Vancouver's Close Relation Tenley Takes Aim at Golden Slipper

Mark Smith - Saturday February 16

The way the Godolphin juveniles are firing of late the international powerhouse may make up half of the Golden Slipper field.

The Medaglia D'Oro (USA) filly Tenley threw her hat in the ring when keeping her record at a perfect two for two with a hugely impressive performance in Saturday's Pierro 2yo Plate at Randwick.

Given a patient ride by Kerrin McEvoy from an outside barrier, Tenley came from near the tail of the field to overpower Peter Robl's $35,000 Testa Rossa gelding All Cylinders by one and three-quarter lengths with the $300,000 Hinchinbrook colt Jonah a long-head back in third ahead of the fast-finishing Rotator. (image Steve Hart)


A winner over 1100 metres on the Kensington track when making her career debut on November 22, the James Cummings-trained filly again started at double figure odds.

Godolphin representative Darren Beadman said Tenley rates highly among a stellar group.

"She's right up there with the main group," Beadman said. 

"She's a very laconic type of filly so James elected to put the blinkers on. She was quite laid-back in her trial so getting up against these nippier, better grade, of two-year-olds you've got to have that little bit of zest.

"She's a real quality filly and I think there are better things in store.

"Sheikh Mohammed's got a lovely group of two-year-olds that we've got to work with leading into the autumn."

Tenley has a real Golden Slipper pedigree being by Vancouver's sire Medaglia D'Oro (USA) out of the Lonhro mare Fratianne whose dam Dubai Ice (Danehill) is a sister to Vancouver's dam Skates.

Dubai Ice and Skates are both out of the outstanding racemare Skating (At Talaq) the winner of the Group 1 AJC Doncaster Hcp and the Group 1 STC Winfield Classic.

Purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Darley for $525,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2001 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Dubai Ice was a winner at 1000 metres and was stakes-placed in the Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.

She had eight foals for seven winners including the stakes-placegetters Avalanches (Street Cry) and Palm Trilogy (Dubai Destination) before Darley sent her to Japan in 2013.


Fratianne (pictured as a foal with her dam in 2009) won a maiden at Kyneton and placed twice in six starts.

Tenley is her third foal and first winner.

The daughter of Lonhro was carrying a Shooting To Win filly when she was consigned by Godolphin to the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale where she was purchased by Widden Stud for $185,000.

The Shooting To Win filly was withdrawn from the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Fratianne had a Sebring filly last spring and was bred back to Zoustar.

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