The Longest Yard Completes a Good Weekend for Lean Mean Machine

Mark Smith - Sunday July 30

On Sunday, the 2yo gelding The Longest Yard made a winning debut against his elders over 1000m at Bairnsdale, completing an excellent weekend for Ponderosa Park and first-season stallion Lean Mean Machine.

No stopping The Longest Yard.(image Ross Holburt/Racing Photos)

Ponderosa Park bred and part-owned the Lean Mean Machine gelding Title Fighter an impressive winner on debut at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Like Title Fighter, The Longest Yard found it challenging to find a home.

He went unsold through the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale and the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale before taking the eye of his trainer, Matthew Brown, at the 2022 Inglis Gold Yearling Sale for $24,000.

After beginning well under Brian Higgins, The Longest Yard drifted back to midfield. Making his run three and four wide, the son of Lean Mean Machine finished powerfully to defeat the 4yo Diddident mare Middle Child by a length with a further length and a half back to the 3yo No Nay Never filly Flower Gallery in third.

The

Advertisement
Longest Yard is the second named foal of the Smart Missile mare Launched. Her first foal is the talented No Nay Never mare No Way Ever, a winner at Flemington, Sandown (x2) and Pakenham for Ciaron Maher & David Eustace.

The Longest Yard a $24,000 Inglis Gold yearling

From the family of Group II MVRC Alister Clark Stakes and Group II MRC Caulfield Autumn Classic winner Tally (Street Cry), Launched had a Frosted colt sell to Enigma Farm for $40,000 when consigned by Maluka Thoroughbreds to the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale Showcase Session.

Launched was covered by Blue Point )IRE) last spring.

The Longest Yard is the fourth first-crop winner for Aquis Farm’s Lean Mean Machine. 

Advertisment

Race Result - Life Members Of Lindenow Racing Club Mdn 1000m

Bairnsdale Track: Good(4) Time: 0:59.51
1
The Longest Yard
- 2g Lean Mean Machine (AUS) x Launched (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Brown Rdr: B Higgins 57
2
1.0
Middle Child
- 4m Dissident (AUS) x Stellas Delight (AUS) (Nuclear Freeze (USA))
Tnr: Patrick Keane Rdr: Luke Campbell 56
3
2.5
Flower Gallery
- 3f No Nay Never (USA) x Classic Brassica (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: T Kilgower Rdr: Tianni Chapman 55.5
4
3.5
Governor Phillip
- 4g Sooboog (AUS) x Mar Mara (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Lisa Jones Rdr: Ms D Keane 56.5
5
4.0
Upforthechallenge
- 3f Ready For Victory (AUS) x Magic Giggle (AUS) (Happy Giggle (AUS))
Tnr: Adele Garraway Rdr: J Maskiell 57.5
6
5.0
Bad Girl Bubbles
- 2f Overshare (AUS) x Miracle To Me (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: John McArdle Rdr: Liam Riordan 55
7
5.2
Golden Zou
- 6g Zoustar (AUS) x Miss Eejay (AUS) (Duke Of Marmalade (IRE))
Tnr: Ms M Rizzo Rdr: Laura Lafferty 59.5
8
5.4
Brennus
- 3g De Gaulle (AUS) x Stirring (NZ) (Align (AUS))
Tnr: T Rogers Rdr: D L Turner 59.5
9
6.1
Frosty Vonn
- 4m Frosted (USA) x Elvonn (AUS) (Hold That Tiger (USA))
Tnr: Paul & Tracey Templeton Rdr: J Noonan 57.5
10
6.9
Never Let Me Go
- 2f No Nay Never (USA) x Fast Susan (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Logan McNeil 55.5
11
7.2
Proud Value
- 5g Lago Delight (AUS) x Miss Beera (AUS) (De Beers (NZ))
Tnr: Kerry Farrugia Rdr: Jessica Booth 55.5
12
9.4
Snowgum
- 4g Moshe (AUS) x Born This Way (AUS) (Desert Sun (GB))
Tnr: C G Murray Rdr: Gary Lo 59.5
More Reading...
World First G1 Success for Rachel King in Japan
Leading Australian jockey Rachel King is no stranger to Group I success, but achieved a first in Japan on Sunday in becoming the first woman to ride a G1 winner on the JRA circuit when steering Costa Nova to victory in the February Stakes (1600m) on the dirt.
G1 Pedigree Watch – Helen Street Making Her Presence Felt
We saw two brand new Group I winners in Australia on Saturday and both super interesting on the pedigree front with one of them a $1.4million yearling and the other a Kiwi bred sprinter, who continued the G1 winning run for the Street Cry sireline and we also take a look at why you need to know more about Helen Street.
'I always thought he was a seven furlong, miler' - Ka Ying Rising Delivers
If we’re talking turf, Hong Kong can justifiably claim to have the best two horses in the world and Ka Ying Rising cemented his part in that brief with another powerful win in the Group I Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Three Fillies Share Top Honours at MM Tasmania
The three top sellers all sold for $80,000 with local buyers competing with those from interstate and overseas to secure the next generation of racetrack stars from the Apple Isle.
How Do You Measure Success?
There are a lot of ways to measure the success of a stallion, but for elite breeders looking to produce serious racehorses it’s all about Black Type horses and this young stallion has really spread his wings.
Sires With Winners - Sunday February 23
Here is the full list of 73 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G1 Bonecrusher Stakes Next for Orchestral
Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood will head into next week’s Champions Day at Ellerslie with a trio of leading chances, with all three pleasing in their final hit-outs at the Auckland track on Saturday.
Trelawney Stud Excited to Offer Shanwah Half-Brother at Inglis Easter
Shanwah’s victory in the Gr.2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday was timely for his breeder’s Trelawney Stud, who are set to offer his half-brother at Inglis’ Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April.
A Torryburn Gasp Before their Plain Bay Fellow Wins G1 No 4
The Torryburn stud team, watching as they always do when their ‘plain bay fellow’ races, would have had a gasp or two mid race but it ended up as easy as it comes with Voyage Bubble making it three Group I wins from his last three starts in the Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Wrote 3YO Impressive on Sunday
Bruce Wallbank describes Midnight Edition as his one-in-a-million horse and the exciting three-year-old gave the Pukekohe horseman plenty to cheer about on his home track on Sunday.