The 2007 VRC Oaks heroine, Arapaho Miss, is among the senior citizens at Westbury Stud. Still, the daughter of Danehill Dancer (IRE) continues to produce the goods, with the 4-year-old Reliable Man (GB) gelding Roaring Engine climbing off the canvas to win over 200m at Sandown-Hillside and his 3-year-old half-brother by Tarzino scoring a last to first win over 2040m at Doomben so impressively he is being talked off as a Derby contender.
The win of the Danny O’Brien-trained Roaring Engine was quite remarkable. Martial Eagle (IRL) cruised past Roaring Engine and put a neck on him before the son of Reliable Man (GB) rallied to snatch a most unlikely victory.
He is in rare form, having won at Werribee before falling a nose short after a barnstorming finish over 2500m at Moonee Valley.
Roaring Engine was not far away in the Listed Galilee Final and VRC St Leger at Sandown-Lakeside, so the brother to the 2019 Group 1 VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound may have a stakes win in his yet.
With three wins, a second, and a third from 13 starts and earnings of $106,000, he looks certain to cover his $175,000 purchase by his trainer at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Kadavar did not come as cheap. Mulcaster Bloodstock / Chris Waller Racing shelled out $300,000 for the son of Tarzino from the Webury draft in Book 1 at Karaka.
Sporting the all-so-familiar white, royal blue hooped sleeves and cap of Neville Morgan and David Devine, Kadavar kept his record at a perfect two for two in a class 1 over 2040m at Doomben.
Ryan Maloney looked to be working hard on Kadavar with little response. Still, when the Tarzino gelding put his mind on the job, he rounded up his talented stablemate and odds-on favourite Demarcay (GER) in the final bound.
Besides Miami Bound, Arapaho Miss has the stakes-winning Encosta de Lago gelding De Little Engine and the 19-year-old mare is not one yet.
Her yearling Reliable Man (GB) colt failed to make his $100,000 reserve at Karaka in January.
He is followed by a yearling Tarzino filly and was bred back to the Westbury Stud resident.