One
of the best US stallions to shuttle to Australia in recent years, Darley heavy
hitter Medglia D'Oro (USA) handed in his passport this year and no longer
travels to Australia at age 19, but he featured at Randwick on Thursday afternoon
with a double of debut winning fillies that offer the promise of better things
to come.
A homebred for Godolphin, prepared by James Cummings, two year-old filly Tenley
was an eye-catcher when she walked into the yard with Sky Racing presenter Richard
Haynes declaring she was the right colour for that family!
A dark grey with a bold white blaze, Tenley is from Fratianne, a winning Lonhro
grand-daughter of dashing grey Group I winner Skating, whose descendants
include Group I winner Juste Momente and Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, who
is also by Medaglia D'Oro.
Tenley was easy in the market and settled back in the field, but hit the line
hard when angled into the clear and snatched a short head win in the 1100 metre
maiden over the favourite Blazing Miss.
In the very next race it was Medaglia D'Oro again with the Chris Waller trained
three year-old filly Zalatte being well backed and delivering for punters with
a strong long neck win in the 1250 metre maiden.
A $300,000 NZB Premier purchase from the Blandford Lodge draft for Kaha
Syndicate / Mulcaster Bloodstock, Zalatte is the first winner for Zabeel mare
Za Star, who is closely related to triple Group I winner Lucia Valentina.
Medaglia D'Oro stood at a fee of $110,000 for his past three seasons in
Australia and his last foals are being born this spring.
He has seven entries for 2019 Magic Millions and two for Inglis Classic.