First G1 Winner for Merchant Navy Highlights Edinburgh Park

Tara Madgwick - Saturday May 20

The Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale next week will feature a major dispersal of stock from Ian Smith’s Edinburgh Park and their success was highlighted on Saturday when quality three year--old filly Royal Merchant became the first Group I winner for her sire Merchant Navy when taking out the $500,000 Group I SAJC Goodwood Handicap (1200m) at Morphettville.

3YO filly Royal Merchant beats older mares to win the Goodwood - image Atkins Photography

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Royal Merchant was a last start winner of the Group II SAJC Tobin Bronze Stakes and made it back to back stakes wins over the same course.

Ridden by Mick Dee, she hit the line hard with a well-timed run to beat older mares Another Award and Zapateo in a hectic finish.

 

Her victory capped an amazingly successful Adelaide carnival for the Maher and Eustace stable, who have won three of the four Group I races and finished second in the other.

“We were hopeful of getting a placing, but we didn’t expect a win. It’s a credit to her as she’s incredibly tough. She’s had to dance every dance,” David  Eustace said.

“She’s delivered and full credit to Mickey Dee, who kept it nice and smooth. I was confident at the top of the straight she would be in the finish.”

“She’s very, very tough.  It took us a bit of time to work out what her best trip is and a strong 1200m is her go. That’s a big effort from a three-year-old filly.”

Dee heads to Hong Kong next week following a super successful season and rode Royal Merchant last start and again today.

“She gave me a better feeling than last start. Full credit to the team. They got her a black-type last start and now another one,” Dee said.

“I had to do it the hard way. She was wide and I pressed the button too early. It was an amazing effort from her.”

Royal Merchant was bred and sold by Edinburgh Park.

Bred and sold by Edinburgh Park, Royal Merchant was bought by Ciaron Maher for $160,000 at Magic Millions and has the overall record of four wins and four placings from 12 starts with prizemoney topping $582,000.

She is the second stakes-winner for Merchant Navy, whose other stakes-winner Steel City is also trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, probably no coincidence as Maher was the original trainer for Merchant Navy when he won his first four starts.

Merchant Navy has relocated to Kooringal Stud.

Merchant Navy has relocated this spring and will stand at Kooringal Stud at a fee of $13,200.

Royal Merchant is the first winner for Seventhchic, a metro winning half-sister to stakes-placed Alburq tracing in tail female line to blue hen Eau D’Etoile, the dam of Group I winners Bint Marscay, Filante and Kenny’s Best Pal.

Edinburgh Park sold a yearling colt from Seventhchic by The Autumn Sun at Magic Millions this year for $170,000 and she has a filly to follow by Graff and was covered by Palace Pier (GB) last spring.

Click to see what  mares are in the Edinburgh Park unreserved dispersal.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - The Tab Goodwood Gr1 1200m

Morphettville Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:11.19
1
Royal Merchant
- 3f Merchant Navy (AUS) x Seventhchic (AUS) (Seventh Reason (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: M J Dee 52.5
2
0.3
Another Award
- 5m Shamus Award (AUS) x El Milagro (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: L Macdonald & A Gluyas Rdr: J Holder 53
3
1.1
Zapateo
- 4m Brazen Beau (AUS) x Jerezana (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: D Oliver 55
4
1.7
Lofty Strike
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Overreach (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Julius Sandhu Rdr: J Mott 54.5
5
1.9
Seradess
- 4m Astern (AUS) x Obsidian Dragon (AUS) (Hidden Dragon (AUS))
Tnr: Mark & Levi Kavanagh Rdr: Todd Pannell 55
6
2.4
Front Page
- 6g Magnus (AUS) x Stacey Lee (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: G M Duryea Rdr: W Egan 58.5
7
2.9
Kallos
- 4g Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Calliope (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: B Melham 57
8
3.6
Kementari
- 8g Lonhro (AUS) x Yavanna (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Jake Toeroek 57
9
3.7
Frankie Pinot
- 6g Your Song (AUS) x My Last Fling (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Madison Lloyd 54.5
10
3.8
General Beau
- 4h Brazen Beau (AUS) x Phosphorescence (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: Lachlan Neindorf 54.5
11
4.6
Not An Option
- 5g Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Patrick Moloney 54.5
12
4.7
Curran
- 5g Night Of Thunder (IRE) x Tramell (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Ms L Tolson & Ms L Proctor Rdr: C Newitt 57
13
5.8
Zoutori
- 7g Zoustar (AUS) x Atotori (AUS) (Haradasun (AUS))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: Craig Williams 54.5
14
7.0
Mnementh
- 6g Eurozone (AUS) x Yurrapendi (AUS) (Pendragon (NZ))
Tnr: Mitchell Beer Rdr: J Mallyon 54.5
15
7.5
Savatoxl
- 7g Kuroshio (AUS) x Li'L Miss Hayley (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: W A Savage Rdr: Ms C Jones 57
16
7.7
Free Of Debt
- 6g Unencumbered (AUS) x Stagerush (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: Chris Bieg Rdr: J Potter 56
More Reading...
Kiwi Vendor Celebrating Sales and Racetrack Success
Vendor Barry Donoghue enjoyed a lucrative two days at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale last week and he’s now celebrated a significant result in another role.
Elite 1088- Karaka 2025 Unveiled
Hot on the heels of a record-breaking Ready to Run Sale, the cream of New Zealand’s yearling crop has been revealed for Karaka 2025.
G1 Pedigree Watch - Plus Up and Comers
The spring carnival might be over, but the G1 action is now in Perth and a Queenslander took the top prize and we are also looking at a few other stakes-winners that hold the promise of more to come.
Merchant Navy's Royal Merchant Salutes in 3yo & 4yo Stakes - Graff Half-Sister at Magic Millions
With wins in the Group 1 SAJC Goodwood Handicap and Group II SAJC Tobin Bronze Stakes, Royal Merchant was the class act in Wednesday’s Magic Millions Wyong 3yo & 4yo Stakes (1200m), but she was put to a stern test from stablemate Semana.
Sires With Winners - Sunday November 24
Here is the full list of 72 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G2 Win for Royal Merchant Highlights Edinburgh Park Success
The upcoming Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale will feature a major dispersal of stock from Ian Smith’s Edinburgh Park and their success was highlighted on Saturday when quality three year--old Merchant Navy filly Royal Merchant claimed her first Black Type win in the Group II SAJC Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m).
Do Deuce From Last to First in Japan Cup
The visitors were once again humbled by the locals in the 44th running of Sunday’s Group 1 Longines Japan Cup (2400m) at Tokyo Racecourse.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 25
Here is the full list of 10 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Yulong Announce Sad Passing of G1 Winning Mare
Yulong released a video Tweet last week recapping their sensational spring carnival results and also revealing the passing of their dual Group I winning Frankel mare Hungry Heart.
Prima Park Perfect Clearance at Ready to Run
Prima Park has accrued an enviable record with their New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale graduates, and farm principal Kelly Van Dyk is hoping they can add another to that list from their 2024 draft.