Interstate Stakes Double For Australian Bloodstock

Mark Smith - Sunday April 21

One horse sourced from Germany and another from Japan assured Australian Bloodstock of another successful weekend with an interstate stakes double.

The German-bred Plein Ciel (GER) is building a formidable strike rate and he was rewarded with his maiden stakes win in Saturday's Group III Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield.

It was his first win in four starts for Anthony Freedman after his transfer from Darren Weir.

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Ridden by Craig Williams, Plein Ciel (GER) defeated Furrion (GB) (Camelot) by a length with Morton's Fork (Ad Valorem) a long-neck away third. (image Grant Courtney)


"He would get quite hot at the races but he's started to settle down each run and today was the best he's presented I thought," Freedman told AAP.

"He's worked it all out now, so we'll see where that leads us.

"I think he's running out of races in Melbourne and I don't think there's a lot for him in Adelaide, so it's probably Brisbane or a rest and we'll make a call on that in a week or so.

"He's a good honest horse that was in his right grade today. All his runs have been good and I thought he was ready for the 2000 metres."

Runner-up in his two starts in Germany, Plein Ciel (GER) advanced his record to 7 wins, 2 seconds and 4 thirds from 16 starts with earnings of $372,231.

He becomes the eighth stakes-winner for Lucas Cranach's sire Mamool (In The Wings) a 2-time Group 1 winner raced by Godolphin who stands as a dual-purpose sire at Clongiffen Stud in Ireland.

Plein Ciel (GER) is the best of three winners out of the stakes-placed Big Shuffle mare Picobella.

From Caulfield to Doomben for Australian Bloodstock's second stakes-winner on the day, Hallelujah Boy (JPN) who revelled in the heavy ground in the Listed Tails Stakes (1615m).

Well tried in Japan before hitting these shores, the Kris Lees-trained gelding has won three of his 16 starts in Australia and all have been on heavy tracks.

With the rain belting down in Brisbane, Hallelujah Boy (JPN) led at every call underMatt McGillivray, splashing his way to a two and three-quarter length romp over Cool Chap (High Chaparral) with a further three-quarter of a length back to Fit For Purpose (Show A Heart) in third.

"I would love to win a race like the Wayne Wilson Memorial Mile next month. But really he would need a wet track to be competitive with some of the better horses," stable representative Mel Eggleston told AAP.

"But for all that I thought he was close to a good thing today. He loves wet tracks and he was the only pace in the race.

"I told Matt (jockey McGillivray) to lead and set the pace before kicking away on the turn. It turned out perfectly."

The winner of two of his 12 starts in Japan, Hallelujah Boy (JPN) advances his record to 5 wins, 2 seconds and 5 thirds from 28 starts with earnings of $557,087.

He becomes the second stakes-winner for his sire Tosen Phantom (Neo Universe) after Australian Bloodstock's star recruit Brave Smash (JPN) who numbered the Group 1 MRC Futurity Stakes and Group 1 MVRC Manikato Stakes among his five wins.

Hallelujah Boy (JPN) is the best of three winners out of the winning King Kamehameha mare Tosen Minerva who is a half-sister to Group III winner Cosmo Platina (Stay Gold) and Listed winner Cosmo Fortune (Meiner Love).

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