First Winner from First Runner for Cluster

Mark Smith - Sunday November 18

A ground-saving ride by Craig Newitt paved the way for Gee Gees Darl to make a winning career debut in a 1000 metre maiden at Hobart on Saturday to credit Laurnek Stud's first season sire Cluster (Fastnet Rock) with his first winner from his first runner.

Tracking the early speed after making a quick start, Gee Gees Darl defied a betting drift to defeat Fitzwilliam (Wordsmith) by half a length with a further length back to Gee Gees Punter (Wordsmith).


Gee Gees Darl (pictured as a yearling ) was a $45,000 purchase by Paul and Elizabeth Geard from the Alva Stud draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.

The striking black filly is the fourth foal and the third winner from as many to race out of the 6-time winning Tough Speed mare Speedy Sky who placed in the Listed Tasmanian oaks and Listed TRC Stutt Stakes.

A highly talented son of Fastnet Rock, Cluster won three races including the Group II ATC Theo Marks Stakes and placed in the Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes and Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes in a career restricted to 12 starts.

He covered 68 mares in his first season and stands this year at Laurnek Stud for an unchanged fee of $6,600 inc GST

Advertisment
More Reading...
Expensive Xtravagant Wins $1million Meteorite
The highest priced yearling by Xtravagant sold in 2022, progressive sprinter Nadal (Xtravagant) produced an explosive turn of foot to come from near last to win the inaugural running of today’s $1m The Ladbrokes Meteorite at Cranbourne.
Larneuk Celebrate Fairytale Start for Cluster
Larneuk Stud's exciting young stallion Cluster is off and rolling with his very first runner - the promising Gee Gees Darl - recording such a gutsy victory at her Hobart debut last weekend.
New French Stakes-Winner for Churchill
Currently finishing his seventh season of shuttling to Coolmore Australia, Churchill has had a productive year and sired his 16th stakes-winner of 2024 when progressive three year-old filly Some Skye landed the Listed Grand Prix de Fontainebleau (1900m) at Chantilly.
One to Watch – Canberra
At the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast US investors Richard and Tammy Rigney of Rigney Racing purchased two yearling fillies by I Am Invincible for $2million and $1.2million and got a result with one of them in Canberra on Sunday.
$2000 Mare Wins Winton Cup
Exciting southern mare The Grey Goose continued her faultless preparation with an impressive performance to win Sunday’s Hyde Landscaping and Wash Rite Winton Cup (1400m) at Ascot Park.
Cosmic Vega Breaks Through in Kilmore Cup
A rapidly deteriorating track at Kilmore proved the winning formula for the Irish import Cosmic Vega (IRE) and visiting English rider Saffie Osborne to open their Australian accounts in Sunday’s $200,000 Listed Bet365 Kilmore Cup (1600m).
Cluster Proves Poplar at Tassie MM
The first Cluster to make her way through the sales ring looks set to race with a variation of "Gee Gee" in her name after being purchased by successful owners Paul and Elizabeth Geard at Thursday's Tasmanian Magic Millions.
Brilliant Start for Cluster
Two runners, two winners, the perfect start for Larneuk Stud's exciting young stallion Cluster.
Larneuk's Cluster is Ready to Rock
Broodmare owners employ various criteria when it comes to stallion selection.
G1 Pedigree Watch - Plus Up and Comers
The spring carnival might be over, but the G1 action is now in Perth and a Queenslander took the top prize and we are also looking at a few other stakes-winners that hold the promise of more to come.