breednet.com.au

Snitzel's Thronum All The Way in Australia Stakes

Mark Smith - Friday January 26

Facing the starter for the first time since finishing third behind Jungle Ruler in the Group III Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Sandown back in November, Thronum jumped straight to the front and led at every call in the Group II Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Thursday night.

Ridden by Mark Zahra for trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, the 4yo son of Snitzel came clear to win by a length and a quarter from Mr Sneaky (High Chaparral) with Stellar Collision a long-neck back in third. (photo Grant Courtney )


It was the second stakes success for the Sun Stud colour-bearer advancing his record to 5 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 10 starts with earnings of $329,250

"He's a nice ride because he's got good gate speed," Zahra said.

"Once I was there I was able to get him to relax and he gave me a real nice kick at the top of the straight and was going to be hard to run down.

"He had injuries early and since the Hayes team have got him he has been flying."

Previously the winner of the Listed Rosebud at Randwick, Thronum (pictured as a yearling ) played a little part in history that day as the first stakes-winner for the newly formed partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

He was placed in the Up And Coming Stakes but lost his way after that and was transferred to Lindsay Park where he showed he had regained the form that made him one of the most promising three-year-olds around.

"He came to us from Gai Waterhouse. He's a horse that has a stack of ability," Tom Dabernig said.

"We have only had him for the three runs.

"He won at Bendigo and narrowly missed at Sandown at WFA. Tonight, I thought he controlled the race and gave a good kick.

"He's a well-bred colt with a stack of ability. We've got a lot of options we will be going for a Group 1 win with him now.

"I'm not sure if it's going to be a sprint like an Oakleigh Plate or a Newmarket or whether we go to 14 (hundred metres) in a CF Orr.

"Well done to Sun Stud who put a lot into the industry so it's nice for them to win a feature race."


A $300,000 purchase by Sun Stud out of the Highgrove Stud draft at the 2015 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Thronum is the second foal of the Canadian winner Helena's Secret (USA) (Five Star Day) a half-sister to stakes-winner Tears I Cry (USA) (Chester House) out of the Danzig mare Mount Helena who is a half-sister to champion Street Cry (Machiavellian) out of the Irish Oaks winner Helen Street (Troy).

Highgrove will consign a Sebring half-sister to Thronum at the 2018 Inglis Australia Easter Yearling Sale.

Helena's Secret (USA) has a colt foal by Snitzel and was bred back to Arrowfield Stud's champion son of Redoute's Choice.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Russian Revolution Filly Scores at Arawa Park
Elegant Jazz made a strong opening to her three-year-old campaign at Arawa Park on Wednesday, breaking her maiden with a promising performance in the Novara Park 1230.
4.8 million Irish Oaks winner Leads Record Turnover at Tattersalls December Mares Sale
The extraordinary trade seen at Tattersalls during the October Yearling Sale and last week’s December Foal Sale suggested that something spectacular could be in the offing at the December Mares Sale and so it proved on a day where turnover of 55,168,500 guineas exceeded the previous record for the highest grossing day in European auction history, set at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sa
Christmas Comes Early for Kiwi Racecaller
In Hong Kong, Christmas comes early for racing fans, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club hosting their International Races at Sha Tin each December.
Promising Debut Winner – Three-Quarter Brother for MM 2025
Chiming in late with giant strides at the finish was I Am Invincible filly Arriving Home, who made a winning debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday in the same colours as her Group I winning stablemate Steffi Magnetica.
All Too Hard Sprinter Going Strong
Well-performed speed merchant Babylon Berlin will strip a fitter mare for Saturday’s assignment at Ellerslie.
Vale, Acclamation - Sire of Cox Plate Hero Romantic Warrior
Influential sire Acclamation has died at age 25, only a few weeks after being officially retired from stallion duties at Rathbarry Stud in Ireland.
Aussie Hopes Looking Bright in Hong Kong
The three Australian contenders for this Sunday’s Hong Kong International Races all look in great shape leading into the meeting with Grant Courtney getting some great images from the track.
FBAA Open Letter on the Australian Pattern System
The Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia (FBAA) is writing to address a matter that impacts the foundation of our industry’s credibility and success: the stagnation of the Australian Pattern system and the concerning attempts to assign unapproved Group race status.
La Crique Chasing Another G1
La Crique hasn’t returned to Trentham since she won the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) as a three-year-old, and three years down the track, the star mare will line up as a leading hope in Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m).
Interesting Purchase for Laundry Cottage Stud – In Foal to Chaldean
Laundry Cottage Stud is the farm that produced our Cox Plate winner Via Sistina and also Wootton Bassett, one of the hottest sires this year, and they made an interesting purchase during Tattersalls December Mares Sale Day 2 with a great interview from Gina Bryce with her dad Colin Bryce, who co-owns this G1 producing nursery.