Young sire O'Lonhro took the spotlight at the Pakenham Cup meeting on April 26 with two winners for the son of Lonhro.
Big Boy Jackie led throughout in the opening event whilst first starter Lirabird came from behind to claim the second.
Favourite at debut having only just been beaten in a Cranbourne trial, the Geni Gillis trained Lirabird sat wide in the 1200m maiden but extended well for an impressive win.
"She has always showed us that she has a fair bit going for her," Gillis said. "She is a staying type of filly I am confident that she will be even better over more ground."Another exciting recent runner by O'Lonhro is the Queenslander Je Suis Prest who showed great speed when leading throughout to win at Beaudesert at only her second start.
Her trainer Brad Herne is a big fan of the O'Lonhro breed."They all seem to have a fight and toughness about them and they are traits that can take a racehorse a long way,” he said.
"We bought this filly out of the paddock as a broken in, unraced two-year- old from Larneuk Stud. I headed down there again before Christmas to buy a couple more of them.”O'Lonhro's progeny have raced 16 times this month recording four victories and six placings.
The G2 winer of the Chelmsford Stakes has sired eight winners from his first 23 runners with another eight placed and 20 are prize money earners."It has been a most encouraging start for O'Lonhro," said Larneuk Stud’s Neville Murdoch.
"His progeny were always going to hit their peak at three and beyond and I am really looking forward to their progression from here."By champion racehorse and sire Lonhro, O’Lonhro represents the tough and durable Sir Tristram and Zabeel line.
“I was very keen to stand a horse capable of passing on those attributes,” Murdoch said."He is doing a great job and I could not be more pleased.”
