Surprise Baby Out to Emulate Dad in the Melbourne Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday October 5

Winner of the $400,000 Group II Adelaide Cup (3200m) in March, the $5,5000 Gavelhouse purchase Surprise Baby earned a ticket to the $8 million Melbourne Cup on November 5 when he stormed home to win Saturday's $500,000 Group III The Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington.

Sent off favourite off the back of a fourth-place finish in the Group II Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley a fortnight ago, the Paul Preusker-trained son of the 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking came from back in the field under a patient Jordan Childs ride to win by one and a half lengths from the Hawkes-trained Supernova (GB) (Intello) with the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Wolfe ( Novellist) three-quarter of a length back in third. (image Grant Courtney)

Advertisement


"It was just a super ride and he's a super horse," Preusker said.

"The (Andrew) Ramsden (second to Steel Prince) sort of threw us a hurdle and we dealt with it.

"I think he's the real deal. He'll improve a lot off today, he's not wound up, I'll strip him better again. It's just a matter of getting him home and letting the feet hit the ground and we'll come up with another plan."

The lightly raced 5yo gelding advanced his record to 5 wins a second and a third from 10 starts with earnings of $723,735.

He went through the 2016 NZB Select Yearling Sale where he failed to make his modest $20,000 reserve and again at the 2016 Ready To Run Sale of 2YOs where could not find a buyer willing to shell out $35,000.

He finally found a home when purchased on Gavelhouse.com for just $5,500 by his owner John Fiteni as an unraced 3-year-old gelding.

His dam Bula Baby is a two-time race winner by Kaapstad out of the top-class performer Miss Tessla (Crested Wave) a nine-time race winner with stakes victories include the Group II Sedgwick Classic Stakes, and the Listed VRC Matron Stakes and she was also eight-times placed in Group races.

Bula Baby has a 3yo filly by Proisir who was sold for just $1000 at the NZB Karaka May Sale, a 2yo colt by Super Easy and a yearling colt by Proisir. She wasn't covered last year.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Can a Cup Winner Sire a Cup Winner?
In the aftermath of lightly-tried stayer Surprise Baby’s victory in the Group III Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, a ballot-free exemption race for the Group I  Melbourne Cup (3200m), it was hard not to spare a thought for Rich Hill Stud principal John Thompson.
More Success for Rich Hill Stallion Shocking
Rich Hill stallion Shocking has had a wonderful start to the season with his progeny to the fore in both Australia and New Zealand.
Progressive Mare Bred on Magic Cross
The magic Fastnet Rock x Galileo cross that has produced champion mare Via Sistina (IRE) was in the frame overnight in Ireland where six year-old mare Goodie Two Shoes scored a career best win in the Group III Stanerra Stakes (1m6f) at Fairyhouse.
G1 Sprinter Crocetti Returns to Work
Group One-winning sprinter Crocetti has returned to Danny Walker and Arron Tata’s Byerley Park stable with some lofty summer targets in-mind.
Myracehorse Celebrate with Sapphire Rose, then Make it a Winning Double!
The Myracehorse syndicates bring new owners into racing and fresh from a big win at Ballarat on Tuesday with Volkano, the familiar colours were back in the winner’s circle at Canterbury with the Bjorn Baker trained two year-old Sapphire Rose.
Invincible Filly Wins on Debut
There were some nicely bred three year-old fillies looking to shed maiden status at Canterbury on Wednesday in the opening race and it was $850,000 I Am Invincible filly Infusion that got the job done at the first time of asking.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 9
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Tie the Knot Family Still Producing for Tait Family
The Tait family colours were making news last Saturday carried by progressive 2YO Buccleuch, who won the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and back in 2020 they won the same race with Cherry Tortoni and his half-brother was a winner at Canterbury on Wednesday.
New Stakes-Winner for Cup Hero Shocking
Melbourne Cup hero Shocking has been enjoying success this spring with his classy stayer Surprise Baby, who was fifth in the Melbourne Cup, the Rich Hill Stud based sire also producing a new Group III winner in New Zealand on Wednesday.
Day 1 Tattersalls July - Humam Top Seller 190,000 guineas
The opening day of the Tattersalls July Sale saw solid trade headed by the Kingsclere Training Stables consigned HUMAM at 190,000 guineas, one of six lots to realise over 100,000 guineas. A typically international buying bench saw purchasers from France, Libya, Qatar and the UAE as well as Great Britain and Ireland represented in the day’s top ten lots.