Sebring's Futooh Opens Stakes Account

Mark Smith - Saturday April 14

At her most recent start, Futooh never saw daylight when beaten out of a place in the Group III Baillieu Handicap at Rosehill and for a good while in Saturday's Listed China Horse Club Mile (Fernhill Stakes) (1600m) at Randwick, a similar scenario looked likely.

Advertisement


While rival jockeys were keen to get away from the fence, Jason Collett took the option to dart back to the rails on Futooh and it proved the winner move.

The daughter of Sebring came away in the closing stages to defeat her stablemate Muswellbrook (Denman) by a long-neck with Aristocratic Miss (Foxwedge) a length back in third.

Trained by David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Futooh (image Steve Hart) advances her record to two wins from six starts with earnings of $191,950.

"We were a little bit critical of ride a couple of weeks ago where she was driven out of the barriers and didn't finish off," Tom Hayes said.

"Today, Jason was excellent, he rode her that 10 percent negative from the barrier and she really had that turn of foot – it's really exciting.

"We've always had an opinion of her and it's just nice to see her once she gets out to a mile running so well. "

Hayes said Futooh may back up in next week's Group 1 Champagne Stakes depending on how she pulls up.


Purchased by Shadwell for $375,000 out of the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Sale, Futooh (pictured as a yearling) is the third foal of the 2010 Listed Keith Mackay Quality, Golden Millennium who comes from the family of Miss Kariba, Speedy Belle, Whoever, Speedy Natalie, Sweet And Speedy and Silverstream.

The first stakes-winner in Australia for Dubawi (IRE), Golden Millennium has a yearling filly by Shooting To Win and foaled a filly by Sebring on September 9 before being covered by Sebring's champion son Dissident.

Futooh becomes the 39th stakes-winner for Widden Stud's Sebring who covered 204 mares last spring at a fee of $66,000.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Ears Back Wins G3 Metric Mile
North Island raids have delivered rich rewards this year for Canterbury mare Ears Back, who collected her second black-type prize in the Gr.3 Hunterville Vet Club Metric Mile (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday.
Joliestar Stakes Everest Claim
Selected for the Waller Racing slot for this year’s $20million The Everest, five year-old Zoustar mare Joliestar showed she would be a force to be reckoned with after scoring a scintillating victory in the $1million Group II ATC The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Melbourne Cup Favouritism For Underwood Stakes Winner Sir Delius
Having just his third Australian start, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s 2024 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale topper Sir Delius (GB) further highlighted his claim to Spring riches by winning the $1m Group 1 VRC Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Flemington.
Fangirl Wins $1million Channel 7 Stakes
It doesn’t carry Black Type, but the $1million ATC Channel 7 Stakes (1600m) is a G1 race in everything but name and for the second year in a row it was won by the fabulous Fangirl, who continued her love affair with the Randwick mile.
First Australian SW For Ghaiyyath - Yum Wins Jim Moloney Stakes
It was clear the betting public weren’t interested, but connections felt she was a good chance despite the five weeks between runs, as John McArdle’s Yum charged late to win the Listed MRC Jim Moloney Stakes (1400m), becoming the first Australian stakes winner for Darley’s Ghaiyyath (IRE).
Spring Cups Beckon As Birdman Secures Kingston Town Stakes
Having not won a race since May 2024 when trained in Ireland, connections would’ve been holding their breath in the final few strides of the Group 3 ATC Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) with Chirs Waller’s Birdman (IRE) (Free Eagle) getting his head down when it mattered, securing his second black type victory.
First G1 Winner For Calyx As Sepals Wins Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes
With most of the hype heading into this year’s running of the $1m Group 1 MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) surrounding the four-year-olds, the Cliff Brown trained Sepals justified that hype, highlighting his class to come out on top with a brilliant win.
Tajana Wins G3 Sunline Vase
Many pre-race pundits had labelled Saturday’s Ellerslie’s feature, the Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (1400m) as a two-horse contest between Lollapalooza and Tajana, the two hottest three-year-old fillies of spring racing to date.
Kiwi Bred With Your Blessing wins G3 Bill Ritchie
New Zealand-bred gelding With Your Blessing capped a consistent run of form with his first black-type success in Saturday’s A$250,000 Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick.
Apocalyptic Dazzles in G2 Tea Rose Victory
A big strong girl that stands above her rivals in the mounting yard, Extreme Choice filly Apocalyptic again showed her class on the track with a dominant victory in the $300,000 Group II ATC Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.