Aitch Two Oh Captures Durbridge Stakes

Mark Smith - Saturday January 27

The lightly raced Headwater mare Aitch Two Oh returned to the winner's circle for the first time since the Group III Red Roses Stakes at Flemington in November 2022 when she dominated in the Listed Durbridge Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

Ridden by Jake Toeroek for Richard and Chantelle Jolly, Aitch Two Oh made all the running and kept up a relentless gallop to defeat the 7-year-old Oamaru Force gelding Picargo by a length and a half with the 5-year-old More Than Ready (USA) gelding Grinzinger Prince back in third.

Aitch Two Oh (image Magic Millions)

With her third stakes success, the 4-year-old daughter of Headwater advances her record to five wins, two seconds, and a third from 12 starts with earnings of $463,070.

Advertisement

"We were quietly confident, just the way she trialled, and she worked as good as I've seen her work on Tuesday morning," Richard Jolly told Racenet.

"I was a little bit worried at about the 700m mark when the roughie was taking her on, but they weren't going at breakneck speed, and she won comfortably.

"It's good to have her back to her best, and hopefully, we can go forward and run her in some nice races in the next couple of months over our carnival."

"We'll probably look at races like the Manihi (Classic over 1100m); she's probably going to be vulnerable in a strong 1200m at Morphettville against the better horses, so we'll try to pick and choose a bit."

Bred by Gerry Harvey, Aitch Two Oh was a $65,000 purchase by her trainers from the Baramul Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.

Aitch Two Oh a 3-time stakes winner (image Grant Courtney)

She is the best of two winners from as many to race for the Swiss Ace mare Very Dogmatic, a sister to the Group III BRC Vo Rogue Plate winner Mywayorthehighway.

Very Dogmatic has a yearling filly by All Too Hard who was passed in short of her $100,000 reserve at the  2023 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Aitch Two Oh a $65,000 Adelaide Magic Millions yearling

After foaling a Written Tycoon filly in August, Very Dogmatic was bred back to Snitzel.

Headwater stands at Vinery Stud at a fee of $13,200

Advertisment

Race Result - Durbridge Stakes LR 1100m

Morphettville Track: Good(4) Time: 1:04.45
1
Aitch Two Oh
- 4m Headwater (AUS) x Very Dogmatic (NZ) (Swiss Ace (AUS))
Tnr: R & C Jolly Rdr: Jake Toeroek 56.5
Headwater
2
1.5
Picargo
- 7g Oamaru Force (AUS) x Bel Franc (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: Ryan Balfour Rdr: Alana Livesey 58.5
3
1.9
Grinzinger Prince
- 5g More Than Ready (USA) x Vavasour (NZ) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Cody Reardon Rdr: Ms E Finnegan 58.5
More Than Ready
4
2
Pegasi
- 5g Star Turn (AUS) x Draw Forward (AUS) (Charge Forward (AUS))
Tnr: Travis Doudle Rdr: Jacob Opperman 58.5
5
2.3
Manhatten Times
- 5g Manhattan Rain (AUS) x Daily Flyer (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: A J Gluyas Rdr: J Holder 58.5
6
3.6
Validated
- 4g Valentia (AUS) x Castano Girl (AUS) (Blevic (AUS))
Tnr: Peter & Belinda Blanch Rdr: D Tourneur 58.5
7
4
Larimer Street
- 6g Brazen Beau (AUS) x Original Choice (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: D R Jolly Rdr: Kayla Crowther 58.5
8
4.8
Savatoxl
- 8g Kuroshio (AUS) x Li'l Miss Hayley (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: W A Savage Rdr: Teagan Voorham 58.5
9
5.7
Starlite Valley
- 5m Valentia (AUS) x Cherilyn (AUS) (Bianconi (USA))
Tnr: Kym Healy Rdr: J Potter 56.5
10
6.2
Shaquero
- 5g Shalaa (IRE) x Fimatino (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: R & C Jolly Rdr: Todd Pannell 58.5
11
9.2
Mouse Almighty
- 7m Star Witness (AUS) x Lacey Lou (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: G Dimitropoulos Rdr: Ms S Metcalfe 56.5
More Reading...
Blueblood Fillies From $3million Mares
Tom Magnier has been notable for his purchase of elite race fillies and broodmares in recent years to enhance the stellar Coolmore broodmare band and two of his $3million plus mare purchases have produced stunning fillies this spring.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Caulfield
Three barrier trials at Caulfield on Thursday morning produced heat winners for first season sires Wild Ruler and Profiteer with the quickest winner being Free Flying, the half-sister by Snitzel to brilliant Group winning mare Learning to Fly.
Melody Belle Daughter Set for Long Awaited Debut
It will be a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at The Valley on Friday night when Lyrics ‘N’ Song, a daughter of their former multiple Group One winner Melody Belle, makes her debut.
Headwater's Aitch Two Oh Strikes in Without Fear
Short-priced favourite Aitch Two Oh was given a fright by Peter Moody’s Winning Rupert debutant Winning Revolution before the daughter of Headwater dug deep to earn a maiden stakes success in Saturday’s Without Fear Stakes at Morphettville.
NZ Derby Hero Willydoit Primed for Epsom
Last season’s New Zealand Derby hero Willydoit will step back into the spotlight on Saturday when he contests the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick for trainer Ciaron Maher, with jockey Tommy Berry bullish the horse is ready to make his mark over the famous mile.
Generation Foals Built for Speed
Victorian farm Lovatsville offer a diverse stallion roster for this spring geared to satisfy a wide spectrum of breeder ambitions and if explosive Aussie speed is your thing then Snitzel stallion Generation will fit the bill.
New SW Wrote - Fast Network Wins G3 National Day Cup
Trainer Dennis Yip claimed a timely first win of the 2025/26 season, taking out the feature HK$4.2 million Gr.3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin’s National Day fixture on Wednesday when his stable star Fast Network, a New Zealand bred son of Wrote, blitzed a strong field under Alexis Badel.
Inglis Ready2Race breeze up footage NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Progeny of the likes of Toronado, Exceed and Excel, Harry Angel, Zoustar and Ole Kirk were amongst the standout performers from breeze up sessions conducted this week in the lead up to the Inglis Ready2Race Sale on October 16, footage of which is now available online.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 2
Here is the full list of 29 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Red Roses for Headwater's Aitch Two Oh
The South Australians hit the board on Oaks Day at Flemington when Richard and Chantelle Jolly’s Headwater filly Aitch Two Oh won the Group III News First Red Roses Stakes (1100m) for three-year-old fillies.