Helmet Filly Adds to Godolphin's Firepower

Mark Smith - Sunday March 10

Godolphin lost one major Golden Slipper hope in Tassort but added another two on Saturday with Tenley in the Group II Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill and La Tene in the Group II $200,000 MSS Security VRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

A fortnight after the Anthony Freedman-trained Lyre carried the royal blue silks to victory in the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield, the James Cummings-trained La Tene added to the Godolphin haul in the Sires' Produce.

Advertisement

The daughter of Helmet took four starts to break her maiden at Sandown-Hillside on February 20 before her stakes breakthrough.


Settled in second position by Dwayne Dunn behind the pacesetting Fling, La Tene scored a short-neck win from the luckless favourite Dalasan (Dalakhani) with Fling (All Too Hard) hanging on gamely, a neck away third. (images Grant Courtney )

"We adore her, she's so tough," said Cummings' Melbourne foreperson Kate Grimwade.

"Her win last start at Sandown gave us one of the biggest thrills of the last few months the way she dug deep. I wasn't sure she had the class but she fought so hard.

Dunn said the daughter of Helmet has continued to improve throughout the preparation.

" Last start she had to fight them off and today she got it a bit easier, but she was up in grade," he said.

"We thought Adelaide might have been where she could get her black type, but the step up today was a big step forward for her.

"Maybe James will take her to Sydney as she's done everything asked of her down here.

"It would be a big step forward, but she's done that today." 

A half-sister to the stakes-placed 4-time winner Gaulois (Street Cry), La Tene is the fourth foal of Lonhro's top-class daughter Celts whose four wins included the Group III ATC Birthday Card Stakes and Listed Macquarie Cup.

Celts' dam Dinna Flash (Canny Lad) is a half-sister to the honest sprinter Appoint (Alquoz) whose 11 wins included the Group III VATC Rubiton Stakes.

Celts was not covered in 2016 but she delivered a Teofilo (IRE) frilly last spring before being bred back to Street Boss (USA).

La Tene becomes the ninth stakes-winner Helmet, whose son Thunder Snow won last year's Dubai World Cup by almost six lengths. The son of Exceed And Excel now stands at Gestut Fahrhof in Germany.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Juvenile Trial Watch – Caulfield
Three barrier trials at Caulfield on Thursday morning produced heat winners for first season sires Wild Ruler and Profiteer with the quickest winner being Free Flying, the half-sister by Snitzel to brilliant Group winning mare Learning to Fly.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 2
Here is the full list of 29 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Generation Foals Built for Speed
Victorian farm Lovatsville offer a diverse stallion roster for this spring geared to satisfy a wide spectrum of breeder ambitions and if explosive Aussie speed is your thing then Snitzel stallion Generation will fit the bill.
Milan Park Experience Highs and Lows
Tony Rider experienced the extreme highs and lows of breeding thoroughbreds within a matter of hours on Wednesday.
New SW Wrote - Fast Network Wins G3 National Day Cup
Trainer Dennis Yip claimed a timely first win of the 2025/26 season, taking out the feature HK$4.2 million Gr.3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin’s National Day fixture on Wednesday when his stable star Fast Network, a New Zealand bred son of Wrote, blitzed a strong field under Alexis Badel.
Melody Belle Daughter Set for Long Awaited Debut
It will be a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at The Valley on Friday night when Lyrics ‘N’ Song, a daughter of their former multiple Group One winner Melody Belle, makes her debut.
Helmet's Tin Hat Opens Stakes Account
Godolphin's promising 3yo colt Tin Hat capped a remarkable day for Darley stallions when the son of Helmet earned a maiden stakes win in Saturday's Group III Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
One to Watch – Geelong
Trilogy Racing will have high hopes for the their talented filly Queen of Clubs in the Group I ATC Flight Stakes on Saturday and their colours were in the frame at Geelong on Thursday carried by a Zoustar filly that saluted on debut.
$480 Mare Has a Group I Sibling!
Tatura’s Kasey Tozer paid special attention on Sunday to the Hong Kong International Races.
Blueblood Fillies From $3million Mares
Tom Magnier has been notable for his purchase of elite race fillies and broodmares in recent years to enhance the stellar Coolmore broodmare band and two of his $3million plus mare purchases have produced stunning fillies this spring.