Dundeel’s super day in Melbourne & Sydney

Star colt Super Seth in Melbourne and 4YO mare She’s Ideel in Sydney gave their sire Dundeel an important pair of victories that promise plenty more from both horses in coming weeks.

The stage was set at Caulfield for an intriguing contest in the $160,000 Manfred S. 1200m G3 as three of the best 3YO colts from the Spring opened their Autumn campaigns. 

Then a rain-affected track threw a spanner in the works, ending the chances of Groundswell and putting $17 chance Free Of Debt in front with every sign of an upset result.

However, Super Seth travelled with ominous enthusiasm behind him and when Mark Zahra set him alight in the straight, he sprinted hard to catch Free Of Debt inside the final 200 metres and score by 1.25 lengths, with Dalasan finishing well for third. 

Superhero ⚡

The Caulfield Guineas Hero #SuperSeth guns down a game #FreeOfDebt in the G3 Manfred Stks for @FreedmanRacing and @WaikatoStud. The @ArrowfieldStud #Dundeel colt is back with a bang! pic.twitter.com/o3QttxAeg3

— ANZ Bloodstock (@anz_news) February 1, 2020

The result was a relief for Super Seth’s New Zealand connections headed by the Chittick family’s Waikato Stud who joined Pinecliff Racing in the colt’s ownership after his extraordinary Caulfield  Guineas G1 win last October. 

Zahra confirmed the quality of Super Seth’s performance. “A lot of horses would have given up at the furlong because the leader gave a good kick, but once I got within a half length he just took off, he knows where the finishing line is. He’s come back bigger and better than ever.”

Super Seth will now head to Flemington for the  C.S. Hayes S. G3  on 15 February and the Australian Guineas G1 on 29 February, before a likely trip to Sydney. 

One of 12 Group 1 winners sold by Arrowfield from Inglis Easter since 2013, Super Seth was purchased for $280,000 by Dean Hawthorne for Jonathan Munz and partners. Super Seth has a year-younger full sister Salutadeel owned by Sandra Harding and in training with the Snowdens, and their dam Salutations (by Redoute’s Choice) has a weanling colt by Dundeel and is back in foal to him. 

In Sydney it was Dundeel’s 4YO daughter She’s Ideel who drew favourable comment with a sweeping run from near-last at the 300-metre mark to over-haul Costello & Cinquedea in a time of 2:01.87 for the 2000-metre event.

A flashy finish from an excitingly progressive staying mare, SHE’S IDEEL makes it back to back wins at @royalrandwick, this time over 2000m. A patient ride from @RachelK11 & big congratulations to her connections; the further she gets the better she gets & best is yet to come👏 pic.twitter.com/Jp8faV4oTp

— Bjorn Baker Racing (@BBakerRacing) February 1, 2020

Raced by her breeder Attunga Stud with a number of partners, She’s Ideel is the fourth winner from 5 foals to race out of the city-winning mare Ana’s Mail (by Anabaa), a half-sister to Group 3 winner Shanzero, from the family of Hong Kong stakeswinners Blizzard & Furore. 

She’s Ideel has now won three of her 7 starts and, as trainer Bjorn Baker says, she looks capable of considerable further progress.

Dundeel wound up a productive weekend with a third impressive winner, this time at Matamata in New Zealand where 3YO colt Aqueduct (ex Fallingwater by O’Reilly) led all the way and extended in the straight to win by two lengths over 1400 metres.

From an unraced daughter of NZ Filly of the Year Insouciant, the Pencarrow-bred Aqueduct is nominated for the New Zealand Derby G1 on 29 February, but trainer Andrew Campbell is also considering campaigns in Adelaide & Queensland for him. 

Dundeel has 15 lots catalogued in each of the upcoming Inglis Yearling Sales, Classic, Melbourne & Easter – view his Classic draft, including Arrowfield’s four colts & two fillies, here. He also has a colt at Magic Millions Perth and three fillies & 2 colts at Magic Millions Adelaide.