Bullbars and Burgundy add new Group 1 winners
New Group 1 winners
First for Bullbars
Mr Brightside (4 g ex Lilahjay by Tavistock) became the first Group 1 winner for Bullbars (Elusive Quality) when he took out Saturday's Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick. Trained by Ben and JD Hayes, Mr Brightside ran on well in the straight, taking the lead in the closing stages, to beat I'm Thunderstruck (Shocking) by a half length, recording his seventh career victory in a 13 start career. Mr Brightside is also the first Group 1 winner for the late Cambridge Stud-based sire Tavistock (Montjeu) as a broodmare sire.
Formerly based at Highview Stud in New Zealand, Bullbars was sold for $22,500 at the 2020 Inglis Digital April Online Sale.
Two for Burgundy
Group 1 placed in the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) last month, Maven Belle (2 f ex Doyenne by Killimanjaro) recorded her first victory at Group 1 level when she took out Saturday's Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Awapuni. Trained by Michael Walker, the filly beat Wolverine (Tivaci) by a length and a quarter, with Waitak (Proisir) back in third. Maven Bell became the second Group 1 winner for her sire, the late Cambridge Stud-based Burgundy (Redoute's Choice).
Burgundy, who sired his first Group 1 winner last month when Belle En Rouge won the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m), died in 2019.
New stakes winners
185 for Fastnet Rock
Straight Arron (3 g ex Imperial Lass by Tavistock) provided a timely update for his Zoustar (Northern Meteor) half-sister who will be offered as Lot 223 at next week's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, when he won Saturday's Carbine Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Randwick. Starting favourite, the Chris Waller-trained Straight Arron scored a decisive two and three quarter length victory over Jalmari (The Brothers War) and handed his Coolmore Australia-based sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill) his 185th stakes winner. Straight Arron was bought by his trainer for $270,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of his breeder Torryburn Stud, who will offer his half-sister at this year's sale. Fastnet Rock has 17 lots catalogued for next week's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
103 for Teofilo
Former Darley shuttler Teofilo (Galileo) notched up his 103rd stakes winner when the James Cummings-trained Honeycreeper (3 f ex Painted Firetail by Lonhro) won the Adrian Knox Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) at Randwick. Honeycreeper took the lead inside the final 200 metres and was never challenged, pulling well clear of her rivals and beating Charity Spirit (Cable Bay) by three and a quarter lengths, with another three lengths back to the winner's stablemate Mamounia (Medaglia d'Oro) in third. Teofilo shuttled to Australia for six seasons between 2009 and 2017 and his 2022 fee at Darley's Kildangan Stud is set at €30,000.
19 for Shocking
Rich Hill Stud's Shocking (Street Cry) recorded stakes winner number 19 on Saturday when the Mike Moroney-trained Nerve Not Verve (6 m ex Bilancia by Montjeu) won the Chairman's Quality (Gr 2, 2600m) at Randwick. Nerve Not Verve was bought for NZ$60,000 by Bruce Perry Bloodstock at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale and in beating Knights Order (So You Think) by a head, took his record to seven victories and 11 placings in 39 career starts. Shocking has been enjoying a successful season on the track with Nerve Not Verve her sire's eighth individual stakes winner this season.
Three for Kermadec
Darley's Kermadec (Teofilo) sired his third stakes winner when Gundec (3 c ex Sunup by Fantastic Light) won the Bendigo Guineas (Listed, 1400m) at Bendigo on Saturday. Trained by Simon Wilde, Gundec beat Asymmetrical (So You Think) by a half length and took his record to three wins and one placing in eight career starts. Gundec was bought for $10,000 at the Inglis Digital August (Early) Online Sale in 2020 and his prize money now totals almost $200,000. Kermadec covered a book of 90 mares at Darley's Northwood Park last year, his sixth season at stud.
74 for Sebring
The late Widden Stud stallion Sebring (More Than Ready) notched up stakes winner number 74 when Amalfi Prince (3 g ex Campania by Dubai Destination) won the Manawatu Classic (Gr 3, 2000m) at Awapuni. Sold for $150,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Marquee Stud before being purchased by David Ellis at the NZB Ready To Run Sale later that year for NZ$90,000 when offered by Ohukia Lodge, Amalfi Prince was recording his second career victory in seven starts, beating Reach (Charm Spirit) by a length and a quarter.
Sebring died in February 2019.
Eight for Playing God
Second in the Grandstand Cup (Listed, 1500m) last month, Bruce Almighty (6 g ex Isanami by Tayasu Tsuyoshi) won his first stakes race in the Old Comrade Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Ascot on Saturday to give his sire, Playing God (Blackfriars), his eighth stakes winner. The Neville Parnham-trained gelding beat Dom To Shoot (Shooting To Win) by a head with Son Of Bacchus (Playing God) a close third. The Darling View Thoroughbreds-based Playing God has been enjoying a good run, siring three new stakes winners in two weeks. His eight stakes winners are headed by his Group 1 winning daughter Kay Cee, while his son Ex Sport Man is a Group 2 winner.
