Black type weekend for Arrowfield graduates
Qatar Bloodstock’s filly Crafty became the 21st stakes-winning Arrowfield graduate this season when she stormed to victory in Saturday’s $120,000 VRC Taj Rossi Series Final LR.
The daughter of Manhattan Rain and Spirited Dancer (by Sadler’s Wells) is among the eight 2YO stakeswinners this season that were purchased from Arrowfield at last year’s Australian sales. The others are Group 2 winners Majmu (Redoute’s Choice) & Time For War (Snitzel), Group 3 winners Bachman (All American), Moonovermanhattan (Manhattan Rain) & Oakleigh Girl (Snitzel) and Listed winners Gold Force (Flying Spur) & Moonlight Hussler (Hussonet).
Three members of Arrowfield’s notable 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier draft were also active over the weekend and all three embellished their records.
Honorine (Redoute’s Choice-Zaldivar) saluted for the second time this season when she took out the Clairwood Pinnacle Stakes in South Africa for trainer Mike de Kock and owner Mary Slack of Wilgerbosdrift Stud. Honorine achieved black type status when she won the Turffontein Camellia S. G2 in April.
At Kranji on Sunday evening, Stepitup (Hussonet-Ain’t Seen Nothin’) raced gallantly from gate 16 to finish second to Spalato in the 2000-metre $S1.15 million Singapore Derby Sgp-1. Stepitup was last year’s Champion 3YO in Singapore and has won five domestic Group races there, including the Singapore Guineas Sgp-1.
At Belmont in Perth, Frank & Josie Fiore’s gelding Smoko (Snitzel-London Lights) started favourite on the strength of his 5-from-5 record, despite not racing for eight months, and ran a terrific race for second, beaten a length by Pininci in the $100,000 WATC Beaufine S. LR over 1000 metres.
Back on Arrowfield’s home turf in Sydney, Rifleman (Hussonet-Opportunity) capped a satisfying weekend with his fourth win, over 1000 metres at Randwick. He was bred by the triumvirate of Arrowfield, Alan Jones & John Leaver but sold by Little Avondale Stud at the 2010 New Zealand Premier Sale where he was bought by Mark Pilkington for $220,000. The 5YO gelding is trained by Tony McEvoy for Arrowfield, Rupert & Cheryl Legh, Wayne Mitchell & David Hayes.
The dams of three of these performers remain part of the Arrowfield broodmare band. Spirited Dancer & Opportunity are both in foal to Animal Kingdom, and Ain’t Seen Nothin’ (also the dam of Bachman) is due to foal to All American.
