Stratum Filly Wins Gosford Guineas

Tara Madgwick - Thursday January 18
The Hawkes Racing trained filly Bella Martini was a short priced favourite for the Listed Gosford Guineas on Thursday after posting dominant wins at Moonee Valley and Caulfield at her two previous starts and duly got the job done to the great delight of punters.

StratumThe daughter of Stratum stalked the lead in third place and loomed up fast when they turned for home, but then had to fight off a determined challenge from runner up Island Missile.

He headed the filly momentarily, but she was not to be denied and claimed the 1200 metre sprint by a short half head.

A homebred for Robert Crabtree's Dorrington Park, Bella Martini has won four races and placed twice from seven starts winning over $232,000 in prizemoney.

She is a half-sister to Group II winner Upbeat and stakes-winners Volcanic Ash and Alpha Beat so is the fourth stakes-winner for exceptional producer Silverbeat.

Silverbeat has a yearling filly by Snitzel that has been entered for Inglis Easter by Segenhoe on behalf of Dorrington Park.

She had no foal last year but is now in foal to Fastnet Rock.

Bella Martini is the 36th stakes-winner for Widden Stud's much missed stalwart Stratum, who died in 2016, his place at Widden taken by his multiple Group I winning son Stratum Star.



Advertisment
More Reading...
Another Widden Bred and Sold Stakes-Winner
The Listed SAJC Queen Adelaide Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday was won in good style by promising Stratum filly Absolute Flirt, a $100,000 Magic Millions Book Two purchase from the Widden draft for O’Brien Thoroughbreds.
First Win for Storm Boy Half-Brother by Pierro
Progressive Pierro colt Shangri La Boy is a very different horse to his older half-brother Storm Boy and while that Group winning colt is covering his first book of mares at Coolmore this spring, this fellow is on his way with an impressive maiden win at Rosehill on Wednesday.
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.
Aussie Winner South Africa
Casting off maiden status at Kenilworth in South Africa on Saturday was three year-old Stratum filly Freedom Seeker, an $80,000 Inglis Premier purchase for World Wide Bloodstock  from the draft off Grenville Stud.
Egyptian Symbol Wears The Crown at Last
Third in the Magic Millions Guineas at three, sixth in the Magic Millions Fillies and Mares at four and third in the Magic Millions Sprint at five, the Bjorn Baker-trained Egyptian Symbol made her fourth trip to the Magic Millions race day count when powering home from the rear of the field to win Saturday's $1,00,000 Magic Millions Snippets Sprint (1200m).
Godolphin’s Lonhro Filly Proficient On Debut
From the penultimate crop of Darley’s Champion Sire Lonhro, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained 3yo filly Proficient started the race favourite, winning the Sportsbet Race Previews Plate (1000m) at Sandown Hillside in a fighting finish. 
Almanzor Mare Chasing More Black Type
Group Two performer Mary Shan will be in search of an elusive stakes victory when she heads south to Hawera on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).
Stratum's Legionnaire Breaks Maiden in Exford PLate
The deceased Widden stallion Stratum came close to having a stakes-winner from his final full crop when Absolute Flirt was a luckless second on the Listed Cap D'Antibes Stakes at Flemington but thirty five minutes later he struck with the John Moloney-trained Legionnaire who broke his maiden in the Listed Exford Plate (1400m).
Another Crystal Stakes-Winner for Contract
David and Jenny Moodie of Contract Racing have bred a lot of good horses carrying the ‘Crystal’ prefix including Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily and cheered home her three-quarter brother-in-blood Crystal Dreamer to win the Group III MRC Heath Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
420k NZ Ready to Run Purchase Looks the Goods
Progressive three-year-old Sulek notched his first victory when landing the MRC Foundation Pin & Win Plate (1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday for trainer Dominic Sutton.