Skybird Flies in Tobin Bronze

Mark Smith - Saturday April 27

Out of luck in two starts since kick-starting her career with three wins culminating in the Group II MVRC Moonee Valley Classic, Skybird burst back into the winner’s circle in Saturday’s Group II Sportsbet Tobin Bronze Stakes at Morphettville and earned a likely shot at the Group 1 Goodwood on May 18.

Ridden by Beau Mertens for Mitch Freedman, the daughter of Exosphere powered down the centre of the track to defeat the confidently backed I Am Invincible filly Moesha, who came from the tail of the field to be beaten one and three-quarter lengths. The Not A Single Doubt colt Pivot City was three-quarters of a length back in third.

A $110,000 purchase for her trainer from the HP Thoroughbreds draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic yearling Sale, Highway Session, Skybird advances her record to four wins and a third  from six starts with earnings of $498,625

Skybird and a jubilant Beau Mertens (image Racing Photos)

“We came here about five years ago with Broadway And Forth, and she was pretty stiff not to get a result, Mitch Freedman revealed.

“We had a specific plan to come to this race or the Sangster, but we thought the Sangster was heating up with the prize money on offer.

“If she comes through it well enough, we might come back in two weeks.

 “I know she has a bit of improvement to come, so she could come and compete in that race (Goodwood) and get the weight advantage, being a filly.

 “I think you’ll find 1400 metres will be her best distance, or 1300 maybe, that 1200 to 1400 will be right for her. I’m not sure she runs a mile. If she runs a mile, she must be covered up and exposed late, like at The Valley.

“She’s only tasted defeat twice, and the other day at Bendigo, things were against her and the Thousand Guineas. She’s a very good filly with plenty of upside.

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“Dan Clarken has looked after her here, and she’s settled in. She’s handled the travel in an excellent fashion. She’s still a little bit quirky, so a trip like this will do her a world of good, and the Queensland Carnival is on the horizon. We’ve looked at all that, so we’ll keep mapping out our path and see how we go.

“We’ve got an ultimate goal of trying to get to the Golden Eagle, so that’s on our radar and we’ll see how we get there.”

Skybird a $110,000 Inglis Classic yearling

 Skybird is the best of three winners from as many to race from the winning Wanted mare Real Desire.

A half-sister to stakes-placed winner Flying Along, Real Desire is out of a half-sister to Captain Bax and Snippets Lass, the dam of Snippets, Hinchinbrook, Viennese and Weiner, dam of G1 Epsom Handicap winner Rediener, and Royal Snippets, the granddam of Private Eye.

Real Desire has a yearling colt by Deep Field, a $260,000 purchase for McEvoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) from the HP Thoroughbreds draft at the 2024 Inglis Classic yearling Sale.

A $30,000 purchase for Viki Brown at the 2016 National Broodmare Sale, Real Desire was covered by Pierro last spring.

Skybird is one of 11 stakes-winners for Oaklands Stud’s Group 1 winning Lonhro stallion Exosphere, which stood for $6,600 last spring.

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Race Result - Sportsbet Tobin Bronze Stakes Gr2 1200m

Morphettville Track: Good(4) Time: 1:10.39
1
Skybird
- 3f Exosphere (AUS) x Real Desire (AUS) (Wanted (AUS))
Tnr: Mitchell Freedman Rdr: Beau Mertens 55.5
2
1.9
Moesha
- 3f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Princess Coup (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: Jamie Kah 55.5
I Am Invincible
3
2.8
Pivot City
- 3c Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Di Lusso (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: B Shinn 57.5
4
3
Lovely Lookin'
- 3f American Pharoah (USA) x Gogo Grace (AUS) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: A J Gluyas Rdr: J Holder 55.5
5
3.6
Arkansaw Kid
- 3c Harry Angel (IRE) x Florabella (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: M Zahra 57.5
6
4.3
Sir Sway
- 3g Sir Prancealot (IRE) x Silent Sway (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: S & J Jaensch Rdr: Carleen Hefel 57.5
7
5
Walk Like An Angel
- 3f Impending (AUS) x Angel Of Hope (AUS) (Choisir (AUS))
Tnr: A J Gluyas Rdr: C Schofield 55.5
8
5.1
Treasurway
- 3f Starspangledbanner (AUS) x Miss Toorak Flyer (AUS) (Toorak Toff (AUS))
Tnr: Jason Warren Rdr: D W Stackhouse 55.5
9
5.1
Scully
- 3g Shooting To Win (AUS) x Famous Painter (AUS) (Peintre Celebre (USA))
Tnr: Andrew Noblet Rdr: John Allen 57.5
10
6
Great Maximus
- 3g Magnus (AUS) x Impeach (AUS) (Viscount (AUS))
Tnr: R & C Jolly Rdr: Jake Toeroek 57.5
11
6.4
Paradise City
- 3f Deep Field (AUS) x Chocolicious (SAF) (Kahal (GB))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: Craig Williams 55.5
12
7.5
The Novelist
- 3c Written By (AUS) x Sunlit (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 57.5
13
7.8
Zourion
- 3f Zoustar (AUS) x Irion (NZ) (Danroad (AUS))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: M J Dee 55.5
14
8.7
Gumdrops
- 3f Written Tycoon (AUS) x Sugar Bella (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Damian Lane 55.5
15
13.5
Life Coach
- 3g Supido (AUS) x Orcym (AUS) (Orpen (USA))
Tnr: B M Lazzarini Rdr: D Tourneur 57.5
16
13.7
Vexatious Dancer
- 3f Hualalai (AUS) x Choose To Dance (AUS) (Choisir (AUS))
Tnr: Ms N Bruggemann Rdr: Callan Murray 55.5
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