Cliff’s Edge Off The Mark

Mark Smith - Thursday August 29

The 3-year-old filly Escarpa made a winning debut in the Apiam Animal Health Maiden Plate (1000m) at Bendigo on Thursday to credit the multiple Group II winner and $1,180,000 earner Cliff's Edge with his first winner.

Escarpa impresses on debut (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Ridden by Craig Williams for Greg Eurell, Escarpa took a step back at the start and drifted back to second last. Williams elected to ride for luck in the straight and Escarpa scythed through runners like a seasoned professional to defeat the fast-finishing Per Incanto (USA) filly Enchanted Jenni by three-quarters of a length with the Omaha Beach (USA) filly Coastal Abbey back in third.

Advertisement

Greg Eurell bred Escarpa out of his talented mare Great Dame (Danerich).

A three-quarter sister to the 5-time winner Great Duchess and half to stakes-placed Prowling, Escarpa is the fourth winner from five to race for Great Dame, a winner at Flemington and Stony Creek and fourth in the Group III The Vanity, behind Shopaholic, Mosheen and Angel of Mercy, in a four-start career.

Great Dame has a yearling filly by Ilovethiscity and was bred back to him last spring.

Exciting times (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Escarpa is the first winner from three runners for the Bombora Downs stallion Cliff’s Edge, whose son Just Cliffy has been runner-up in four of his six starts and was a close-up fourth at his most recent start at Doomben.

A winner at two, three, and four and twice a Group II runner-up at five, the tough-as-teak son of Canford Cliffs had 24 foals in his first crop.  

From the international family of champion mare All Along, Cliff’s Edge stands this season at Bombora Downs for $3,300.

Advertisment

Race Result - Apiam Animal Health Mdn Plate 1100m

Bendigo Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:04.38
1
Escarpa
- 3f Cliff's Edge (AUS) x Great Dame (AUS) (Danerich (AUS))
Tnr: G Eurell Rdr: Craig Williams 56
2
0.8
Enchanted Jenni
- 3f Per Incanto (USA) x Kechika (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: Declan Bates 56
3
2.5
Coastal Abbey
- 3f Omaha Beach (USA) x Stockton Abbey (AUS) (Stratum (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Angelone Rdr: Harry Grace 56
4
3.5
Kings Commission
- 3c Churchill (IRE) x Oscietra (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Jordan Childs 58
5
4.3
Renege
- 3g Impending (AUS) x Virage De Fortune (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: L Currie 58
6
5
Superluminal
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Anaheed (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Damian Lane 58
7
5.5
Echelon
- 3g Capitalist (AUS) x Sweet Ava (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Julius Sandhu Rdr: J Mott 58
8
5.9
Reasonable Point
- 3f Blue Point (IRE) x Sense And Reason (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Ben Brisbourne Rdr: Lachlan King 56
9
6.2
She's Elusive
- 3f Lean Mean Machine (AUS) x Elusive Filly (AUS) (Wanted (AUS))
Tnr: Saab Hasan Rdr: Ms A Herrmann 56
10
8.2
Sundance Cowboy
- 3g Villermont (AUS) x Push The Sky Away (AUS) (Reset (AUS))
Tnr: Shawn Mathrick Rdr: Ms J Beriman 58
11
12.2
Frosty Night
- 3f Frosted (USA) x Melodramatic (AUS) (Al Samer (AUS))
Tnr: Jamie Barry Rdr: Tayla Childs 54
More Reading...
Extremely Good Week!
It’s been a memorable week for Star Thoroughbreds having sold their multiple Group winning mare Olentia for $2.6million and then the purple and white stars were back in the winner’s circle at Canterbury on Wednesday carried by 3YO Extreme Choice colt Estremo.
Melbourne Cup on Radar for Sons and Lovers
Joseph O’Brien knows what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and that was mentioned as a possible goal for progressive young stayer Sons and Lovers, who won the Group III Ballyroan Stakes (1m4f) at Leopardstown overnight.
Zoustar Entering the Zenith
The dictionary tells us Zenith is an astronomical term —describing the highest point in an arc travelled by a star, planet or another celestial body- and in the case of this story it’s planet Zoustar!
First Godolphin Winner for Maher
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher saddled his first winner for Godolphin at Kembla on Thursday and he did it with a blue-blood colt by Too Darn Hot (GB).
Wootton Bassett Set to Blast Out of Winter
Many people may have anticipated Wootton Bassett (GB) would have been our Champion Australian First Season Sire last season and while that didn’t quite eventuate, he did finish the season with a wealth of horses holding spring potential and several were in action at the trials this morning.
First Foal for Hilal Delights Grangewilliam Stud
The first foal by Grangewilliam Stud’s Group Two winner and multiple Group One performer Hilal arrived on Thursday morning with a filly born out of the well-related No Nay Never mare La Frox.
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 7
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 6
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Racing’s Night of Champions August 28
45 of the top horses in Australia will be recognised for outstanding performances during the 2024/2025 racing season at Racing’s Night of Champions.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for last season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end this season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.