Scarlet Rain wins Sweet Embrace Stakes

Given the manner of Scarlet Rain’s Sweet Embrace Stakes victory last Saturday, Arrowfield’s young sire Manhattan Rain may soon be adding more than a Group 2 winner to his steadily growing record.

An attractive chestnut with four white stockings, Scarlet Rain isn’t hard to find in a field, but she made it easier by sprinting quickly to a clear lead from gate 12.

She rolled along comfortably on her own until jockey Kathy O’Hara asked her to drive clear which she duly did, winning by a length from In The Vanguard to maintain her unbeaten record and boost her prizemoney to $244,500. Vinery Stud’s filly Tale Of Choice (by Redoute’s Choice), bought from Arrowfield at the Inglis Easter Sale, was third, almost three lengths away.

Purchased for $100,000 from Arrowfield’s 2015 Magic Millions consignment by Darby Racing, Scarlet Rain is trained by Gai Waterhouse who also prepared Manhattan Rain to win or place in all three legs of the Sydney 2YO Triple Crown.

The champion trainer already has six Golden Slippers on her record and immediately confirmed, in typically direct fashion, that the filly would take her place in the $3.5 million race on 19 March. 

“How could they doubt her? Does the Slipper fit? Yes.”

Scarlet Rain is the first foal of city-winning 2YO Double Ranga (by Exceed And Excel), a half-sister to stakeswinners Happy Forever & Super Lacuna, from the family of dual Group 1 winner Toorak Toff.

Double Ranga’s second foal, a similarly striking, athletic colt by Starcraft was a $110,000 buy for Robert Roulston at this year’s Magic Millions Sale. The mare also has a weanling full sister to Scarlet Rain, and is in foal to Animal Kingdom.

Scarlet Rain is the sixth stakeswinner, and second Group winner for Manhattan Rain, firmly stamping his patch among Australia’s best stallions from the Class of 2010.