The Group III James Squire Angst Stakes plays a minor role amidst a sea of multi-million dollar races at Randwick on Everest Day, but it presents a chance for Hinged to break a drought stretching back over two and a half years.
Hinged won five and was runner-up twice in seven starts for Michael Nolan at two. When Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir made an offer that owner/breeder Kim McCasker could not refuse, the daughter of Worthy Cause was on her way south to the stables of Chris Waller.
Her lone win in thirty starts for the champion trainer came in the 2022 Group I Surround Stakes on a heavy 10 at Randwick, defeating Startantes and Espiona.
There have been innumerable near misses, including seconds in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes, Group 1 Flight Stakes, Group II Chelmsford Stakes, Group II Guy Walter Stakes, Group II Apollo Stakes, and thirds in the Group 1 Epsom Hcp, Group 1 George Main Stakes, and Group 1 Coolmore Classic.
While the wall may not be plastered with winning photographs, the $2,000,000 the 6-year-old mare has banked may offer some consolation.
Hinged provides hope for all small breeders. She comes from the first crop of Choisir's son Worthy Cause, the winner of five and placed in eight of his 25 starts for trainer John Zielke.
His career highlights came in the Group III GCTC Gunsynd Classic and Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes, and he was a bit player at the start of the most remarkable winning run of all, when third behind Winx in the Sunshine Coast Guineas.
A great-grandson of the blue hen Pride Of Tahnee, Worthy Cause stood his first season at $5,500.
Amon
When consigned by Clear Mountain Fairview to the 2012 Magic Millions QTIS Yearling Sale, Kim McCasker purchased Tints for a modest $10,000. Tints started 47 times for Ben Currie, winning twelve and placing in ten, earning $247,150.
In two stakes appearances, Tints finished last of 14 in the Listed Brisbane Hcp, a race she contested twice, having finished midfield the year before.
Hints is a daughter of the unraced Danzero mare Zero Colour, a half-sister to the III MRC Moonga Stakes runner-up Pink Fit (Flying Spur) and Listed WATC Placid Ark Stakes runner-up Stars Aligned (Not a Single Doubt), out of the Slew o' Gold mare, My Pink.
Hinged nosed out by Buckaroo in Chelmsford Stakes
My Pink's stakes-winning dam Pink Valley (Never Bend) is a half-sister to the 1975 Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Green Dancer (Nijinsky), the French champion sire of 1991. Green Dancer's sister, Val Danseur, was a multiple-stakes winner.
Their dam, Green Valley II, is a daughter of Sly Pola (Spy Song), who won the 1959 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp. She is a half-sister to Polamia (Mahmoud), who won the 1957 Prix de Bois.
Polamia produced five stakes winners headed by the 1964 French champion 2-year-old male and influential sire Grey Dawn II (Herbager), and the 1966 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas) winner Right Away (Right Royal V).
Brae Sokolski now owns Tints, and her last two suitors have more commercial appeal.
She has a yearling colt by Snitzel and visited Maurice (JPN) last November.
Worthy Cause stands this season at Clear Mountain Fairview for $8,800.
