Melbourne Cup on Radar for Sons and Lovers

Tara Madgwick - Friday August 8

Joseph O’Brien knows what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and that was mentioned as a possible goal for progressive young stayer Sons and Lovers, who won the Group III Ballyroan Stakes (1m4f) at Leopardstown overnight.

Bought privately out of the Jane Chapple -Hyam stable last year through a deal brokered by Blandford Bloodstock, Sons and Lovers was gelded and has been competitive in Group and Listed company in his first three runs for his new ownership group before breaking through to win.

Sent off favourite with Dylan Brown McMonagle in the saddle, Sons and Lovers was stroing to the line to beat tough stayer Crystal Black by half a length.

Joseph O’Brien revealed the HOS Syndicate that now own the horse also race Absurde, who has run well in the past two Melbourne Cups and a trip to Flemington is also a possibility for Sons and Lovers, a four year-old son of Study of Man.

“He’s had some very good runs this year and it was his first time going the trip. We were pretty hopeful that he would enjoy it,” said O’Brien.

“There is a race here for him on Champions Weekend (Kilternan Stakes) and we’re also going to look at some international targets in the autumn.

Advertisement

“The owners have Absurde who ran well in Melbourne a couple of times and there is a good chance we could look at something like that for him.

“There are races all over the Middle East and there is also Dubai early next year. Everything is on the table at the moment.”

Bred by Kirsten Rausing of Lanwades Stud, Sons and Lovers was sold as a yearling at Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale for €40,000 to his previous trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam and now has the overall record of two wins and five placings from 12 starts.

He is a half-brother to stakes-placed Secret of Love and is the best of four winners from six to race from stakes-placed So in Love, a daughter of stakes-winner Soft Morning.

Sons and Lovers is the eighth stakes-winner for Lanwades Stud’s young Deep Impact stallion Study of Man, best known as the sire of Group I winner Kalpana.

Advertisment
More Reading...
French G3 Winner for Zoustar
The Group III Prix des Chenes (1600m) at Chantilly in France overnight produced a new stakes-winner for reigning champion Australian sire Zoustar with talented two year-old Oceans Four claiming his first Black Type win.
Sires With Winners - Sunday September 21
Here is the full list of 66 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Home Affairs 2YOs Shine at Official Sydney Trials
I Am Invincible’s exciting young sire son Home Affairs was the talk of the town after the yearling sales this year when his progeny topped both Magic Millions and Inglis Easter and at Randwick on Monday morning he had two runners at the official 2YO trials and both of them came out winners.
Kiwi Cup Contender Headed to Australia
Melbourne Cup aspirant Trav secured his plane ticket across the Tasman with a pleasing performance over 2100m at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Career Best Victory for Wentwood Grange Favourite Yearling
Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling.
Aussie Mare Youngstar Produces Rising Japanese Staying Star Eri King
Australian Group I winning half-sisters Youngstar and Funstar are both at stud in Japan and the former has a very smart three year-old colt in Eri King, who won the Group II Kobe Shimbun Hai (2400m) at Hanshin on Sunday.
Breednet Follow the Official Sydney 2YO Trials - 7 – 9
All 2YO heats this morning run at Randwick over 850m with these trials the key factor in deciding fields for the Group III ATC Breeders Plate and Gimcrack Stakes in two weeks time.
One to Watch – Warrnambool
So You Think is the first sire to hit 40 winners for the season and he did it with a three year-old filly that won easily on debut at Warrnambool on Monday in the Kia Ora Stud colours.
Tara Talks Racing - Trials and Racing
This week we’re talking trials after an insightful set of official 2YO trials in Sydney, plus some racing and how Fangirl will eventually go to stud with two Group I wins less on her resume than there should be.
2025 National Thoroughbred Week Launched
National Thoroughbred Week, the newly launched industry initiative designed to bring the public closer to the thoroughbred and our sport, is excited to confirm a truly trans-Tasman exposure, with hosts confirmed across all Australian and New Zealand regions.