Benfica’s Best is Back to Best

Tara Madgwick - Saturday June 16
A stakes-winner at three, Godolphin's smart Benfica gelding Eusebio had too much class over his rivals when resuming from a spell at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Eusebio - image Grant CourtneyTuned up with two recent barrier trial wins in Sydney for James Cummings, Eusebio was allowed to settle in the early stages of the 1200 metre sprint by Dwayne Dunn, but unwound a big finish under his 60.5kg to score a short half head win over the favourite Artie Dee Two.

Eusebio won the Listed Canberra Guineas last year to become the first stakes-winner for Aquis Farm's Benfica, a Group I winning son of Lonhro.

He has the overall record of four wins and three placings from 10 starts with prizemoney just shy of $180,000.

Eusebio is a half-brother to Group II winner Deferential and is the fourth winner for Quest for Fame (GB) mare Talent Time, who died in 2015.

He is the best horse to date sired by Benfica, who has been well received at Aquis Farm in Queensland covering over 120 mares in his first two seasons and stands at a fee of $4,400 this spring.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Bred Comeback King Globe wins Cranbourne Cup
The super-talented Globe put a troubled 14 months behind him with a powerful all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Barnstorming Win by Headwall in the Warra
The super-consistent Headwall reaped a just reward in the $300,000 Group III Snap Print Solutions Wollongong The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange.
Xtravagant Gelding Nadal Brilliant in Meteorite
Ciaron Maher has a stranglehold on pop-up and slot races and was back in the winner's circle again after the inaugural running of the $1,000,000 The Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Gringotts Continues Kiwi Winning Run in $1million The Gong
Kiwi bred Gringotts continued his coming-of-age campaign with a powerhouse front-running performance under 60kg to win Saturday’s Group III A$1 million The Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
Wings Of Song Makes Stunning Return
A star of the carnivals in Tasmania and South Australia, Wings Of Song made a triumphant return from a 30-week break to capture Saturday’s Rosemont Stud Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne.
Better Than Ready's Port Lockroy Triumphs in G1 Railway Stakes
Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
Another Feature Win for La Crique
La Crique sprouted wings in the Pukekohe straight on Saturday to come from a near-hopeless position and win the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in a photo finish.
Yes Yes Yes Filly wins $100,000 Crystal Slipper
The $100,000 WATC Magic Millions Crystal Slipper (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday drew a competitive field of 13 and Yes Yes Yes filly Yes Queen produced a brilliant performance to score a dominant debut victory.
Storyville Downs the Colts in G2 WA Guineas
The WA Champion Fillies Stakes heroine Storyville earned a shot at the Group 1 Northerly Stakes after she gave the colts a start and beating in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II White Claw - WA Guineas (1600m) at Ascot.