The James Cummings trained filly Varda was a short priced favourite for the
1000 metre juvenile maiden and coasted home to win by nearly three lengths in a
slick 57.60 seconds.She settled just off the pace on the fence for Damian Lane and needed some encouragement to get going at the furlong, but once she hit top gear the race was over.
Varda is certainly bred to be good as she is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Lonhro’s Group I winning son Kementari. She is the fourth winner from Group III winner Wild Queen, a half-sister to Group II winner So Gorgeous, the dam of international Group I winning sprinter Sterling City.
Wild Queen has a weanling filly by Kermadec and was covered last spring by Lonhro’s Group I winner Impending.
Varda is the fifth winner from just eight two year-old runners this season for Lonhro and those winners are all well above average, the others being Group I MRC Blue Diamond winner Lyre, Group III ATC Widden Stakes winner Amercement, Group II placed Athiri, who was fourth in the Blue Diamond and Pin Sec, who won on debut at Randwick on Boxing Day and won a barrier trial at Canterbury on Monday in preparation for her autumn campaign.
As a racehorse, Lonhro was better at three and beyond, in part due to his late foaling date (December 10), but his offspring have proven very adept at two.
Lyre is the third juvenile Group I winner sired by Lonhro joining Golden Slipper winner and Champion 2YO Pierro and Benfica among a total of 21 juvenile stakes-winners by the champion son of Octagonal.
Turning 21 this year, Lonhro was popular last spring covering 117 mares at a fee of $55,000, which was the lowest fee at which he has stood since 2009 when he was priced at $33,000.
Lonhro is riding high on the Australian General Sires List this season in eighth place with progeny earnings topping $6million and five stakes-winners including his VRC Oaks winner Aristia.
Like a fine wine, Lonhro is just getting better with age!
