Justify Colt Wins G3 SA Sires Produce Stakes

Tara Madgwick - Saturday May 13

Returning to Coolmore this spring, Triple Crown hero Justify (USA) posted a third Australian stakes-winner when blue-blood colt Air Assault delivered on potential to win the Group III SAJC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

A work in progress trained by Leon Macdonald Andrew Gluyas, Air Assault had been showing gradual improvement in previous runs with a last start fifth in the Group III SA Breeders Stakes giving connections optimism for a step out to 1400m.

Well ridden by Jason Holder, Air Assault worked forward to lead and once he settled into a rhythm was always going to be hard to catch.

He led for home and fought off all challengers to win by a long neck over the favourite Nodachi, breaking his maiden with a Group victory.

 

Passed in as a yearling and retained to race, Air Assault was bred by Harry Perks and partners and was raised at Mill Park in South Australia.

Air Assault as a yearling.

He is a half-brother to Group I ATC Champagne Stakes winner Go Indy Go (who  also won the G3 SA Sires Produces Stakes), Group III winner Essay Raider and Group III placed Battle Brewing being the third stakes-winner among seven winners from outstanding producer Elegant Eagle.

“He stuck to his guns and has been looking for the 1400m,” said Andrew Gluyas.

“We’re always around the mark in this race with these emerging two year-olds. Elegant Eagle has been a great producer for us although she’s getting a bit long in the tooth, but along the way has left stayers, sprinters and all sorts of different horses.

“We’ll send him for a spell now and hopefully in the spring we’ll have the genuine article.”

A winning daughter of champion sire Zabeel, Elegant Eagle is a full sister to the dam of Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed from the family of Golden Slipper winner Ha Ha, so it’s a genuinely versatile family at the elite level.

Elegant Eagle was retired from stud duty at the start of this year and her last foal is a colt by Omaha Beach (USA) born last spring.

Justify stands at a fee of $77,000 .

Air Assault is the third Australian stakes-winner and tenth worldwide for Justify, whose first crop stats in Australia are looking very promising. From 10 runners here, he has left five winners and three of them are stakes-winners.

Justify is set to be crowned Champion Australian First Season Sire and is back at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $77,000.

 

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Tab Sth Aust. Sires' Produce Gr3 1400m

Morphettville Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:24.50
1
Air Assault
- 2c Justify (USA) x Elegant Eagle (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: L Macdonald & A Gluyas Rdr: J Holder 57.5
Justify
2
0.3
Nodachi
- 2f No Nay Never (USA) x Kaiken (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: John Allen 55.5
3
2.8
Harley'N'Rose
- 2g Holler (AUS) x Zaraya Rose (AUS) (Hawk Wing (USA))
Tnr: G Richards & D Moyle Rdr: Todd Pannell 57.5
4
4.2
Tokyo Star
- 2f Staphanos (JPN) x Copacabana (NZ) (Captain Rio (GB))
Tnr: Alexander Rae Rdr: Chris Parnham 55.5
5
4.8
Anticks
- 2f Rubick (AUS) x Fitna (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: S P Nichols Rdr: D Moor 55.5
6
5.0
Diamonds Choice
- 2f So You Think (NZ) x Fullazz (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Chris Bieg Rdr: Ms C Jones 55.5
7
5.5
Long Lost Friend
- 2f Shamoline Warrior (AUS) x Friendwithbenefits (AUS) (Street Boss (USA))
Tnr: Ben Brisbourne Rdr: Declan Bates 55.5
More Reading...
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.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
A Group winner at two and a stakes-winner last spring, Air Assault is now a four time stakes-winner after adding the Listed SAJC  Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) to his tally at Morphettville on Saturday.
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.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
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.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Two heats at the Rosehill trials on Monday morning over 900m and the quickest of those was won by an expensive son of Golden Slipper winning first season sire Farnan.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Air Assault Lands the Balaklava Cup as Another Melbourne Spring Looms
Midweek stakes-racing at Balaklava on Wednesday with the running of the Listed BTR Excavations Balaklava Cup (1600m), where the Justify gelding Air Assault demonstrated his courage to land a fifth stakes victory.