Flemington stakes double for Arrowfield & Bellerive graduates
Arrowfield Stud and associate farm Bellerive Stud were one-all at the end of a sparkling card of spring racing at Flemington today.
Arrowfield drew first blood when 3YO filly Members Joy (Hussonet-Rosa’s Spur by Flying Spur) bolted home by 2 lengths from the favourite Agueda and Omniscient in the $120,000 VRC Cap d’Antibes S. 1100m LR for the MRC Members Horse Club and trainer Robert Smerdon.
Pictured: Snitzel’s classy daughter Snitzerland (inside) powers to victory in the VRC Danehill S. G2 ahead of Stralia, by another son Redoute’s Choice, Stratum. (PHOTO: Sportpix)
It was the second win from 6 starts for Members Joy, bred by Michael Pitt and offered under the Arrowfield banner at the 2011 Magic Millions Premier Sale. The successful bidder at $85,000 was Adam Sangster who reported on Twitter that the win sparked early celebrations at industry doyen David Coles’ 90th birthday party in Adelaide.
Members Joy is a new stakeswinner for Hussonet and the 32nd stakeswinner from a Flying Spur mare. Her half-sister, sold by Arrowfield at the Inglis Easter Sale, was the top-priced yearling by Charge Forward in 2012.
The Bellerive Stud team levelled up when Snitzel ‘s high-class daughter Snitzerland defeated a strong field of colts & geldings in the $220,000 VRC Danehill S. G2 down Flemington’s famous ‘straight six’ this afternoon.
Jockey Damien Oliver settled the 3YO filly in the middle of the pack where she travelled easily until required to switch to the rail for clear air around the 600-metre mark. Snitzerland immediately committed to the chase, and engaged a resolute Stralia in battle, then kicked again to win by a long neck with Rusambo more than 3 lengths away in third place.
It was Snitzerland’s third Group win, and her second this season after her brilliant victory in the ATC San Domenico S. G3 on 18 August. Bred by Arrowfield, and purchased for $125,000 from the Bellerive Stud draft at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, she has now earned just over $1 million for her owners Neil Werrett & Steve McCann.
Trainer Gerald Ryan (who has prepared 18 individual winners by his former stable star Snitzel) confirmed after today’s win that the VRC Ascot Vale S. G1 down the same course on 3 November remains Snitzerland’s primary target this spring.
Snitzerland is one of nine stakeswinners by last season’s Champion 3rd Season Sire Snitzel . Her dam Monte Rosa is an unraced sister of Group 1-placed Group 3 winner and stakes producer Nina Haraka, both of them descended from the excellent producer Misty Vain. Other recent stakeswinners from the family are G1 Aloha, SW Mirror Mirror & SW Instalment.
Monte Rosa is due to foal to Snitzel this month and will visit him again this season.
