Sires With Winners - Friday January 29

The owners of Damask Rose have been given a late Christmas present, with Te Akau Racing selecting the exciting filly to represent their slot in the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) on Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 8.

Champion trainer Chris Waller prepared quality three year-old colt Yes Yes Yes to win the Everest in 2019 and got a Boxing Day reward from the young sire with a pair of promising three year-old maiden winners that saluted within half an hour of each other at Randwick and Newcastle and one of them is the last foal of a celebrated blue hen.

A hard-fought victory at the Caulfield Heath on Boxing Day by promising three-year-old Centennial Park, could be a precursor to a lucrative feature across the Tasman and has also brought a timely pedigree update for his half-sister to be offered by Wentwood Grange at Karaka Book 1.

The most expensive yearling sold by Torryburn Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale was a lovely Exceed and Excel filly from Group I winner Dixie Blossoms that caught the eye of Godolphin and was secured for $900,000.

A brilliant front running ride by Courtney Barnes and a never say die attitude from her mount Hitabell provided trainer Stephen Marsh with a Boxing Day double as the trio combined to claim the Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie.

After a busy weekend of racing, the Magic Millions order of entry for the 2YO Classic and 3YO Guineas have been given a shake up with two fillies by Blue Point (IRE), a stallion that has had a mixed reception Australia, shooting into contention for the big day at the Gold Coast on January 11.

This year’s phenomenal rise of Snazzytavi was fittingly capped off in the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day, but another star mare didn’t let her away with an easy victory in the Ellerslie feature.

Osteria was only upstaged by his talented older stablemate last time out, and back in his own age group, the gelding will be a contender in Thursday’s Gr.2 Shaw’s Wire Ropes Auckland Guineas (1400m) at Ellerslie.

In a blockbuster edition of the Gr.2 Shaw’s Wire Ropes Auckland Guineas (1400m), outsider Midnight Edition and favoured runner Yaldi went to the line as one, with the latter securing the Boxing Day feature in a protest.

About Time was a rising star in the staying ranks as a three-year-old, and 12 months later, the Cambridge Stud mare collected another holiday feature with a powerful display in the $125,000 Dunstan Stayers Championship Final (2400m) on Boxing Day.