Flinder's Park Stud graduate Humma Humma's (Denman) narrow victory in the Listed Redelva Stakes over 1100 metres at Morphettville on the weekend was celebrated by her Mornington Peninsula vendor, after the talented mare had gone so close, on so many occasions.
The talented three-year-old filly finally saluted having spent the best part of her early career playing black-type bridesmaid frustratingly for popular Cranbourne trainer John McArdle.
But connections have always been confident in the talented filly's ability, when on debut Humma Humma placed in Adelaide's Listed Cinderella Stakes, before racking up placings in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes, Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes, Group 3 Scarborough Stakes and the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes.
Just narrowly missing the placings in her past two starts, in the Group 3 Typhoon Tracy and the Listed Fireball Stakes, Humma Humma's eventual maiden black-type win will add significant residual value as a future broodmare.
Beau Mertens pressed the button on Humma Humma at the 300 metres, and when challenged in the final 100 metres she stuck to her guns to hold the challenge of Behemoth (All Too Hard) by a short-head with the favourite Anjana (Sepoy) a half-length back in third.
"She deserved a stakes win. I think she has been seven times stakes-placed and just missed to Sunlight in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Caulfield," McArdle said.
An $80,000 purchase by Redgum Racing out of the Flinders Park Stud draft at the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Humma Humma (pictured as a yearling) is the best of two winners from three to race out of the Melbourne winning Bel Esprit mare Humma Mumma who is a half-sister to Listed winner Vignette (Spectrum).
Michael Cumming from Flinders Park Stud remembers Humma Humma as a yearling well notes that "from the day she was born she was just tough."
"She was a nice, neat, not overly big filly – always a strong and compact."
"She had a great temperament, great attitude and could handle the sales atmosphere. So, it's no surprise that she can handle racing consistently in these high-pressure races. But if she didn't like something, she would give back ten-fold," Cumming said.
Flinders Park Stud are heading to the upcoming Gold sale with a standout draft of three yearlings.
Lot 131 is a good quality Zoustar colt, out of the Exceed And Excel mare, Seeking Status, a half-sister to Victory Chant, from the family of Guard of Honour and Serious Speed.
"We held him back to give him the chance to fully mature and he will be spot on for this sale. Being the only Zoustar offered, he will quite possibly be the busiest horse on the complex. He is a nice neat two-year-old that will run early."
Lot 130 is the Night of Thunder colt is out of the Fraar mare, Seattle Lass.
"He is a half to the John McArdle trained Bricktop, who is by Snitzel and resumes this week at Bendigo, so we are expecting a nice pedigree update. He will go close to winning that based on his race form and recent jump outs," Cummings said.
Lot 151, Flinders Park Stud offers a filly by Warrior's Reward (USA) out of the Seattle Dancer mare, Taleer who has produced ten foals for seven winners, including the five-time winner Lannister and six-time winner Get Set.
"She is a very nice filly. An early type, nice and compact and correct."
McArdle purchased Humma Humma's half-sister by Hallowed Crown, from us, named Hummalong, for $100,000 at the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
"Hummalong has shown early potential, and they have given her a bit of time, and she is going back into work today. We look forward to seeing her this campaign,"
Humma Mumma has a filly foal by Capitalist and was covered by Zoustar last spring.
"We have upgraded Humma Mumma suiters over the last couple of years, as we took the risk that Humma Humma would continue on, and she has indeed done that and is deserving of Capitalist, and Zoustar."
"The Capitalist filly is the splitting image of Humma Humma, you couldn't pick them apart if they were both foals at the same time. Let's hope she runs as well."
Humma Humma advances her record to three wins, six placings from 12 starts with earnings of $271,255, and McArdle said he now aim the talented three-year-old filly at either the Group1 Sangster Stakes or the Group 2 Euclase Stakes.
