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Tony Gollan has his eyes firmly fixed on the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap for Vega One after the four-year-old son of Lope de Vega captured Saturday’s $1 million Magic Millions Cup (RL) at the Gold Coast.
It seems a long time ago that French Derby winner Lope de Vega (IRE) shuttled to Patinack Farm in Australia, the top class son of Shamardal now one of Europe’s most desirable stallions with Ballylinch Stud lifting his fee for 2020 to 100,000 euros.
Seymour Bloodstock’s Spanish Whisper has the race performance and pedigree to grace any broodmare paddock in the land but that has been put on hold as she strives for that elusive Group 1 victory.
Fireworks were expected at Te Rapa on Saturday as several of last season’s equine stars kicked off their new spring campaigns in the Group II US Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and it was recent Group I Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) placegetter Endless Drama who delivered with a stunning victory.
The Gordon Richard’s trained Gytrash gave Australia another reason to regret the departure of Lope De Vega (IRE) following a brilliant performance in Saturday’s Listed Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
Australian breeders would love another chance with Shamardal (IRE) and his son Lope De Vega (IRE).
Coming off a commanding performance in the Group III Hawkesbury Cup seven days previously, the Gwenda Markwell trained Archedemus went straight to the front and kept up a relentless gallop to win Saturday’s Listed Members Handicap (1600m) at Doomben.
The three-year-old gelding Vega One has blossomed since joining the stables of Tony Gollan and his trainer has Group 1 ambitions for the son of Lope de Vega (IRE) after a dominant performance in Saturday’s Listed Queensland Day Stakes (1350m) at Doomben.
Lightly raced five-year-old gelding Archedemus took a five-run winning streak in the $500,000 Provincial Championship final at Randwick but after troubled run he could do no better than eighth.
Former Australian galloper Endless Drama (IRE) backed up an eye-catching finish for second at Hastings last week to go one better at Ellerslie on Saturday when he took out the Group II Manco Easter Handicap (1600m).
Now firmly established as one of Europe’s top stallions with a service fee to match, Ballylinch Stud’s Lope de Vega (IRE) left a fine legacy from his four seasons at stud in Australia.
He’s conquered the best in Australia and now champion sprinter Santa Ana Lane is off to conquer the world.
The Anthony Freedman-trained Santa Ana lane will take on the world after demolishing a field of Australia's best sprinters in Saturday's $2,450,000 Group 1 Aquis TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
Former New Zealand-trained filly Spanish Whisper made a stunning return to the winner’s circle on Saturday when she overcame a wide run to take out the Group II Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
While Lope De Vega’s 4-time Group 1 winner Santa Ana Lane could not get the job done in Saturday’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), the former Patinack Farm shuttler struck twice at Flemington to highlight once again what a loss he was to the local industry when he failed to return after the 2014 season.
Opening his account at Sha Tin on Sunday was promising lightly raced Lope de Vega (IRE) three year-old Follow Me, a $32,000 Magic Millions Adelaide purchase from the draft of Lester O’Grady’s Mount Brown International, now home to Hinchinbrook’s young sire son Diamond Tathagata.
In what looked to be as good a field of sprinters on turf anywhere in the world in 2018, the Anthony Freedman-trained gelding Santa Ana Lane came with a barnstorming finish to earn a fourth win at the highest level in Saturday's $1 million Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington.
Inglis’ slot representative in The Everest, Santa Ana Lane, is the new $7 TAB favourite for the $13m race following his determined victory in the Group II Premiere Stakes at Randwick.
The betting on the $13 million Everest was thrown into turmoil after Anthony Freedman’s pair Santa Ana Lane and Shoals went one-two in Saturday’s Group II Premiere Stakes at Randwick while Redzel and Trapeze Artist missed a place.
The powerful Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman training partnership struck gold in the first stakes race on the card at Pukekohe on Saturday when Rubira and Ole Ole fought out the finish of the Listed Diamond Lodge Champagne Stakes (1600m).