First G1 Winner for Merchant Navy Highlights Edinburgh Park

Tara Madgwick - Saturday May 20

The Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale next week will feature a major dispersal of stock from Ian Smith’s Edinburgh Park and their success was highlighted on Saturday when quality three year--old filly Royal Merchant became the first Group I winner for her sire Merchant Navy when taking out the $500,000 Group I SAJC Goodwood Handicap (1200m) at Morphettville.

3YO filly Royal Merchant beats older mares to win the Goodwood - image Atkins Photography

3YO filly Royal Merchant beats older mares to win the Goodwood - image Atkins Photography

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Royal Merchant was a last start winner of the Group II SAJC Tobin Bronze Stakes and made it back to back stakes wins over the same course.

Advertisement

Ridden by Mick Dee, she hit the line hard with a well-timed run to beat older mares Another Award and Zapateo in a hectic finish.

Her victory capped an amazingly successful Adelaide carnival for the Maher and Eustace stable, who have won three of the four Group I races and finished second in the other.

“We were hopeful of getting a placing, but we didn’t expect a win. It’s a credit to her as she’s incredibly tough. She’s had to dance every dance,” David  Eustace said.

“She’s delivered and full credit to Mickey Dee, who kept it nice and smooth. I was confident at the top of the straight she would be in the finish.”

“She’s very, very tough.  It took us a bit of time to work out what her best trip is and a strong 1200m is her go. That’s a big effort from a three-year-old filly.”

Dee heads to Hong Kong next week following a super successful season and rode Royal Merchant last start and again today.

“She gave me a better feeling than last start. Full credit to the team. They got her a black-type last start and now another one,” Dee said.

“I had to do it the hard way. She was wide and I pressed the button too early. It was an amazing effort from her.”

Royal Merchant was bred and sold by Edinburgh Park.

Royal Merchant was bred and sold by Edinburgh Park.

Bred and sold by Edinburgh Park, Royal Merchant was bought by Ciaron Maher for $160,000 at Magic Millions and has the overall record of four wins and four placings from 12 starts with prizemoney topping $582,000.

She is the second stakes-winner for Merchant Navy, whose other stakes-winner Steel City is also trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, probably no coincidence as Maher was the original trainer for Merchant Navy when he won his first four starts.

Merchant Navy has relocated to Kooringal Stud.

Merchant Navy has relocated to Kooringal Stud.

Merchant Navy has relocated this spring and will stand at Kooringal Stud at a fee of $13,200.

Royal Merchant is the first winner for Seventhchic, a metro winning half-sister to stakes-placed Alburq tracing in tail female line to blue hen Eau D’Etoile, the dam of Group I winners Bint Marscay, Filante and Kenny’s Best Pal.

Edinburgh Park sold a yearling colt from Seventhchic by The Autumn Sun at Magic Millions this year for $170,000 and she has a filly to follow by Graff and was covered by Palace Pier (GB) last spring.

Click to see what  mares are in the Edinburgh Park unreserved dispersal.

Advertisment

Race Result - The Tab Goodwood Gr1 1200m

Morphettville Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:11.19
1
Royal Merchant
- 3f Merchant Navy (AUS) x Seventhchic (AUS) (Seventh Reason (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: M J Dee 52.5
2
0.3
Another Award
- 5m Shamus Award (AUS) x El Milagro (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: L Macdonald & A Gluyas Rdr: J Holder 53
3
1.1
Zapateo
- 4m Brazen Beau (AUS) x Jerezana (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: D Oliver 55
4
1.7
Lofty Strike
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Overreach (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Julius Sandhu Rdr: J Mott 54.5
5
1.9
Seradess
- 4m Astern (AUS) x Obsidian Dragon (AUS) (Hidden Dragon (AUS))
Tnr: Mark & Levi Kavanagh Rdr: Todd Pannell 55
6
2.4
Front Page
- 6g Magnus (AUS) x Stacey Lee (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: G M Duryea Rdr: W Egan 58.5
7
2.9
Kallos
- 4g Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Calliope (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: B Melham 57
8
3.6
Kementari
- 8g Lonhro (AUS) x Yavanna (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Jake Toeroek 57
9
3.7
Frankie Pinot
- 6g Your Song (AUS) x My Last Fling (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Madison Lloyd 54.5
10
3.8
General Beau
- 4h Brazen Beau (AUS) x Phosphorescence (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: Lachlan Neindorf 54.5
11
4.6
Not An Option
- 5g Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Patrick Moloney 54.5
12
4.7
Curran
- 5g Night Of Thunder (IRE) x Tramell (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Ms L Tolson & Ms L Proctor Rdr: C Newitt 57
13
5.8
Zoutori
- 7g Zoustar (AUS) x Atotori (AUS) (Haradasun (AUS))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: Craig Williams 54.5
14
7.0
Mnementh
- 6g Eurozone (AUS) x Yurrapendi (AUS) (Pendragon (NZ))
Tnr: Mitchell Beer Rdr: J Mallyon 54.5
15
7.5
Savatoxl
- 7g Kuroshio (AUS) x Li'L Miss Hayley (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: W A Savage Rdr: Ms C Jones 57
16
7.7
Free Of Debt
- 6g Unencumbered (AUS) x Stagerush (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: Chris Bieg Rdr: J Potter 56
More Reading...
Debut Winner for Ole Kirk
Ole Kirk unleashed another debut winner at Wyong on Thursday when Tiberius carried the Darby Racing colours to victory in a 1000m open maiden beating older rivals to become the tenth winner for his sire from just 17 starters!
Merchant Navy's Royal Merchant Salutes in 3yo & 4yo Stakes - Graff Half-Sister at Magic Millions
With wins in the Group 1 SAJC Goodwood Handicap and Group II SAJC Tobin Bronze Stakes, Royal Merchant was the class act in Wednesday’s Magic Millions Wyong 3yo & 4yo Stakes (1200m), but she was put to a stern test from stablemate Semana.
Kiwi G1 Winner Grail Seeker Adds G1 All Aged Mix
Grail Seeker has added two Group One victories to her record this season and she will attempt to make it a third when she heads to Randwick on Saturday to tackle the All Aged Stakes (1400m).
New SW The Autumn Sun – Matusalem Wins Albury Cup
Several of the big Sydney stables dispatched runners south on Thursday for the $200,000 Listed Albury Gold Cup (2000m) and it was Chris Waller who got the cash with tough four year-old gelding Matusalem.
One to Watch – UK 2YO
Super interesting winner at Newmarket on Thursday was a Godolphin homebred two year-old colt by Wootton Bassett (GB) that won on debut and is on track for Royal Ascot.
Kingman Colt New Favourite for G1 Newmarket 2000 Guineas
It’s been a strong start to the Euro flat season for Juddmonte Farms horses and a Kingman colt they purchased as a weanling  for 530,000 euros has claimed favouritism for the upcoming Group I Newmarket 2000 Guineas with a powerful win overnight in the Group III Craven Stakes (1m) at Newmarket.
G2 Win for Royal Merchant Highlights Edinburgh Park Success
The upcoming Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale will feature a major dispersal of stock from Ian Smith’s Edinburgh Park and their success was highlighted on Saturday when quality three year--old Merchant Navy filly Royal Merchant claimed her first Black Type win in the Group II SAJC Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m).
Hong Kong Wrap - Happy Valley Wednesday
Deep Field had a new winner at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, making it 22 for the season and 60 overall in Hong Kong, while there were new winners for Needs Further and Showtime and Mark Newnham and Jamie Richards trained doubles.
Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale - New Record Price - Yulong, Too Darn Hot Feature
The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale eclipsed its previous records for highest price, average and turnover with the second session headed by the 1,750,000 guineas sale of a colt by Havana Grey to Amo Racing and a further three lots realising in excess of 500,000 guineas.
Sires With Winners - Thursday April 17
Here is the full list of 45 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.