There will be a total of sixteen stakes race run at Randwick and Flemington on Saturday highlighted by three Group Ones at Randwick (Epsom, Metropolitan and Flight Stakes), the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington and a chance to see the new season babies in the Gimcrack Stakes, Breeders’ Plate and Maribyrnong Trial Stakes, what more could you possibly want.
There is good chance of a notable family double at Randwick. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Written Tycoon filly Enthaar was the undoubted star of the official Randwick 2yo barrier trials and she will be at very short odds whem making her career debut in the Group III Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes.
That was the race that kick-started the career of her auntie Stellar Pauline who will be looking to get back on track in the final event of the day, a competitive as you will find benchmark 88.
An $875,000 Magic Millions purchase for Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables from the Arrowfield Stud draft, Stellar Pauline has won just maiden at Hawkesbury in eight starts but that doesn’t even begin to tell the story.
The daughter of Not A Single Doubt finished second at her first four starts beginning with the Group III Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick, then followed home the enigmatic Aim at Randwick, came closest to Away Game in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast, found the top-class Frankel filly Hungry Heart three-quarters of a length too good in the Group II Sweet Embrace Stakes at Rosehill, before rounding out her juvenile year with a luckless fifth in the Group III Magic Night Stakes.
The new season dawned well for the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained filly with an easy win over 1100m at Hawkesbury but any hope that would be the springboard to a run of success were dashed at her following two starts when unplaced in the Group II Furious stakes and Group II Tea Rose Stakes both won by her stablemate Dame Giselle who will be out to become the third filly in history to sweep the Princess series when she hooks up with old foe Hungry Heart in the Group 1 Flight Stakes on Saturday.
Stellar Pauline is one of eight winners from as many to race out of the unraced Red Ransom (USA) mare Negotiate who is a daughter of Newhaven Park Stud’s Group 1 ATC Champagne Stakes winner Euphoria (Marauding).
A granddaughter of the incredible Denise’s Joy, Euphoria was a $220,000 buyback at the one-off “Sale at the Sanctuary” at Sanctuary Cove and would later make $700,000 to the bid of Roselands Stud at the Newhaven Park dispersal in 1996.
Herself a $230,000 yearling, Negotiate formed a wonderful bond with Not A Single Doubt.
Besides the $584,000 earner Stellar Pauline the union produced the $1.5million earner Secret Agenda whose five stakes successes included the Group 1 SAJC Robert Sangster Classic.
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Blueblood Thoroughbreds colour-bearer was sold to Cressfield Stud in a private transaction, but it would not be a stretch to think the price would have been in the vicinity of her earnings.
Secret Agenda foaled a colt by I Am Invincible last spring and was bred back to Yarraman Park stud’s champion.
It certainly was a great return on the $120,00 shelled out by Blueblood Thoroughbreds for the daughter of Not A Single Doubt from the Arrowfield Stud consignment at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
At the same Sake 12 months earlier Matthew Sandblom outlaid $60,000 for Secret Agenda’s sister Final Agreement.
While not in either of her sister’s class on the track, winning a Gosford maiden in five starts, Final Agreement did cash in on her sibling’s success when Emirates Park willingly parted with $400,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
They would retrieve $270,000 of that when selling the Deep Field colt she was carrying for $270,000.
Two year’s later Final Agreement foaled the Written Tycoon filly Enthaar and judging on her session stealing performance at the Randwick trials, Emirates Park has made a wise decision in racing her.
Like her sister Secret Agenda, Final Agreement had a colt foal by I Am Invincible before missing to him last spring.
Also looking likely to extend the family fortunes is Negotiate’s stakes-placed daughter Sweetener (Snitzel) whose son Disruptor (Dissident) has won two and been runner-up twice in six starts for trainer Gary Portelli.
Sweetener has a 2yo Sebring filly named Bliss and was covered by Dundeel last spring.
The 16yo Negotiate has more to offer. She has an unnamed 2yo colt by Redoute’s Choice, who like all the Arrowfield yearlings, was scratched from this year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
After missing to Not A Single Doubt in 2018, she had a late covering by The Autumn Sun last spring.
