Tassort Filly Wins G2 Sweet Embrace

Tara Madgwick - Saturday March 2

Emirates Park homebred filly Manaal won the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes on debut last spring putting her young sire Tassort on the map with a stakes-winner as his first starter and now she is likely to be his first Golden Slipper runner after a stylish win in the Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m).

Manaal shows her class in the G2 Sweet Embrace - image Steve Hart

Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Tommy Berry, Manaal was allowed to drift back at the start, but when urged to go forward in the straight let loose with a brilliant turn of foot to kick clear and win by a length and a half over Fly Fly with Extreme Choice filly Extreme Diva a good third.

Manaal was second at her first run back from a spell to Lady of Camelot in the Group III ATC Widden Stakes and has now had three starts for two wins with prizemoney topping $350,000.

“She’s had a month between runs so was a touch fresh in the race and wanted to over travel a bit, but she does have a bit of attitude,” said Michael Freedman.

“It’s great to get that out of the way and if she pulls up well we can look at the Slipper.

Advertisement

“I think three weeks into a Slipper for her would be ideal and if it’s a high pressure race that’s going to suit her as she’s not a jump and run type, she’s more of a sit back and sprint.”

Manaal returns with Tommy Berry - image Steve Hart

Bred and retained to race by Emirates Park, Manaal is the best of three winners from Midshipman mare Red Lodge (USA), a stakes-winning half-sister to stakes-winner Good Like Magic and a granddaughter of the exceptional dual Group I winner Memories Of Silver.

Red Lodge has produced fillies by I Am Invincible and Zoustar in her past two seasons and is now in foal to Storm Boy’s sire Justify (USA).

Tassort has made a pleasing start to his stud career at Newgate with four winners from 14 starters plus another stakes horse in Ad Astra and was super popular last spring covering 232 mares at a fee of $11,000.

Advertisment

Race Result - TAB Sweet Embrace Stakes Gr2 1200m

Randwick Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:10.37
1
Manaal
- 2f Tassort (AUS) x Red Lodge (USA) (Midshipman (USA))
Tnr: Michael Freedman Rdr: Tommy Berry 55.5
2
1.2
Fly Fly
- 2f Trapeze Artist (AUS) x Dawn Dawn (AUS) (All Too Hard (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: J R Collett 55.5
Trapeze Artist
3
2.3
Extreme Diva
- 2f Extreme Choice (AUS) x On A Given Day (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: A J Cummings Rdr: C Schofield 55.5
4
3
Chateau Miraval
- 2f Zousain (AUS) x Sheila's Star (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 55.5
5
3.4
Diddle Dumpling
- 2f Deep Field (AUS) x Devious Maid (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Regan Bayliss 55.5
6
3.9
Totoka
- 2f Brutal (NZ) x Sports Writer (AUS) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: P M Perry Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 55.5
7
4.7
Photographics
- 2f Per Incanto (USA) x Los Vargas (NZ) (Fast 'n' Famous (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: K Mc Evoy 55.5
8
6.5
Valabing
- 2f National Defense (GB) x Desert Lashes (AUS) (Reward For Effort (AUS))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: A Hyeronimus 55.5
9
7.9
Wave Breaker
- 2f Pierata (AUS) x Ocean Tempest (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Tyler Schiller 55.5
10
10.6
Asteride
- 2f Astern (AUS) x Essie's Pride (AUS) (Murtajill (AUS))
Tnr: R & L Price Rdr: Ashley Morgan 55.5
11
10.7
Montana Dawn
- 2f American Pharoah (USA) x Montana Sunset (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: Reece Jones 55.5
12
11.9
Zounaka
- 2f Zousain (AUS) x Renaka (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: T Marquand 55.5
More Reading...
Spring Juvenile Contest at Otaki on Friday
Otaki trainer Andrew Campbell is excited about the prospects of his promising juvenile Singletary, and he is looking forward to kicking off his career in the Vets On Riverbank Two-Year-Old (800m) at his home track on Friday.
Stakes Potential for Talented Wootton Bassett Colt
The John O’Shea and Tom Charton stable produced Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Napoleonic to break his maiden at Wyong by five lengths at the start of the month and he made it back to back wins when scoring a stylish victory at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
First G1 Winner for Tassort- Manaal Beats the Colts
Emirates Park homebred filly Manaal won the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes on debut last spring and has gone from strength to strength as her juvenile season has unfolded putting the icing on the cake at Randwick on Saturday when beating the colts to win the $1million Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).
Change of Barrier Luck for Written By's Tale of the Gypsy
Lady Luck has finally smiled on talented filly Tale Of The Gypsy, who has been plagued by wide barriers throughout her short career to date.
Manaal Wins G2 Sheraco
Manaal is the horse that put her sire Tassort on the map when she won the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes on debut two years ago as a spring 2YO and the now 4YO mare is still going strong scoring a powerful win in the $300,000 Group II ATC Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Angel Capital to Run for James Harron in Everest
James Harron Bloodstock is excited to announce a partnership with global thoroughbred powerhouse Yulong for The Everest 2025, with rising star Angel Capital today confirmed as the runner in the James Harron Bloodstock slot.
Merchant Navy 3YO Ready to Strike Form
Cody Cole is keeping his options open with talented three-year-old Landlock as wet weather threatens to halt his initial plan to contest Saturday’s Gr.2 Timberspan Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Te Rapa.
Golden Rose Sires Where Are They Now?
Since the $1million Golden Rose was elevated to Group I status in 2009 it has been won in every single year bar one by a colt with the lone gelding to succeed being Manawanui in 2011 and winning this race is a passport to a commercial stud career, so we thought we’d take a look at the fortunes of the past winners who have gone to stud in Australia.
Charm Stone share sells for $310,000 ahead of G1 Manikato
A 10% share in G1-winning mare Charm Stone has topped the September (Late) Online Sale selling for $310,000, the second highest price for a racehorse share on the platform this year.
Best On Breeding
Emirate Park Stud's homebred Tassort filly Manaal will stake her claim for Champion Two-Year-Old in Saturday's $750,000 Group 1 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.