Darby Homebred Wins Listed Canterbury Stakes

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday January 1

Darby Racing have enjoyed much success as syndicators with the horses they buy at the sales, but Iowna Merc, who gave them a stakes-win on New Year’s Day in the Listed ATC Canterbury Sprint (1200m) is a horse bred and retained by Scott Darby.

Iowna Merc wins the Listed ATC Canterbury Sprint - image Bradley Photography

The five year-old gelding by Winning Rupert has been a prolific metropolitan winner for the Bjorn Baker stable and had been stakes placed twice in Listed races last year.

He found a race to suit in this assignment and charged to the line with a well timed run for Ashley Morgan to win by half a length taking his overall record to six wins and eight placings from 19 starts with prizemoney just shy of $670,000.

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Stable representative Luke Hilton was thrilled with the result and the continuing run of big race wins for the Bjorn Baker stable with Darby Racing horses including Overpass, Robusto and Within the Law all winning rich races through December.

Iowna Merc is the fifth stakes-winner for Written Tycoon stallion Winning Rupert, who now stands in Western Australia at Geisel Park.

Iowna Merc and his happy owners - image Bradley Photography

Bred by Scott Darby, Iowna Merc is the best of three winners from placed Snitzel mare Mercedes, a half-sister to stakes-winner Divine Centuri. She died in 2023 and her last foal is an unnamed two year-old gelding by Time to Reign.

Interestingly , Iowna Merc is another stakes-winner bred on the Written Tycoon x Snitzel nick which has enjoyed a real surge of success this season.

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Race Result - Kia Canterbury Sprint LR 1200m

Canterbury Track: Good(4) Time: 1:09.12
1
Iowna Merc
- 5g Winning Rupert (AUS) x Mercedes (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Ashley Morgan 56
2
0.4
Pereille
- 5g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Montsegur (AUS) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Tyler Schiller 55.5
Fastnet Rock
3
0.9
Brudenell
- 5g Russian Revolution (AUS) x Knit 'n' Purl (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: J Parr 59
Inglis Classic Yearling Sale $80,000
Seller: Glastonbury Farms, Scone
Buyer: Lees Racing / Tasman Bloodstock
Inglis Australian Weanling Sale $80,000
Seller: Macquarie Stud, Wellington
Buyer: BRT Bloodstock
4
2.3
Dollar Magic
- 6m Shamus Award (AUS) x Last Dollars (AUS) (Beautiful Crown (USA))
Tnr: S I Singleton Rdr: Reece Jones 53
5
2.3
Eagle Nest
- 5m Shalaa (IRE) x Rough Ride (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Tom Sherry 57.5
6
3
Flying Trapeze
- 4h Trapeze Artist (AUS) x Coromandel (AUS) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: Molly Bourke 54
7
4.2
Time To Boogie
- 5g Sooboog (AUS) x Helvetica (AUS) (Zariz (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Freedman Rdr: Rachel King 53
8
4.9
Our Kobison
- 5g Kobayashi (AUS) x Orne River (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Angela Davies Rdr: J R Collett 57.5
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