Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday February 25

A crushing blow for trainer Julius Sandhu and owner Paul Lofitis with the well-fancied Lofty Strike withdrawn from the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes and another missed opportunity for Snitzel to close the gap on a rampaging I Am Invincible in the race for the champion stallion.

In a wide-open race, I Am Invincible has three solid chances, Counttheheadlights, Hafey and Waltz On By.

Waltz On By is out of a mare by Street Cry (IRE), whose daughters also supply Godolphin's talented Epaulette colt Daumier and the Peter Moody-trained Rampant Lion who, unlike Lofty Strike, passed his vet check.

The latter is a son of the great Frankel out of the unraced Furnival (USA). He has made two starts to date.

Advertisement

Following a debut third in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) at Flemington last October, Rampant Lion made his first appearance in 16 weeks when runner-up to Daumier in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield on January 26.

Bred by Rosemont Stud, Rampant Lion failed to make his $550,000 reserve at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is the fourth foal and first in Australia for Furnival (USA).

 Conceived in America before being sent to Europe, Furnival (USA) comes from Australian racing royalty.

Consigned by Darley to the 2013 Tattersalls July Sale as an unraced three-year-old, Furnival (USA) sold for just 6,500gns.

Rampant Lion failed to make his $550,000 reserve as a yearling

While she had an attractive pedigree for Australians, it meant little in Europe, although to be fair, the close-up stakes action had yet to occur.

Furnival (USA) is a daughter of the dual Group III winner Wild Queen (Loup Sauvage), who Darley purchased as a yearling for $260,000.

Her first foal is the Melbourne winning Redoute's Choice mare Yavanna, who has taken the family to new heights. She is the dam of Group 1 ATC Royal Randwick Guineas winner and $2.5million earner Kementari (Lonhro) and Listed Lonhro Plate winner and Group 1 ATC Sires' Produce Stakes runner-up Telperion (Street Cry).

From the incomparable Denise's Joy family, Furnival (USA) missed to Lonhro in 2019 before foaling a filly by Starspangledbanner last spring.

The daughter of Street Cry (IRE) was among the 216 mares covered by Shamus Award but failed to conceive. 

Somewhat surprisingly, Frankel has made his presence felt in Australia with his two-year-olds. Despite limited representation, Juddmonte Farm’s champion son of Galileo had the Group 1 BRC JJ Atkins Stakes winner Converge last year and Hungry Heart won the Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes in 2020 before claiming the Group 1 ATC Oaks and Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes last season at three. The Chris Waller-trained mare chases a fourth Group 1 in the Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.  

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.