One to Watch – Pakenham

Tara Madgwick - Thursday March 29
Third in a Group III event at her previous start, this two year-old daughter of All Too Hard was always going to be a short priced favourite at Pakenham on Thursday evening.

Prepared by the Hayes / Dabernig training partnership, Cristal Eyes was second on debut last month before finishing a close up third in the Group II VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Flemington on March 17.

Cristal Eyes as a yearlingRidden a confident race by Damien Oliver, she travelled sweetly outside the leader and kicked away to score a dominant length and a quarter win in the 1400 metre maiden.

"She’s already shown that she is stakes class and won with a bit in hand, so it was a comfortable win,” said Oliver.

Representing her trainers was Bruno Rouge-Serret, who feels there are better wins ahead for Cristal Eyes.

"Damien was told to ride her like she was the best filly in the race and she was,” he said.

"We’ll see how she pulls up, but we know she’s a stakes class filly and if they find the right race for her in Sydney she’ll be on the float.”

Cristal Eyes was a $100,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Arrowfield draft for Echo Beach Bloodstock and is a three-quarter sister -in-blood to All Too Hard’s Group II MRC Sandown Guineas winner Villermont.

She is the first winner for Champagne Run (USA), a US bred winning daughter of Group I STC Coolmore Classic winner Bollinger, who is also the dam of US Group II winner and sire Friesan Fire.

Champagne Run is closely related to Group I VRC Victoria Derby winner Benicio and her grand-dam is Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay, so Cristal Eyes is certainly bred in the purple.

Cristal Eyes is one of five new stakes horses this month for All Too Hard, who is working up to something big - read about him here.



Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 2
Here is the full list of 137 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Third G1 Win for Star Savabeel Mare Atishu
A year after flying home for second behind Pride Of Jenni in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), Go Racing’s pin-up girl Atishu(NZ) (Savabeel) returned to Flemington on Saturday and went one better for the Kiwi syndicators.
William Haggas Trained Lake Forest Triumphs in Golden Eagle
William Haggas is playing his part in keeping the UK economy afloat, taking home a further $5,250,000 after Lake Forest (GB) won an action-packed James Squire Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill.
Switzerland Wins the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes for Coolmore
After Coolmore’s $875,000 I Am Invincible colt Home Affairs captured the Coolmore Stud Stakes in 2021, it was the turn of the $1,500,000 Snitzel colt Switzerland to do the sponsor proud in the $2,000,000 Group 1 feature at Flemington on Saturday.
Invincible Mares Quinella G3 Furphy Sprint
The first foal of triple Group I winning mare Shoals, blueblood I Am invincible mare Isthmus has been threatening to win a stakes race this year and got the job done when charging clear to score a dominant victory in the Group III VRC Furphy Sprint (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday over another I Am Invincible mare in Kundalini.
Back to Back Victoria Derby Winners for Triple Crown Hero American Pharoah
The Watson family owned South Australian nursery Mill Park is a name synonymous with serious Group I horses and in particular those bred by astute breeder Harry Perks and this winning association struck for a third time in the $2million Group I VRC Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday when Goldrush Guru saluted to join previous winners they have produced in Rebel Raider and Warning.
Bravo Centurion - How Good is He?
Ridden by Chris Parnham for Luke Fernie, Bravo Centurion stretched his winning run to six, making every post a winner to defeat Saloon Bar (Sessions) by a long three and three-quarter lengths with Crippalenko (Maschino) a half-length back in third.
Fawkner Park Back to Winning Ways in G3 Rosehill Gold Cup
Since winning the Listed Albury Gold Cup in March, Fawkner Park has undergone an amazing transformation.
Bella Now Second Highest Ever Australian Stakes Earner
Seven year-old Pride of Dubai mare Bella Nipotina bounced out of her Everest win two weeks ago to claim another lucrative prize when scoring a scintillating victory in the $3million ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
2024 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw
The all important barrier draw for the world’s richest handicap, the $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) has been held for a field which contains horses bred in seven countries and trained in four.