Bumper black type day for Arrowfield graduates
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Wandjina spearheaded Arrowfield graduates’ attack upon feature races at Flemington & Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The high-class 3YO son of Snitzel made all in the $500,000 VRC Australian Guineas 1600m G1 and showed plenty of courage to defy his rapidly closing rivals down the long Flemington straight. Alpine Eagle finished second, a half-neck away, and Stratum Star was a long neck further back in third.
Wandjina’s jockey Brett Prebble said, “He gave me a good feeling and he dug deep. I knew the others were there, but the more they came at him, the more he gave me.”
Wandjina is the leading earner among nine stakeswinners this season for Snitzel and the 30th individual Group 1 winner sold at auction by Arrowfield since 1994. He was offered by Arrowfield at the 2013 Inglis Easter Sale where agent James Harron bought him for $1 million on behalf of his owners Dr Edmund & Belinda Bateman.
Wandjina is the second Group 1 winner from Arrowfield’s outstanding broodmare La Bamba (by Last Tycoon), also the dam of Inspiration (Hong Kong Sprint G1) and Listed stakeswinners Lucky Unicorn and Provence. He is Snitzel’s fourth Group 1 winner after Sizzling, Snitzerland, and Shamus Award who won last year’s Australian Guineas and the 2013 Cox Plate.
Arrowfield’s 2015 Inglis Easter draft includes Wandjina’s half-brother by Manhattan Rain. La Bamba also has a 2YO colt, Battle Of Troy (by Flying Spur), in the Hawkes Racing stable for Tony Pistikakis, and a weanling filly by Snitzel.
The Guineas win completed a Flemington Group double for Snitzel and Arrowfield, following the victory of 5YO gelding Amorino (ex Steal My Love by Marauding) in the $150,000 VRC Shaftesbury Avenue H. 1400m G3.
Amorino, who gave Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander his first Group success, has won eight races from three stables in three States, and more than $600,000 for owner Elio Galante and his family. Amorino’s original trainer Gerald Ryan bid $70,000 secure him from the Arrowfield draft at the 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale.
Arrowfield signed off a very good day when Not A Single Doubt’s daughter Miracles of Life (ex Dazzling Gazelle by More Than Ready) bounced clear to take out the $400,000 ATC Challenge S. 1000m G2 by more than two lengths from Va Pensiero & Rubick.
It was the second Group success the popular 4YO mare has given her celebrated American owner Stonestreet Stables since they purchased her for $900,000 from last year’s Teeley Dispersal and sent her to Peter & Paul Snowden. Her record now reads 7 wins, including the 2013 Blue Diamond S. G1, and $1.2 million from 15 starts.
Miracles of Life was foaled and raised at Arrowfield for her breeder Teeley Assets, while Amorino was bred by Arrowfield in partnership with Katsumi Yoshida’s Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd, and Wandjina was bred by Arrowfield alone.
Arrowfield’s consignment for the 2015 Inglis Easter Sale can be viewed here.
