breednet.com.au

Fastnet Colt Wins Coolmore Stud Stakes

Tara Madgwick - Saturday November 4
It only seemed fitting that a royally bred colt by Coolmore's champion sire Fastnet Rock should win the $1million Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.



Unbeaten in winning his first four starts, Merchant Navy was sent to Sydney earlier in the spring for the Group I ATC Golden Rose, but endured a troubled run to finish tenth to Trapeze Artist.

Connections regrouped and while his trainer Ciaron Maher was sent to the sidelines as a result of suspension, Aaron Purcell stepped in to take over the colt and a new plan was formulated.

"We had a lot of discussion after the Golden Rose as to whether to go for the Guineas or Coolmore, which was ultimately thought to be the better option," said Aaron Purcell, whose decision proved justified.

Merchant Navy - images Grant CourtneyIn a big field of 20, Merchant Navy was allowed to find his feet in the 1200 metre sprint and charged to the line along the fence for Mark Zahra to win by a head over high class fillies Invincible Star and Formality.

"I just waited and waited," said an elated winning rider Mark Zahra.

"I thought I'd run out of time!

"It was a great decision not to go to the Guineas. They freshened him up, put the blinkers on and dropped him back in trip. It was great planning from Aaron Purcell and his team."

A $350,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft for Ciaron Maher Racing, Merchant Navy is a full brother to Group II winner Jolie Bay and stakes-placed Zara Bay.

With five wins from six starts and prizemoney just shy of $1million, Merchant Navy is raced by a syndicate that includes Darren Thomas's Seymour Bloodstock, who tasted success earlier in the day when winning the Group III VRC Carbine Club Stakes with Pierro colt Levendi.

"There's a great bunch of owners in this horse including Peter O'Brien (Segenhoe) and the Coolmore boys," Thomas said.

"I'm speechless. To have a winner earlier in the day and now this, it's just awesome!"

Merchant Navy as a yearlingBred by Chris Barham and foaled and raised at Segenhoe, Merchant Navy is one of six winners from the good producing Snippets Group III winner Legally Bay, a half-sister to Group I winner Bonaria, who won the VRC Myer Classic on this day in 2014.

Legally Bay has a yearling colt by All Too Hard and was covered again by Fastnet Rock last year.

Merchant Navy is the 30th Group I winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock and in winning this race has sealed a stud career at the farm of his choosing, which most likely will be Coolmore given their involvement in his ownership.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$3million Won Through Inglis Xtra Bonus
A staggering $3m has now been won as part of the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series following today’s victory by the Cody Morgan-trained 3YO Considered at Dubbo.
Euro G1 – Bridesmaid No More and Two Time Derby Hero
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who shook off his G1 bridesmaid tag winning the Group I Grand Prix de Saint Cloud in France, while in Ireland the Coolmore machine kept the winning run going to take out the Group I Irish Derby (1 ½ m).
Another Aussie SW Sourced from Aga Khan Studs
When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.
Unbeaten So You Think 3YO WA's New Excitement Machine
One month to the day since he first set foot on a racecourse, So You Think’s three year old son  Opportunistic remains undefeated from three starts, is a dual stakes winner with earnings of $200,250 to his name, and is WA's new rising star of the turf.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 29
Here is the full list of 53 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett Winning Whirl
It was a red letter day for Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Curragh overnight with a treble of winners highlighted by top class filly Whirl, who captured the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f), a race won by the mighty Via Sistina in 2023.
How Much for a Snitzel Colt from Winx?
The record price for a yearling by the late champion sire Snitzel stands at $2.8million, but that benchmark looks set to be smashed at Inglis Easter next year.
Big Pedigrees Don’t Always Spell Black Type
The breeding of thoroughbreds is a very inexact science which is why we saw siblings to a pair of Group I winners fighting out the finish of a very pedestrian 1100m maiden at Ballarat on Sunday.
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.