The
first two juvenile races at Sandown on Wednesday were won in impressive style
by first starter Kooweerup (More Than Ready (USA) in the Yulong Investments colours and
blue-blooded Lady Lupino (Sebring), who beat the red hot favourite Chenier.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Kooweerup was super impressive settling
near the back of the field for Mark Zahra and charging to the line to win the
1000 metre scamper running away by a long head.
A $650,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Vinery Stud draft for Ulong, she
was the most expensive filly by her sire sold at that sale.
She is the fourth winner from four foals to race from Group I winning Redoute's
Choice mare Allez Wonder, a daughter of Group II winner Lunar Tudor and
half-sister to the dam of Group I winner Tivaci. Vinery Stud offered a full brother
to Kooweerup this year at Magic Millions that was passed in and she is now back
in foal to More Than Ready after producing a colt by Tavistock last spring.
Winning the next race was Lady Lupino, who is bred to be well above average as
a half-sister to Champion 3YO Colt and leading sire Star Witness and Group III
winner Nostradamus.
Retained to race by her breeders, Lady Lupino is trained by Danny O'Brien, who also
trained her famous half-brother to Group I wins in the MRC Blue Diamond Stakes
and VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes.
She won on debut last year and has since been unplaced in two stakes races this
year so was probably appreciating the drop in grade to midweek company.
Sent to the lead by Damien Oliver, Lady Lupino just got too far in front of the
favourite Chenier and while he ran home solidly for second, she was never in
danger of defeat coasting to a length and three-quarter win, her second from
four starts.
Lady Lupino is the seventh winner from eight to race from brilliant Group III
winning sprinter Leone Chiara, a sibling to Group II winners Chinchilla Rose
and Ferocity.
Leone Chiara has no yearling for the sales but did produce a Starcraft colt last
spring that is a full brother to Star Witness and is in foal to Starcraft again.