Not A Single Doubt Quinella in Breeders Classic

Mark Smith - Saturday February 9

Two courageous overachieving daughters of Not A Single Doubt fought out a thrilling finish to Saturday's Group II Breeders Classic at Warwick Farm.

It was the Bjorn Baker-trained Champagne Cuddles who took her earnings to over $1 million when she toughed out a long-head win over a stubborn 7yo mare Cool Passion with Alassio (Foxwedge) a length and a quarter back in third. (images Steve Hart)


Group 1-placed in the Golden Rose, Flight Stakes respectively and the Kingsford Smith Stakes, Champagne Cuddles advances her record to 4 wins, 5 seconds and 5 thirds from 16 starts with earnings of $1,074,175.

"She is a lovely mare and a pleasure to train and it's great to win a good race with her," Baker told AAP.

"I'm thrilled. She has won over a million dollars now.

"I thought she might be better on top of the ground and this is a special win."

Winning ride Blake Shinn said the dainty chestnut mare continues a family tradition.

"I rode her mother Sky Cuddle and it's great to win for (owner) Stuart Ramsay," Shinn said.

"I thought she was so well-weighted in this race on 55 kilos.

"Cool Passion was tough but Champagne Cuddles was up to the challenge."

Bred by Turangga Farm and consigned to the Magic Millions, Champagne Cuddles was passed in shy of her $200,000 reserve and is leased by Champagne Ladies Syndicate, which includes members of the Ramsey family.

Champagne Cuddles is the penultimate foal for Turangga Farm's much-loved Snippets mare Sky Cuddle, who died in 2016.

 

Bred and retained to race by Stuart Ramsey, Sky Cuddle won the Group I VRC Emirates Stakes and was the best of five stakes-winners from the farm's blue hen producer Suggestive.

Champagne Cuddles is one of 61 stakes-winners for Not A Single Doubt who covered 94 mares at Arrowfield Stud last spring at a fee of $99,000.

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