Metro Staying Winner for Merchant Navy

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday July 19

Standing at Kooringal Stud this spring, Merchant Navy broke new ground at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when siring his first winner at a distance of 2000m or more when progressive filly Venetian Blue saluted as favourite.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian bott, Venetian Blue has had plenty of racing this preparation and is still enjoying her racing after breaking her maiden over 1600m back in April.

Advertisement

She had to chase down her stablemate Okataina and did a good job to overhaul that filly and win the 2130m Benchmark 64 event by a long neck.

“She’s been incredibly tough and has kept improving with every bit of work we’ve given her and she’s taken that next step today,” said Adrian Bott.

Venetian Blue was a Magic Millions purchase from Segenhoe.

Venetian Blue was a $320,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Segenhoe draft for Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbredsand has the overall record of two wins and four placings from 10 starts with prizemoney just shy of $100,000.

Venetian Blue was bred by Go Bloodstock and is the first winner for Group II VRC Wakeful Stakes winner Thunder Lady (NZ), a staying daughter of Mastercraftsman (IRE) that was also second in the Group I VRC Oaks.

Merchant Navy, click for more info.

Merchant Navy has sired over 30 winners this season of $2.3million highlighted by his Group I winner Royal Merchant and stands this spring at Kooringal Stud at a fee of $13,200.

Advertisment

Race Result - Tab (Bm64) 2130m

Warwick Farm Track: Soft(5) Time: 2:10.49
1
Venetian Blue
- 3f Merchant Navy (AUS) x Thunder Lady (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 56
2
0.3
Okataina
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x Mystery Lake (USA) (Shackleford (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: A Hyeronimus 58
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $200,000
Seller: Sledmere Stud, Scone, NSW (As Agent for Waikato Stud)
Buyer: Anthony Cummings Racing
3
3.8
Sugoi Legend
- 3g Maurice (JPN) x Arleigh (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: S Clipperton 58
4
5.3
Jamrock
- 3g Pierro (AUS) x Estijmaam (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 59
5
5.4
Socrates
- 5g Tavistock (NZ) x Tricia'O (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: James Ponsonby Rdr: Tom Sherry 60
6
5.8
Bak Da Man
- 5g Reliable Man (GB) x Bak Da Princess (NZ) (Danske (NZ))
Tnr: Nathan Doyle Rdr: Amy Mc Lucas 57.5
7
7.7
Dhakuri
- 5g Contributer (IRE) x Nanda Kot (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Nathan Doyle Rdr: Benjamin Osmond 59
8
8.9
Tudor Prince
- 7g All Too Hard (AUS) x Allez Wonder (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Ms A Turner Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 61.5
9
10.1
Yak
- 7g Animal Kingdom (USA) x Never Fade (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: M J Lunn Rdr: R Dolan 58.5
10
14.8
Really Serious
- 4m Foxwedge (AUS) x But I'M Serious (AUS) (Bianconi (USA))
Tnr: R & L Price Rdr: Zac Lloyd 56.5
More Reading...
Buccleuch - First Stakes-Winner for Peltzer
The $175,000 Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday was won back in 2020 by Cherry Tortoni, who went to on to become a multiple Group winner of nearly $1million and the same colours were carried by this year’s winner Buccleuch.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Peltzer added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
One to Watch – Ballarat
Synthetic track meetings at Ballarat can throw up some misleading form, but a debut winner from the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable that started in the red and won by nine lengths is probably worth a closer look.
Marble Nine Brings Up Second Stakes Winner For Aquis’ Kobayashi
The withdrawal of the top weight in Saturday’s $175,000 Listed VRC Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington saw the field down to just six, with Marble Nine continuing his outstanding recent form to secure his first black type victory.
Invincible 2YO Colt wins for Bennett Racing
The $150,000 VRC Next Gen Sprinters Series Final (1200m) for two year-olds at Flemington on Saturday drew a competitive field of progressive juveniles and the colt that stood out on type in the yard was the one that got the cash with I Am Invincible colt Jimmy Recard proving too good for race favourite Bacash.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Spring Potential for Darby Racing's Raging Force
Unplaced in the Group III ATC Breeders’ Plate last spring on debut, Raging Force came out of that race with an injury that required significant time on the sidelines, but since returning to full work his progress has been swift.
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz Wins A.R. Creswick Stakes
While many felt the winner of Saturday’s Listed $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) had raced two weeks prior in the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) – and they would’ve been correct – but it was not the result many punters felt it would be!