes on she'll get stronger and she can step up in trip. She's a credit to herself and the team, she's an exciting filly.”

Sounds of Heavan made 650,000 guineas as a yearling.

Sounds of Heaven was bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds and sold as a yearling at Tattersalls October for 650,000 guineas with John Camilleri remaining in the ownership along with Craig Bernick (Glen Hill Farm) in whose colours she runs.

Sounds of Heaven is a half-sister to stakes-placed Voice of Angels and is the second foal from blue-blood Galileo mare Ring the Bell, a sibling to Group I winners The United States, Hermosa, Hydrangea and Fire Lily from Group II winning blue hen Beauty is Truth.

She is the 59th stakes-winner for Kingman and is his sixth from a daughter of Galileo, the nick running at 11% SW to runner with 36 winners from 52 runners.

Ring the Bell is shaping as an exceptional producer for Fairway Thoroughbreds and has a two year-old colt by Dubawi that sold for 1.5million guineas last year at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when bought by Godolphin.

The Group III Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes (1m6f) was won by four year-old Churchill gelding Yashin, who was having his first run this year and turned in a career best performance to score a head win.

Trained by Jessica Harrington, he has won three of nine starts and looks set for his best season so far.

“Yashin will have to go up a bit to get to the Melbourne Cup, but he stays well and he has to have good ground. He probably likes going left-handed too. He was hung wide and keen all the way there. Shane said he really had no right to pick up and win like he did. I know it was only a short head but he was always getting there,” said Jessica Harrington.

Bred and raced by Gerry Byrne, Yashin is the best of two winners from unraced Dansili mare Mirdhak, a daughter of Group III winner Muthabara.

He is the 11th stakes-winner for Churchill and is his third this week following on from Blue Rose Cen and The Foxes. The champion son of Galileo stands at Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $22,000.

Churchill has sired three Group winners in the past week!

The Group II Yorkshire Cup Stakes (1m6f) was won by Mastercraftsman stayer Giavellotto, with his trainer Marco Botti also thinking Melbourne Cup.

It was the first stakes win for the four year-old who was third in the Group I StLGer last year and has the overall record of four wins and four placings from 10 starts.

“Giavellotto came here in very good order and we thought he would run a big race. We've always thought he is a proper stayer. The Gold Cup wouldn't be the race for him as he needs a galloping track. He stays two miles without a doubt so we'll sit down with the owner and map out a plan. The Melbourne Cup might be on the agenda,” said Marco Botti.

Giavellotto is the 96th stakes-winner for Mastercraftsman and is the best of five winenrs from Gerika, an winning sibling to stakes-winners Cromo, Right Connection and Donoma.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Too Darn Hot nomination realises $255,000 in August (Late) Sale
A nomination in exceptional young stallion Too Darn Hot has topped today’s Inglis Digital August (Late) Online Sale, selling for $255,000.
Black Type Potential for Zoustar Colt
Tony and Calvin McEvoy have  plans to tackle Black Type races with promising Zoustar colt Prestar, who scored his second win from just five starts at Randwick on Wednesday.
Al Riffa Aiming Towards Melbourne Cup for Australian Bloodstock
The exceptional qualities of Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) are such that he can get fast juveniles and also high class older horses over a distance and we are set to see a taste of it this spring as media reports suggest Australian Bloodstock have purchased his top class 5YO stallion Al Riffa.
Wootton Bassett Colt Salutes at Sandown
Overdue for a win, talented Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Yamashita’s Gold shook off maiden status with a determined victory at Sandown on Wednesday for the Gavid Bedggood stable.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 27
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday August 26
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Trial Winner for Captivant
Captivant’s early promise was on full display at today’s Waipa trials when Capital Express stormed to victory in Heat 4. The Paul Pertab-trained 2YO colt impressed early, showcasing the speed and class expected of his G1 Champagne Stakes-winning sire in a performance that marked him as one to watch.
Hello Youmzain Filly Chasing More Stakes Success
Hello Youmzain (Fr) filly Platinum Diamond will put her undefeated Heavy track record on the line when she heads to Wanganui on Saturday to contest the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m).
Last to First – He’s Seriously Hot!
Sent to the paddock after just one placing from five starts at two that included three attempts in stakes company, Siriusly Hot returned a gelding at Randwick and it certainly made a difference!