Saturday’s $500,000 Inglis Banner (RL) kickstarts a wonderful day of racing on Ladbrokes Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley.
All but one of the runners would put their owners in the black if successful in banking the $300,000 winner’s cheque.
The exception is Ciaron Maher Racing’s $575,000 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale purchase Ideas Man. The third top lot of the sale the son of Brazen Beau is a half-brother to the stakes-winner Chloe In Paris (Exceed And Excel), out of that wonderful racemare Innovation Girl (Rubiton).
Of course, the pint-sized $45,000 Inglis Classic graduate Mildred is already showing a big profit for the Begg family. The daughter of the sadly missed Hinchinbrook will bid to extend her unbeaten record to three following two wins at Flemington including the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes.
The Lindsay Park-trained Bella Nipotina is currently carrying an unenviable tag. She is the only one of three starters by Cooolmore’s red-hot first season stallion Pride Of Dubai not to win at their first start. She was a luckless fourth at her only start in the Listed Inglis Debutant Stakes at Caulfield won by her paternal half-brother Tanker. The $80,000 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale graduate could make amends here.
However, it will be the lone representative from the flagship Australian Easter Yearling Sale that we will be putting our faith in.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained debutant It’s A Deel looked the goods when winning an 800 metre trial at Cranbourne on October 7.
The son of Dundeel was a $150,000 purchase by Busuttin Racing out of the Arrowfield Stud draft.
Only one of the 13 Dundeels made less at the sale, which earned the emerging superstar stallion a high ranking on Breednet’s profitability ranking with an average of over $309,000.
It’s A Deel lacks for nothing on his dam’s side.
He is the seventh foal of the MRC Merson Cooper Stakes and SAJC Morphettville Guineas winner Lunapur (Flying Spur) who has already left the Group II ATC Phar Lap Stakes winner Colorado Claire (Hussonet) and the Group II MVRC Moonee Valley Vase winner Moonovermanhattan (Manhattan Rain) as well as the dual stakes-placed Moonlight Hussy (Hussonet).
Colorado Claire is the dam of Group II ATC Todman Stakes winner Gunnison (Not A Single Doubt) who was sold to Hong Kong interests for $1,400,000 at the 2017 Chairman’s Sale.
An unraced daughter of Lunaspur, Lunar Lady (Hussonet), is the dam of Group III MVRC Champagne Stakes winner Selenia (Not A Single Doubt).
Lunaspur’s stakes-placed half-sister Lunasong (Unbridled’s Song) is the dam of the Champion 2yo Colt in South Africa 2017-18, Soqrat, a triple Group 1 winning son of Darley Stud’s Epaulette.
Another stakes-placed half-sister to Lunaspur Bubble Blew (Hussonet) who has earned fame as the dam of the exceptional Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Bubbles (Sebring) hero of the Group 1 HKJC Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
The depth of this pedigree is incredible.
Lunapsur’s granddam Luna Blue (Cure The Blues) is a half-sister to Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) winner and exceptional sire Linamix as well as Group 1 Prix Saint Alary heroine Luna Wells and the Group II Grand Prix de Chantilly winner Long Mick.
Lunaspur has a yearling colt from the first crop of the champion Maurice (JPN) although she will not have a foal this spring after missing to Shalaa
