Timely Win for Rimraam

Mark Smith - Saturday February 17

The imported Singspiel mare Swansea (IRE) has been the gift that keeps on giving since being purchased for $55,000 out of a Darley Reduction at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

At the time her rap sheet did not look overly impressive with four named foals, none of which had reached the racetrack.

But her then 2yo Lonhro colt named Sweynesse would prove among the best of his age at three winning the Group III Spring Stakes and placing in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes.

To top it off, at the time of her sale Swansea was in foal to Commands and the subsequent filly foal named Rimraam was sold to Shadwell Stud as a yearling for $340,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.


Trained by David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Rimraam earned her first stakes win in Saturday's $150,000 Group III The Vanity Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

The next chapter in the story will be written when Swansea's eighth foal, a colt by Waikato Stud's champion Savabeel, enters the ring at the upcoming Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

Ridden by Damien Oliver Rimraam took all the shortcuts to defeat Bring Me Roses (High Chaparral) by a half neck with Shokora (Nicconi) a half-head away third. (photo Grant Courtney)

Having her first start since finishing unplaced in the VRC Oaks, Rimraam was solidly backed from $16 to $7.50.

"I thought she was over the odds at $16 and too short at $7.50," David Hayes said.

"She didn't really stay in the spring, she can still run in an Oaks but it might be the Australasian Oaks in Adelaide.

"We might look at a race like the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill on Golden Slipper day."

Rimraam placed in the Group III Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield and the Group II Wakeful Stakes at Flemington before failing in the Victoria Oaks.

"She's a filly that was knocking on the door in the Group races in the spring and it's great now that she's now a Group winner," Hayes said.

Rimraam becomes the 77th stakes winner for the deceased Darley stallion Commands.

Swansea (IRE) was covered by Lonhro last year.

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