Arrowfield stallions quinella Guineas Prelude
It was very nearly a trifecta in the $125,000 MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude G3 for Arrowfield stallions Flying Spur and Starcraft , but the quinella was an outstanding result after a sensation-packed race and subsequent stewards’ inquiry.
Pictured: Celebrity Girl (chestnut, red cap) has the edge in this photo but victory went to Bliss Street (bay, red cap), ahead of Hallowell Belle (obscured, inside) and Mosheen (bay, white cap). (PHOTO: Sportpix)
Starcraft’s daughter Celebrity Girl seemed the likely winner as she led the field into the final 100 metres, but she drifted out as Mosheen and Bliss Street (by Flying Spur) finished strongly outside her. Meanwhile, Hallowell Belle (also by Starcraft) was storming home on the fence despite a rough passage down the straight.
The result past the post was a dead-heat win for Bliss Street and Celebrity Girl – both sold as yearlings by Yarraman Park – with Hallowell Belle third and Mosheen fourth. However, Mosheen’s protest against Celebrity Girl was upheld and Bliss Street was awarded the win, with Hallowell Belle second, Mosheen third and Celebrity Girl fourth.
Bliss Street (ex Jade Diva by Jade Robbery) won the WATC Sires’ Produce S. G3 at two, and resumed with a win in Perth last month before travelling to Melbourne for a second-up sixth at Moonee Valley last weekend. A $100,000 purchase by trainer Dan Morton from the 2010 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, she has now won four-from-eight and almost $270,000 for Eddie Rigg’s Geisel Park Stud, Ron Sayers, Mr M V Lockwood, Mrs B B Lockwood, Mr G A Koch & Ms J Koch who race her in partnership with the filly’s breeders, Yarraman Park Stud, Joanne Rea, & Matt MacArthur-Onslow.
Bliss Street is among champion sire Flying Spur’s lifetime 83 stakeswinners, and his second stakeswinner this season after the success of Satin Shoes in last month’s MRC Quezette S. LR.
All of today’s first four placegetters are set to keep the Melbourne 3YO fillies’ spring programme interesting. With six black type placings and a maiden win from her seven starts, Hallowell Belle surely deserves to achieve black capital status soon, and Celebrity Girl is clearly capable of adding to her Flemington stakes win two weeks ago. The pair have already contributed to Starcraft’s fine start to the 2011/12 season, alongside Crafty Irna (2nd, ATC Kingston Town S. G3) and Secret Hills (3rd, VRC Exford Plate LR).
Flying Spur stands at a 2011 fee of $49,500 inc. GST, while Starcraft’s fee this season is $44,000 inc. GST.
