Victorian Owners and Breeders in Celebration Mode on Saturday

Media Release - Monday April 29

Stellar performances by some precocious young horses illuminated Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday (VOBRD), which celebrated its 10th edition at Caulfield yesterday.
 
With Victoria’s Minister for Racing Anthony Carbines and many of the racing and breeding sectors’ biggest names in attendance, VOBRD once again showcased the robust health of the state’s thoroughbred industry.

Stanley Express wins the $1million Showdown - image Racing Photos
 
Victoria’s premier off-season race meeting, offering almost $3 million in prizemoney and bonuses, was headlined by the $1 million TBV VOBIS Platinum Showdown (1200m), which was won for the first time by a debutant in Clinton McDonald’s speed machine Stanley Express (Starspangledbanner x Vivid).

The other feature race, the $500,000 IRT VOBIS Platinum Guineas (1600m), went the way of classy filly Elphinstone (Street Boss x Inflection), who avenged her defeat in last year’s Showdown for the Tony and Calvin McEvoy training team.

Stanley Express’ triumph earned Rosemont Stud a $35,000 VOBIS Sires nominator’s bonus and continued the strong recent run of their former stallion Starspangledbanner, following recent Stakes wins for his juvenile fillies Herastar (Listed Cinderella Stakes) and Lincolnshire (Listed Dequetteville Stakes). The latter, who is trained by the in-form Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman stable, took her earnings past the $100,000 mark after finishing fourth behind Stanley Express in The Showdown.

Advertisement
 
Stanley Express’ dramatic win, which followed the pre-race scratching of hot favourite Bold Bastille, extended McDonald’s purple patch and was another feather in the cap for renowned bloodstock agent Shane McGrath, who also picked out Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) heroine Hayasugi (Royal Meeting x China Road) at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.

Stanley Express owners celebrate - image Racing Photos
 
Whilst the $110,000 he paid for Stanley Express was a touch more than Hayasugi’s $47,500 fee, it has still proved an outstanding bit of business as the chestnut gelding collected a cheque for $571,000 from his very first competitive appearance.      
 
Darley also enjoyed a memorable day with Impending and Territories joining Street Boss, who stands at Winning cotheir Victorian farm, siring VOBRD winners.
 
Berkeley Square (Territories x Bahamas) carried his career earnings close to $1 million when he ended an 18-month barren spell with victory in the Avenel Equine Hospital VOBIS Gold Heath (2000m), whilst Albanian I Am (Impending x Bernicia) scored a third career win with a dominant display in the Here For The Horses Handicap (1800m).

As has been the case in recent editions of VOBRD, Swettenham Stud’s flagbearer Toronado enjoyed another very fruitful afternoon. And whilst he was unable to embellish his remarkable record in The Showdown - his progeny Prince of Sussex and Shesallshenanigans having won in 2019 and 2023 respectively - Toronado did come away from the day with two more winners on his resumé.
 
After progressive mare ExtraTwo (Toronado x Red Pixie) had stamped her class with a third victory in four outings for Ciaron Maher Racing in the VOBIS Gold Distaff (1400m), Celui (Toronado x Momma’s Snitzel) capped another satisfying day for Adam Sangster’s operation when he led all the way in the Cylinder VOBIS Gold Dash (1200m).                  
 
TBV would like to thank Barastoc, Sheen Panel Service, IRT, Avenel Equine Hospital, Racing Victoria, DCE, Darley, Yulong and Blue Gum Farm for sponsoring races on the day, and thank Melbourne Racing Club for organizing such a great day for the industry.


 

Advertisment
More Reading...
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
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.
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.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Coolmore Announce Euro 2025 Fees
Coolmore have announced fees for their 20 strong European sire roster with three new additions City of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact)and Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) and a significant increase for Wootton Bassett, who is currently in Australia.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Melbourne Cup Winner for Extreme Choice – Rare Slice of History
This year’s $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) produced a genuinely amazing fairytale result for the connections of five year-old Extreme Choice gelding Knight’s Choice, but part of that fairytale is his sire Extreme Choice, who has carved out something seriously special as being only the second sire in history to produce the winner of a Golden Slipper and a Melbourne Cup.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.