Darley's Big Investment in Mare Beginning to Show Returns

Mark Smith - Sunday October 20

Despite leaving some handy types, the former star racemare Star Shiraz did not provide Darley a great return on the  $1,125,000 shelled out at the 2007 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale before on-selling her to Aquis Farm for $200,000 ten years later.

A $15,000 yearling purchase by trainer Rex Lipp, Star Shiraz won six and placed in seven of her 27 starts with earnings of $859,400.

Her highlight came when winning the Group 1 QTC Sires' Produce Stakes and was runner-up in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic and Group 1 QTC TJ Smith Classic.

The first foal of Star Shiraz was the Redoute’s Choice filly Retina who helped write off $22,330 of her dam’s purchase price. In a nine start career her only success came at Doomben at her fifth start but she was clearly talented finishing fourth in a Listed race at Doomben, which encouraged connections to have a sot at the Group II Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill where she failed to flatter.

It did not take long for Retsina to prove her worth at stud.Savatiano all alone at the end of Tristarc Stakes - image Grant Courtney

Sent to Street Cry (IRE) she foaled the filly Savatiano who added to her stakes haul with a hugely impressive win in Saturday’s Schweppes Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

The James Cummings-trained mare came from a wide barrier under Craig Williams to settle outside the pacesetting Teleplay.

When Williams released the brakes, Savatiano put the race to bed in a matter of strides, winning eased down by y two and a quarter lengths from Angelic Ruler (Universal Ruler) with Spanish Whisper (Lope de Vega) a head back in third.

 “It was a nice ride by Craig he took the bull by the horns, controlled the pace outside of the leader and that suited the filly nicely today,” Godolphin representative Sean Keogh said.  

It was the third stakes win for Savatiano after the Group III BRC Glenlogan Park Stakes and Listed WyongRC Mona Lisa Stakes and advancing her record to 7 wins, 8 seconds and 3 thirds from 25 starts with earnings of $840,810.

The daughter of Street Cry (IRE) also owns a Group 1 placing in the Tatt's RC Tattersall's Tiara.

Advertisement

The third foal of Retsina is the highly talented 3yo Lonhhro filly Athiri who has yet to win a stakes although she proved herself among the best of her generation last season.

She defeated subsequent stakes winners Accession and Stronger when making her career debut at Rosehill last December and placed in the Group II Blue Diamond Prelude, Group III Magic Night Stakes and Group III Kindergarten Stakes.

After finishing third in the Listed Cap D'antibes Stakes at Flemington on September 14, Athiri finished an encouraging fourth in the Group III Thoroughbred Club Stakes last week at Flemington so there is still plenty to come for her.

Retsina's 2017 Exosphere colt died after birth but on October 3 last she foaled a Hallowed Crown colt before being bred back to Lonhro.

Star Shiraz is paying her way at Aquis. Her now 2yo Exceed And Excel named Koonunga Hill was purchased by James Bester Bloodstock for $400,000 at the Gold Coast earlier this year.

After missing to American Pharoah (USA) in 2017, Star Shiraz was covered by Spieth last spring.

Though his numbers on the track continue to dwindle with the passage of time, Street Cry (IRE) continues to show us how sadly he is missed even in the post Winx era.

Yesterday his Group 1 winning son Trekking picked up a lazy $1,240,000 for his third placed finish in The Everest at Randwick to vault his earnings to over $3 million while the $1.3 million earner Tally was a fast-finishing second behind Happy Clapper in the Group III Craven Plate.

Advertisment

Race Result - Schweppes Tristarc Stakes Gr2 1400m

Caulfield Track: Good(3) Time: 1:24.23
1
Savatiano
- 5m Street Cry (IRE) x Retsina (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Craig Williams 57
2
2.3
Angelic Ruler
- 4m Universal Ruler (AUS) x Tip The Angel (AUS) (Tip The Pro (AUS))
Tnr: D & B Pearce Rdr: D Oliver 56
3
2.5
Spanish Whisper
- 4m Lope De Vega (IRE) x Cutting Remark (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: D & B Hayes & T Dabernig Rdr: Jye McNeil 58
4
3.0
Pohutukawa
- 4m Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Lumina (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: B Rawiller 57
5
3.1
Invincibella
- 6m I Am Invincible (AUS) x Abscond (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: M J Walker 59
6
3.3
Baccarat Baby
- 4m Casino Prince (AUS) x Meerlust (AUS) (Johannesburg (USA))
Tnr: David Vandyke Rdr: M Hellyer 57
7
4.1
Aristia
- 4m Lonhro (AUS) x Nakaaya (AUS) (Tiger Hill (IRE))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: Damian Lane 59
8
4.4
Jamaican Rain
- 7m Manhattan Rain (AUS) x Heriz (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Richard Laming Rdr: B Melham 57
9
4.5
Krone
- 4m Eurozone (AUS) x Soft Landing (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: B Prebble 56
10
4.8
Naantali
- 5m Rip Van Winkle (IRE) x Zaloot (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Ben Allen 56
10
4.8
Teleplay
- 5m Written Tycoon (AUS) x Special Episode (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: M J Dee 56
12
5.6
Bella Martini
- 5m Stratum (AUS) x Silverbeat (AUS) (Distant Music (USA))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: D Dunn 55
13
6.9
Sheezdashing
- 5m Myboycharlie (IRE) x Dashing Oberon (AUS) (Falbrav (IRE))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: D Yendall 55
14
10.2
Etana
- 4m Shamus Award (AUS) x Pink Siris (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 58
More Reading...
2025 G1 Spring Champion – Pedigree Preview
A lot of attention is paid to the sprinting three year-old division and much less so to the stayers, but with $2million in prizemoney the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday has attracted a full field of 14 and all of them are on trial at the trip.
Street Cry Mare Back to Best at Eagle Farm
With the majority of the field catalogued for the National Broodmare Sale, Magic Millions owner Gerry Harvey had more than a passing interest in Saturday’s Group III Grinders Coffee Roasters Stakes at Eagle Farm but Godolphin homebred Savatiano proved to be the spoiler.
Bold Showing Tipped for Yes Yes Yes 2YO
Speed Demon will be given every opportunity to live up to his name when he makes his debut at Ellerslie.
Gaulois Makes it 129 for Street Cry
Rachel King kept up her remarkable strike rate for Godolphin when she guided the Street Cry (IRE) gelding Gaulois to a maiden stakes success in Saturday’s Listed Civic stakes (1350m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Trekking Parachuted In To The Everest
Godolphin will have a second runner in the $14 million Everest at Randwick if they accept with Trekking who earned a golden ticket with his win in Saturday's Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
End Of An Era - 2025 G1 Cox Plate
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still” - Franklin D Roosevelt.
G1 Champions Mile Next for Ceolwulf
Trainer Joe Pride will likely keep stable star Ceolwulf to a mile as he looks to round off his spring campaign with a first trip away.
Henry Longfellow Pedigree Gets an Update
Group I winning Dubawi stallion Henry Longfellow (IRE) is covering his first Australian book of mares at Rosemont Stud this spring and overnight in Ireland his two year-old sister-in-blood landed her first Group race win.
First Win for $2.1million Magic Millions Sale-Topper
It was a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at Te Aroha on Wednesday when Avantaggia, the filly that topped the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke through for her maiden win in the Donaghys Moxipor (1150m).
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 22
Here is the full list of 37 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.