Hussy hijacks Desirable Stakes
“She’s pretty good, isn’t she?”
That was Joe O’Neill’s purely rhetorical question after Hijack Hussy swept to victory in the $150,000 VRC Desirable S. 1400m LR on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington.
The 3YO daughter of Hussonet is the third Arrowfield graduate stakeswinner in the past fortnight, following Moonovermanhattan (MVRC Moonee Valley Vase G2) on 25 October & Majmu (Turffontein Starling S. G3) last Saturday.
Joe, the principal of Prime Thoroughbreds, bought Hijack Hussy from Arrowfield for $62,000 at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale.
He explains, “I was the underbidder on Members Joy from the Arrowfield draft the year before, so I decided that when I saw the next Hussonet filly I liked, I’d buy her.
“When I saw the Joy Ride filly, I couldn’t believe she was in Book 5, she had a great girth, strong hind-quarters and a good head.”
Joe is especially thrilled for his fellow owners, “all lovely people”: Greg Althaus, Ron & Shane Chipperfield from Bribie Island, first-time owners Terry & Maree Mitchell from Brisbane, Matthew Taylor and long-time clients James Treloar & Mark Snowden.
For one owner, Walter Power, Hijack Hussy’s win was the first highlight of a day made unforgettable by Protectionist’s outstanding victory in the Cup itself. Power Thoroughbreds appears in the ownership of both horses.
Hijack Hussy adds to the strong results achieved in Melbourne this Spring by Eagle Farm trainer Tony Gollan who also prepares Arrowfield graduate Traveston Girl (2nd, Thousand Guineas G1), Looks Like The Cat (2nd, Danehill S. G2 & Caulfield Guineas Prelude G3), Alma’s Fury (2nd, Chatham S. G3) & Temple of Boom (2nd, Bobbie Lewis H. G3).
Prime Thoroughbreds’ Royal Blue, White Star & Red Cap were carried by an earlier Arrowfield graduate, the bonny mare Hidden Wonder, winner of almost $600,000 and the Gosford RC Belle of the Turf S. LR among her nine wins.
Not A Single Doubt’s 2YO daughter Atalanta Miss, a smart winner on debut in Adelaide last month, will represent the Prime Thoroughbreds stable in the Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Clockwise Classic on 22 November.
Hijack Hussy will now have a short-let-up before a brief summer campaign aimed at the $1 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, then another short break ahead of the Brisbane Winter Carnival and, all going well, a tilt at next year’s Myer Classic G1.
Hijack Hussy is the 93rd stakeswinner by champion sire Hussonet, whose Australian stud career began at Arrowfield in 2003 and continues at Cornerstone Stud in South Australia.
The filly was bred by the partnership of Arrowfield, John Leaver & Alan Jones from the Redoute’s Choice mare Joy Ride, an unraced three-quarter sister to stakeswinners Lucky Unicorn and Provence, from the family of Group 1 winners Inspiration, Festal, Masked Party & Dracula. Joy Ride has 2YO and yearling colts by Charge Forward, and has been served this Spring by Dundeel.
Redoute’s Choice now has 31 stakeswinners on his record as a broodmare sire and Hijack Hussy is the fourth by Hussonet.
