Fascino and La Falaise Share The Spoils in Fillies Classic

Mark Smith - Saturday October 26

Just one of the nine three-year-old fillies contesting Saturday’s Group II Antler Luggage Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley had a stakes win to their credit but at the end of the 1600 metres, that number had increased to three.

The judge could not separate the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Fasino and the Henry Dwyer-trained La Falaise.

La Falaise flashes late to deat-heat with Fascino

Fascino, under Mark Zahra, looked set to tough out a narrow win however La Falaise under Ben Melham made a late dive to share the spoils with Chris Waller’s Fastnet Rock filly Nudge a neck back in third.

While the Charm Spirit filly Fascino was the most expensive filly in the field have been purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / Waterford Bloodstock for $400,000 out of the Windsor Park draft out of Book 1 of the 2018 Karaka Yearling Sale, the Canford Cliffs filly La Falaise came from the other end of the spectrum being  bargain-basement $5,000 purchase Forest Lodge Racing from the Blue Gum Farm draft at the 2018 VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale.

La Falaise takes her record to 2 wins and 1 third from 6 starts with earnings of $220,610 while Fascino advances her record to 2 wins, 1 second and 1 third from 7 starts with earnings of $210,250.

Dwyer said La Falaise had earned a spell.La Falaise sporting her new rug - image Grant Courtney

"She's very fine and light so with a bit of sun on her back over the spring and early summer she's going to be a beautiful filly in the autumn," he said.

Ciaron Maher said they will consider next Saturday's Wakeful Stakes (2000m) for Fascino.

"She never struck me as a horse that will stay but three-year-olds, if they are in form, can race over distances further than their best if they're in good order," Maher said.

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"We may look at the Wakeful. I don't think she would run an Oaks trip (2500m). I'm not ruling that out, but I don't think so."

The best of two winners from as many foals for the stakes-winning Exceed And Excel mare Exceedingly French, La Falaise becomes the 14th stakes-winner for the former shuttler Canford Cliffs (IRE).

Blue Gum consigned a Street Boss (USA) filly out of Exceedingly French to this year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale where she was knocked down to Shane Nichols Racing for $100,000.

Exceedingly Good has a yearling filly by Manhattan Rain and was covered by the son of Encosta de Lago again last year.Fascino gets her chance to model the winners spoils image Grant Courtney

In becoming the third stakes-winner for Windsor Park Stud shuttler Charm Spirit (IRE), Fascino is the second winner first stakes-winner for the top-class Savabeel mare Lady Kipling a dual Group II winner in New Zealand who runner-up in the Group 1 WRC Captain Cook Stakes Group 1 Thorndon Mile, Group 1 Otaki Maori RC WFA Stakes and third in the Levin Classic.

Windsor Park consigned a Tavistock colt out of Lady Kipling to the 2019 NZB Karaka Sale with Aquis Farm / DGR Thoroughbreds / Sargent Racing having the final say at $230,000.

Lady Kipling has a yearling filly by Turn Me Loose.

Full brother to Fascino pictured wt Windsor Park

She has also foaled again at Windsor Park this spring producing a colt by Charm Spirit (IRE)  pictured above.

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Race Result - Antler Luggage Fillies Classic Gr2 1600m

Moonee Valley Track: Good(4) Time: 1:37.21
1
Fascino
- 3f Charm Spirit (IRE) x Lady Kipling (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: M Zahra 57
1
La Falaise
- 3f Canford Cliffs (IRE) x Exceedingly French (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Henry Dwyer Rdr: B Melham 57
3
0.3
Nudge
- 3f Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Julinsky Princess (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Bowman 57
Fastnet Rock
4
0.5
Bonvicini
- 3f Myboycharlie (IRE) x Orvieto (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Craig Williams 57
5
2.3
Beauty Bolt
- 3f Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Sasa (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: Jordan Childs 57
6
2.4
Quantum Mechanic
- 3f Deep Field (AUS) x Life In A Metro (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: D Oliver 57
7
3.7
Aspect Ratio
- 3f Declaration Of War (USA) x Poste Restante (NZ) (Postponed (USA))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57
8
5.5
Asiago
- 3f Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Disputes (AUS) (Manton (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: K Mc Evoy 57
9
7.5
Miss Maddie
- 3f Star Witness (AUS) x My Thriller (AUS) (Artie Schiller (USA))
Tnr: D R Brideoake Rdr: D W Stackhouse 57
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