One To Watch - Ballarat

Mark Smith - Monday October 2

A disinterested twelfth of thirteen at Sale when on debut in August, Ersa improved to finish a close-up fifth behind Grinzinger Belle over 1300m a month later. Still, that did not prepare for the ruthless demolition by the 3-year-old daughter of Lonhro in a 1600m maiden at Ballarat on Monday.

And away she goes (image Pat Scala/Racing Photos)

Ridden by Michael Dee for Ben, Will and JD Hayes, Ersa sailed off to the sunset, leaving the Divine Prophet filly Seamingly nine lengths in her wake with the Shamus Award gelding Shamus Eagle a further two and a half lengths back in third.

Advertisement

While the win was not unexpected, Ersa did start odds-on; the margin of victory was startling as the 11-horse field was spaced out over 35-lengths.

It was a satisfying win for the big-spending Yulong Investments, who bred and sold the sister to Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre after purchasing her dam Erato for $1,750,000 from the Yarraman Park Stud draft at the 2019 National Broodmare Sale.

At the same sale two years earlier, Australian Bloodstock had snapped up Erato off Godolphin for $120,000.

Yulong took a hit when the Russian Revolution colt she was carrying died after birth.

Sporting the colours of Gerry Rtan's Limerick Lane, Ersa was a $200,000 buy for Robert Roulston Bloodstock from the Yulong draft at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

Ersa looks the part (image Pat Scala/Racing Photos)

Australia Bloodstock reentered the fray when, along with trainer Kris Lees, made the winning bid of $350,000 for Erato’s Alabama Express filly at the Magic Millions in January. Yulong has retained an interest, as has the Cook family.

Ersa a $200,000 Inglis Premier yearling 

Named Phibber, she is the most expensive filly from the first crop of her Yulong-based sire.

Pedigrees don’t come much better than Erato. The daughter of Street Cry (IRE) is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Impending (Lonhro), Group III winner Forget (Exceed And Excel) and Listed winner Epidemic (Lonhro). She is also a sister to Group II Silver Shadow Stakes runner-up Memorial, while her dam Mnemosyne has trophies for the Group 1 Thousand Guineas and Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

Erato was covered by Written Tycoon last spring. 

Advertisment

Race Result - Audika Hearing Checks Mdn Plate 1600m

Ballarat Track: Good(4) Time: 1:41.85
1
Ersa
- 3f Lonhro (AUS) x Erato (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: M J Dee 55
2
9.0
Seamingly
- 3f Divine Prophet (AUS) x Seamstress (AUS) (Rory's Jester (AUS))
Tnr: Dan O'Sullivan Rdr: Alana Kelly 55
3
11.5
Shamus Eagle
- 3g Shamus Award (AUS) x Belavynshi (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Mark & Levi Kavanagh Rdr: R Downey 57
4
11.7
Magic Opal
- 4m Bon Aurum (AUS) x Maddison Carissa (AUS) (Casino Prince (AUS))
Tnr: P G Payne Rdr: Ms C Puls 57.5
5
12.2
Matopo
- 4g Fiorente (IRE) x Haraka (AUS) (Foreplay (AUS))
Tnr: Thomas Sadler Rdr: R Mc Leod 59.5
6
14.5
High Currency
- 4m Roc De Cambes (NZ) x Consumer (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: H Coffey 57.5
7
14.8
Bustamite
- 4g Cable Bay (IRE) x Northwest (NZ) (Falkirk (NZ))
Tnr: D C Harrison Rdr: C Newitt 59.5
8
18.5
Real Wild Child
- 3f Turn Me Loose (NZ) x Right Royal Rose (NZ) (Shinko King (IRE))
Tnr: Ms R Frost Rdr: Matthew Cartwright 55
9
22.5
The Ronin Dreams
- 6g Eurozone (AUS) x Our Georgy Girl (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: Vincent Hall Rdr: Ms D Keane 56.5
10
23.5
Lucy Watusi
- 4m Brazen Beau (AUS) x Roldana (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: A M Burns Rdr: Neil Farley 57.5
11
35.5
Moley Belle
- 5m Musee D'orsay (AUS) x Watchful Joan (AUS) (Raami (GB))
Tnr: J Tarin Rdr: Harry Grace 57.5
More Reading...
Kicked out of Australia - Jan Brueghel Wins G1 Coronation
The horse kicked out of Australia last spring as not having suitable scans to race in the Melbourne Cup, Jan Brueghel showed just what we missed out on seeing when taking out the Group I Betfred Coronation Cup (1m4f) at Epsom overnight.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Wins Epsom Oaks for Coolmore
The Group I Epsom Oaks (1m4f) had a raging hot favourite in undefeated Godolphin entry Desert Flower, but she came up short in her first try at the classic trip going down to finish third behind the Aidan O’Brien trained duo Minnie Hauk (Frankel and Whirl (Wootton Bassett).
North Pacific 2YO Ready to Win
Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners on Saturday, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
SWs in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel headline the June (Early) Online Sale
Stakes winners in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel, along with a significant number of young, well-bred racing and breeding prospects headline another intriguing catalogue for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Online Sale.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday that featured some interesting winners including stakes-placed filly Horseshoe Hill, a couple of unraced youngsters by Zoustar and the highest priced yearling by Prague.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.