Sea the Stars Australian Stakes Quinella

Tara Madgwick - Saturday June 3

The $160,000 Listed ATC Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday produced a stakes quinella for Aga Khan Stud’s Sea the Stars, who sired Emily Upjohn to win the Group I Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday.

Al Aabir (IRE) claims his first stakes win in Australia - image Steve Hart

It was also a Chris Waller quinella with Al Aabir (IRE) edging out his stablemate Desert Icon (FR)  to win by a neck in a thrilling finish with Kerrin McEvoy taking off on the favourite a long way from home to put him into the race.

Al Aabir came to Australia after just two starts in the UK where he placed both times and broke his maiden at Ballarat last September. He has gradually worked through his grades and was favourite for the Winter Cup with his first Black Type success taking his overall record to five wins and five placings from 13 starts.

Advertisement

 

"It was a bold move from Kerrin to get going as early as he did," Waller said.

"The plan was to ride him conservative, just steady and build. But that's the art of these good jockeys they make these decisions based on the lack of tempo, which the race was lacking in the middle stages. 

"He got going and he knew what he was doing." 

Al Aabir was originally purchased by Shadwell as a yearling at Tattersalls October for 200,000 guineas and was then bought by Go Racing NZ for 50,000 guineas at the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.

He is the best of two winners from Wo De Xin, an unraced Shamardal mare from the family of Group I winners Love Divine, Sixties Icon and Dunboyne Express.

Sea the Stars

Al Aabir is the 106th stakes-winner for Galileo’s champion half-brother Sea the Stars, who stands at the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud at a fee of 180,000 euros.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Bowermans Winter Cup LR 2400m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 2:33.00
1
Al Aabir
- 4g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Wo De Xin (GB) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 53
2
0.2
Desert Icon
- 7g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Plume Rose (GB) (Marchand De Sable (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Prebble 59
3
1.5
The Mediterranean
- 5h Galileo (IRE) x Flashy Wings (GB) (Zafonic (USA))
Tnr: Sara Ryan Rdr: Reece Jones 55.5
4
2.9
Auspicious Cloud
- 4m American Pharoah (USA) x Galizani (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: J Ford 53
5
3.0
Spirit Ridge
- 8g Nathaniel (IRE) x Tates Creek (USA) (Rahy (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: S Clipperton 58.5
6
3.1
Pesto
- 7g New Approach (IRE) x Pickle (GB) (Piccolo (GB))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Tyler Schiller 53
7
3.4
Shameless Miss
- 5m Shamexpress (NZ) x Courtney (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 53
8
3.8
Credit Crunch
- 5m Real Impact (JPN) x Bec Said No Credit (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: D R Beasley 54
9
8.2
Herman Hesse
- 6g Frankel (GB) x Dream Peace (IRE) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 54
More Reading...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
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!
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.
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.
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.