The Listed WATC J.C Roberts Stakes (1800m) is a race where WA Derby dreams grow brighter for some connections while others are left reviewing their options and the winner this year has a female family that definitely says Derby!
Run over 1800m at Ascot in late March, the time honoured Listed contest leads into the penultimate WA Derby lead up, the Melvista Stakes, and is a pivotal moment in a three year old's Autumn campaign.
This year's rendition saw a field of eleven hopefuls assembled with several well fancied runners among them.
The well bred All Grunt (Grunt) was sent out favourite having already collected two blacktype placings on his way to this event, seemingly also suited by the step up in distance, while the promising Superfluous (Needs Further) had also placed at stakes level at only his third start.
But it was Dan Morton's Sessions gelding Sail Session, on a week's backup after his last start victory over 1500m, who proved superior over the longer trip at which he had already tasted victory in early January.
The athletic bay with Lucy Fiore aboard produced a dominant performance to announce himself as a serious Derby contender at his seventh race start.
Ridden with supreme confidence by Fiore, the horse was set alight a long way from home and pounced quickly on his rivals to move away for an unchallenged win.
Neville Parnham's promising Playing God gelding Play Fair announced his staying credentials, coming home well into second but almost three lengths from the winner, while All Grunt battled on gamely for another stakes placing in third.
The big day at Ascot had begun well for Oakland Park’s Sessions when his speedy daughter Jazz Session took out the opening event over 1000m.
The Group Two winning son of the mighty Lonhro has been a consistent winner getter of classy, durable competitors of both sexes over most distances, with super performer and multiple Group winner Massimo his best to date.
Sail Session becomes the fifth stakes winner for his sire.
He is the best of three winners from Kiwi bred dam Unfurl by Raise The Flag and certainly has the pedigree to produce a Derby winner.
A five times winner from a mile up to 2400m she had some very good staying talent and was placed in two Listed events, a Port Adelaide Cup and a Warrnambool Cup.
Unfurl is a half-sister to Group III winner Inferno, the dam of Group I VRC Turnbull Stakes winner Smokin’ Romans.
Sail Session's female line is one that is well recognised for producing tough stayers of exceptional ability - and it has also given us two of Australia's turf immortals.
He shares the same direct ancestress (the Martian mare Stardancer) as four times Cox Plate heroine Winx and Stardancer was also the fifth dam of Galilee, Bart Cummings legendary Melbourne Cup winner, whom he always maintained was the best natural stayer he ever trained.
Through Danehill, Canny Lad and Lonhro's damsire Straight Strike, Sessions brings precocity and speed to bear over the stoutly bred damlines of Sail Sessions.
It's the successful recipe followed by many a breeder in search of a good horse, and it's worked again.
Sail Session was bred and is owned by the Oakland Park syndicate in partnership with Mrs Morton. His dam Unfurl unfortunately slipped to Playing God, so no foal last year and was then covered by Gingerbred Man.
Sessions stands at Oakland Park Stud on a fee of $8,800
