Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday March 21

What an extraordinary day of racing at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

There are five Group 1 races led by the $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes for two-year-olds, which shapes as the most open in years. You could probably make an argument for just about every runner in the field.

In what could be a race within the race, Godolphin has six starters as well as the first emergency.

If the Medaglia d’Oro (USA) filly Tenley stretches her unbeaten record to four it will be the culmination of an unbelievable first three weeks in March for her sire.

On Sandown-Lakeside on Wednesday, the Anthony Freedman-trained, 2yo colt Chenier opened his career with a five and a half-length romp and looks a sure-fire stakes winner in the not to distance future.

On the first Saturday in March, Medaglia d’Oro (USA) had Crown Prosecutor win the Group 1 NZ Derby at Ellerslie, Sword Of Justice win the Listed Tatt's Members' Cup at Doomben and Adornment win the Listed 1000 Guineas at Ascot.

A week later Tenley won the Group II Reisling Stakes at Randwick. (photo Steve Hart )

Then the filly Pohutukawa made a one-act affair of the Group III Kembla Grange Classic at Kembla Grange the day before Flit shared the honours in the Group III Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Flemington.

Medaglia d’Oro (USA) has been a headline-hogger since the future Horse Of The Year Rachel Alexandra came out of his first crop in the United States.

With two crops on the ground, the son of El Prado was purchased in 2009 by Sheikh Mohammed to stand at Darley's Jonabell Farm near Lexington Kentucky as he hasn’t looked back since.

His success in the southern hemisphere may have been more of a slow burn although his first crop included the stakes-winners Nostradamus, Federal, Durendal and Ruling Dynesty.

However, Medaglia d’Oro (USA) did not have a 2yo stakes winner in his first crop and it took until Nostradamus’s win in the San Domenico Stakes in August 2014 to credit his sire with his first southern hemisphere-bred stakes-winner.

But less than two months later, his second crop son Vancouver hit the ground running in the Breeders Plate before adding the Canonbury Stakes, Todman Stakes and Golden Slipper.

Ironically, Vancouver lost his unbeaten record in the San Domenico and never raced again.

So, Medaglia d’Oro (USA) edged out I Am Invincible for leading second-crop sire in season 2014-15 and it has been a steady stream of stakes winners since.

Advertisement

It looked as if he could make it two Golden Slippers in a row when Astern entered the race off two wins from as many starts including the Silver Slipper however, Astern did not have the rub of the green on the day before rounding out his juvenile year when successful in the Group III Widden Stakes.

Astern quickly made amends at three when winning the Group 1 Golden Rose.

So, we will throw out lot behind that most likeable grey filly Tenley in Saturday’s Golden Slipper.

The daughter of Medaglia D'Oro (USA) is out of the Lonhro mare Fratianne whose dam Dubai Ice (Danehill) is a sister to Vancouver's dam Skates.

Dubai Ice and Skates are out of the outstanding racemare Skating (At Talaq) the winner of the Group 1 AJC Doncaster Handicap and the Group 1 STC Winfield Classic.

Purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Darley for $525,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2001 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Dubai Ice was a winner at 1000 metres and was stakes-placed in the Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.

She had eight foals for seven winners including the stakes-placegetters Avalanches (Street Cry) and Palm Trilogy (Dubai Destination) before Darley sent her to Japan in 2013.

Fratianne won a maiden at Kyneton and placed twice in six starts.

Tenley is her third foal and first winner.

The daughter of Lonhro was carrying a Shooting To Win filly when she was consigned by Godolphin to the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale where she was purchased by Widden Stud for $185,000.

The Shooting To Win filly was withdrawn from the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Fratianne had a Sebring filly last spring and was bred back to Zoustar.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
One to Watch – Bendigo
Medaglia D’Oro (USA) has provided some smart two year-old winners this season for Godolphin including Group II winning filly Tenley, who is closely related to this winner at Bendigo on Friday.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Aussie Bred Wins HK Classic Mile
The $HK10million Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin on Monday was won in commanding style by exciting prospect Golden Sixty, an Aussie bred Medaglia D’Oro (USA) gelding, whose half-brother Quiet Riot was also a winner at Warwick Farm earlier in the day.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Impressive Medaglia d'Oro Filly Eyes the Tatts Tiara
Winner of the Group III PJ Bell Stakes at Randwick in April, the James Cummings-trained Multaja capped a wonderful day for Blake Shinn when she powered home to win Saturday’s Listed Mittys Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) at Doomben.
Winning Hat Trick for So You Think Filly
So You Think has ticked over $12million in seasonal earnings with 150 plus winners including seven stakes-winners and while Covert Thinking is not among the luminaries by her sire, this tenacious 3YO has won three on the trot and landed her first metro victory on Wednesday.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Medaglia d’Oro’s Flit Captures Thousand Guineas in a Thriller
Saturday’s Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) was a three-horse war over the final 300 metres and it was Godolphin’s race favourite Flit that edged out Missile Mantra and Southbank and had James Cummings contemplating a run in the Group I Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in a fortnight.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.