One to Watch – Scone

Tara Madgwick - Friday October 25

A lightly raced filly by D’Argento stamped herself as a filly with Oaks potential after storming to an impressive maiden win at Scone on Friday.

Placid Pearl wins easily at Scone - image Scone Race Club Twitter

With two seconds and a fourth from her three previous starts, the Matthew Smith trained filly Placid Pearl was stepping out to 2200m for this Class 1 assignment and punters were confident she was the one to be on.

Advertisement

Ridden by Andrew Adkins, she relished the staying trip and opened up to win by more than two lengths.

Her sire D’Argento won the Group I ATC Rosehill Guineas at 2000m and has three runners in the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes on Saturday, so it’s not hard to imagine Matthew Smith may be thinking Melbourne for Placid Pearl if she comes out of this win on the up.

Placid Pearl was a $100,000 Inglis Classic purchase.

A $100,000 Inglis Classic Highway Session purchase for her trainer from the Riversdale/Ashleigh Thoroughbreds draft, Placid Pearl was a successful pinhook having been bought for just $15,000 from the Erinvale Thoroughbreds draft at the Inglis Weanling Sale.

Placid Pearl is the second winner from South Pearl, an unplaced High Chaparral(IRE) daughter of stakes-placed South Sea Pearl, who was Group I placed in the Australasian Oaks and South Australian Oaks.

The family also features Group winning stayers Storm, Runaway Groom and Regal Sea, so there is plenty in the pedigree to suggest Placid Pearl has more to offer.

Placid Pearl is the fourth winner this season for Bowness Stud’s  D’Argento, who stands at a fee of $16,500.

D'Argento, click for more info.

Advertisment

Race Result - Newgate Plate (C1) 2200m

Scone Track: Good(4) Time: 2:16.45
1
Placid Pearl
- 3f D'argento (AUS) x South Pearl (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: A Adkins 55
Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session $100,000
Seller: Riversdale/Ashleigh Thoroughbreds, Scone
Buyer: Matthew Smith Racing
Inglis Australian Weanling Sale $15,000
Seller: Erinvale Thoroughbreds, Buckley, Vic
Buyer: JBO Bloodstock
2
2.3
Justifiably
- 4g Justify (USA) x Savapinski (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: J C Deamer Rdr: Ashley Morgan 56.5
Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale $165,000
Seller: Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains
Buyer: Dynamic Syndications / Dean Watt Bloodstock
3
2.3
Le Souci
- 5m Husson (ARG) x I'm Trouble (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 57
4
5.5
Brief Song
- 5m Your Song (AUS) x Madam Juror (AUS) (Tickets (AUS))
Tnr: S I Singleton Rdr: Ella Drew 54
5
12.6
Farraige
- 4g Ocean Park (NZ) x Laurelling (USA) (Highest Honor (FR))
Tnr: D Wagstaff Rdr: Shae Wilkes 55
6
13.3
Really Motivated
- 5m Real Impact (JPN) x Motivate (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: D Lane Rdr: Jenny Duggan 57
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Monday June 23
Here is the full list of 29 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Cranbourne
Second in the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate last year to Tycoon Star, this Cosmic Force colt made light work of a maiden at Cranbourne on Sunday when bolting away to win as he pleased.
Waikato Stud Weanling Draft Showcases Super Stallions
After a phenomenal few months for Waikato Stud’s stallion roster, the world-renowned nursery will offer six select progeny of those high-flying sires at this week’s NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 22
Here is the full list of 76 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Aussie Bred HK G3 Double
A pair of Group III races were run at Sha Tin on Sunday with victory in the two last stakes races of the HK season both going to Aussie bred geldings Beauty Joy and Copartner Prance, who is a half-brother to Aquis based sire Kobayashi.
Countdown to NZB’s 2025 Weanling Sale
The countdown to NZB’s 2025 National Weanling Sale is underway, with a compact yet quality catalogue of 134 youngsters, plus 10 supplementary lots, selling this Thursday 26 June at Karaka. 
Juvenile Trial Watch – Canterbury
There were a whopping 10 heats won by juveniles at the Canterbury trials on Monday morning that included some interesting unraced youngsters by Zoustar, Zousain and Trapeze Artist, plus a good looking youngster that may see the benefit of gelding.
Bonny Grey Mare Wins G3 Strickland
Last December at Ascot, popular grey mare Admiration Express (My Admiration) nearly caused the upset result of the year when she charged home at odds of 100/1 in the G1 Northerly Stakes for second behind Victorian raider Light Infantry Man.
One to Watch – Scone
Kris Lees often sends a talented horse to the country to cast off maiden status and a two year-old Exceedance gelding did just that on debut at Scone on Monday.
Highview Makes Welcome Return to Weanling Sale
Many of the vendors at this month’s NZB National Weanling Sale are familiar faces who are renowned for their quality drafts at this sale every year, but the 2025 edition also sees an old friend being welcomed back to the fold.