Darby Online Buy Sandpaper Wins Gr3 Newcastle Stakes

Craig Tompson - Friday March 7

The Darby Racing team did it again on Friday when online purchase Sandpaper won the Newcastle Stakes (Group III).

Sandpaper. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au

Last September, at the (Early) version on the Inglis Digital platform, Darby paid $160,000 for Robusto who three months later won the $2million Ingham.

In the same month, but at the (Late) option, Darby signed for Sandpaper for $130,000 as one of a group of horses offered by Godolphin, and Friday’s win makes it $294,000 in the bank since that buy.

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Starting equal favourite with Makarena off his win and three placings from four starts so far in the campaign, Tim Clark went straight to the lead and controlled the race before kicking too strongly in the straight.

The Bjorn Baker trained gelding ultimately beating Amenable (Lonhro) by a head with Grebeni (Ocean Park) third.

“He’s been racing in fantastic form,” said Clark.

“Scott Darby and the team have got a great knack of buying these tried horses.”

“He was there to be beaten today but he kept responding.

“I just wanted to use a bit of that fitness he had on his side to test a few of the better class horses behind that were early in their prep.”

Sandpaper is one of two winners for unraced Lonhro mare Smooth, a sister to Champion 2YO and top sire Pierro, and also to the dam of Estriella.

Smooth has a two-year-old colt named Observer by Ghaiyyath, foaled a colt by Anamoe last season and was served by Cylinder.

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Race Result - Horsepower Newcastle Stakes Gr3 1400m

Newcastle Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:24.50
1
Sandpaper
- 5g Snitzel (AUS) x Smooth (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Tim Clark 54
2
0.2
Amenable
- 5g Lonhro (AUS) x Carribean Sunset (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: C Schofield 58
3
1.3
Grebeni
- 5g Ocean Park (NZ) x Dubrovnik (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: K Mc Evoy 54
4
2.2
Perfect Thought
- 5g So You Think (NZ) x Perfectly Safe (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: Molly Bourke 54
5
2.2
Bel Air
- 5g Written Tycoon (AUS) x Bel Selene (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Regan Bayliss 54
6
4.2
Makarena
- 4m Snitzel (AUS) x Wecansay Mak (AUS) (Starcraft (NZ))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Tyler Schiller 57.5
7
6.5
Miracle Spin
- 6g Pivotal (GB) x Field Of Miracles (IRE) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: J Ford 54
8
7.2
Coastwatch
- 6g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Bullion Mansion (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: N Rawiller 57
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