Godolphin don’t buy many yearlings at the sales, but a Fastnet Rock filly they snapped up from the Cressfield draft at Magic Millions in 2020 for $600,000 gave them a big result when winning the Group III MVRC Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Talented filly Hellfest has been handled patiently by James Cummings making her debut with a fifth at Canterbury last November before winning subsequent starts at Newcastle and Gosford.
Dispatched to Melbourne for a crack at Black Type she faced a big class rise, but rose to the challenge for Jye McNeil to surge late and score a nose win over Champagne Dreams.
“It was a super win, Godolphin have had great success when purchasing from Magic Millions over the last couple of years and winning the Magic Millions (Exhilarates),” said stable representative Sean Keogh.
“James has given her plenty of time to strengthen up as she is a big style of filly.
“Jye gave her a great run and got her in a super sweet spot, he didn’t get down to the rail too early and when the others were petering out she was finishing strongly.”
Bred and sold by Cressfield, Hellfest has the impressive record of three wins from four starts with prizemoney topping $166,000.
She is a half-sister to Group III placed Euphoric Summer and is the best of four winners from four to race from Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap winner Mid Summer Music, who was bought for Cressfield at the 2014 Inglis Broodmare Sale by Bruce Perry Bloodstock for $375,000.
Cressfield sold an All Too Hard yearling filly from Mid Summer Music at Magic Millions this year for $140,000 to Cunningham Thoroughbreds/Clarke Bloodstock Pty Ltd (FBAA)/Bjorn Baker Racing.
Mid Summer Music had a colt by Deep Field last spring and was then covered by Bivouac.
Hellfest is the 184th stakes-winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock, who has three entries for Inglis Premier starting this Sunday.