Metro Staying Winner for Merchant Navy

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday July 19

Standing at Kooringal Stud this spring, Merchant Navy broke new ground at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when siring his first winner at a distance of 2000m or more when progressive filly Venetian Blue saluted as favourite.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian bott, Venetian Blue has had plenty of racing this preparation and is still enjoying her racing after breaking her maiden over 1600m back in April.

She had to chase down her stablemate Okataina and did a good job to overhaul that filly and win the 2130m Benchmark 64 event by a long neck.

 

“She’s been incredibly tough and has kept improving with every bit of work we’ve given her and she’s taken that next step today,” said Adrian Bott.

Venetian Blue was a Magic Millions purchase from Segenhoe.

Venetian Blue was a $320,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Segenhoe draft for Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbredsand has the overall record of two wins and four placings from 10 starts with prizemoney just shy of $100,000.

Venetian Blue was bred by Go Bloodstock and is the first winner for Group II VRC Wakeful Stakes winner Thunder Lady (NZ), a staying daughter of Mastercraftsman (IRE) that was also second in the Group I VRC Oaks.

Merchant Navy, click for more info.

Merchant Navy has sired over 30 winners this season of $2.3million highlighted by his Group I winner Royal Merchant and stands this spring at Kooringal Stud at a fee of $13,200.

 

Visit the profile page for Merchant Navy

Merchant Navy in upcoming sales:
Advertisment

Race Result - Tab (Bm64) 2130m

Warwick Farm Track: Soft(5) Time: 2:10.49
1
Venetian Blue
- 3f Merchant Navy (AUS) x Thunder Lady (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 56
2
0.3
Okataina
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x Mystery Lake (USA) (Shackleford (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: A Hyeronimus 58
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $200,000
Seller: Sledmere Stud, Scone, NSW (As Agent for Waikato Stud)
Buyer: Anthony Cummings Racing
3
3.8
Sugoi Legend
- 3g Maurice (JPN) x Arleigh (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: S Clipperton 58
4
5.3
Jamrock
- 3g Pierro (AUS) x Estijmaam (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 59
5
5.4
Socrates
- 5g Tavistock (NZ) x Tricia'O (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: James Ponsonby Rdr: Tom Sherry 60
6
5.8
Bak Da Man
- 5g Reliable Man (GB) x Bak Da Princess (NZ) (Danske (NZ))
Tnr: Nathan Doyle Rdr: Amy Mc Lucas 57.5
7
7.7
Dhakuri
- 5g Contributer (IRE) x Nanda Kot (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Nathan Doyle Rdr: Benjamin Osmond 59
8
8.9
Tudor Prince
- 7g All Too Hard (AUS) x Allez Wonder (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Ms A Turner Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 61.5
9
10.1
Yak
- 7g Animal Kingdom (USA) x Never Fade (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: M J Lunn Rdr: R Dolan 58.5
10
14.8
Really Serious
- 4m Foxwedge (AUS) x But I'M Serious (AUS) (Bianconi (USA))
Tnr: R & L Price Rdr: Zac Lloyd 56.5
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 14
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Dark Horse Gets Top Ranking
The flat season is officially over in the UK and Ireland barring a handful of all weather track meetings and while the champion sire for GB/ Ireland by prizemoney is not declared until the end of the year and often produces a predictable victor a long way from the finish line, this year has been different and the champion sire elect has a name that will make plenty of Queensland breeders very happ
Costae to Run for OTI in G1 NZ 1000 Guineas
Emerging filly Costae has taken the rarest of avenues to the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, where she will bid to deliver a dream result for a new ownership group.
Family Favourites – Breednet Helps You Find Them at Magic Millions
The release of the 2025 Magic Millions catalogue on Tuesday has kept the IT team at Breednet busy integrating the data into our system and one of the most popular innovations around that is Family Search, which allows the user to search for any named horses to find all yearlings to be offered from that female family.
Keeneland November Breeding Sale Concludes After Nine Day Run
Keeneland’s 81st November Breeding Stock Sale closed Wednesday following nine days of vibrant trade from a global buying bench that yielded healthy across-the-board gains, led by gross sales through the ring of $187.5 million and a record median of $40,000 to signal continued buyer confidence and market stability.
Karaka Millions Opportunities Aplenty in Ready to Run Sale Catalogue
The quality on offer in the 404-lot strong catalogue of NZB’s 2024 Ready to Run Sale due to kick off next week, is further boosted by the eligibility of 28 Karaka Millions nominated lots on offer. 
Up and Comer Fillies Chasing G1 Guineas
Worth $1.5million, the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday is the last G1 of the spring for three year-olds and has drawn an intriguing field of 13 fillies and only one of them was a stakes-winner last season at two.
Fee Increase for Lope de Vega
Shamardal’s Group I winning son Lope de Vega started his stud career shuttling to Patinack Farm in Hunter Valley from 2011 to 2014 at fees of $27,500 and then $22,000, but has shot to fame in the years since then with Ballylinch Stud in Ireland announcing his 2025 fee at €175,000.
Fillies Enter Frame for Karaka Millions 2YO
A pair of fillies moved into prominent positions on the order of entry for the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) with impressive winning performances over the weekend.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were just two heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning, but they held plenty of interest with colts by Wootton Bassett (GB) and Farnan catching the eye.