Sprinters Underline Flying Spur’s Credentials
It was all Flying Spur on Saturday with a number of his progeny underlining, yet again, the versatility of this champion stallion.
The Paul Messara trained ALVERTA (ex Grilse (USA), by Rahy (USA)) and the Gai Waterhouse trained MONTANA FLYER (ex Montana Downs, by Bluebird (USA)) provided an impressive quinella in the G2 Breeders Classic, the win taking Alverta’s prizemoney to almost $600,000. This season the 6YO mare has rarely been out of black type, her win on Saturday adding to a win in the Listed QTC Just Now Fillies and Mares Hcp, a 2nd in the Listed BTC Bernborough Hcp and a 3rd in the Listed QTC Gold Nudgee Fillies & Mares Hcp.
The performance of 2YO filly GEORGETTE SILK ex Apparel, by Barathea (IRE)) had observers abuzz.
Trainer Clarry Conners holds legitimate G1 aspirations for Georgette Silk, claiming Saturday’s Listed Widden Stakes winner is the equal of his four previous Slipper winners.
“She is a really good horse and the best two-year-old I’ve had in a long time,” Conners said after the race. “She’s up there with my Slipper winners.”
Georgette Silk, a $730,000 De Burgh Equine purchase from Inglis Easter, also drew praise from her jockey Blake Shinn “Once she began like that and travelled as easily as she did, she was never going to get beaten. She’s a very nice filly.”
Georgette Silk has raced only twice – her first start seeing her finish second in a 1000m maiden at Randwick to top rated 2YO colt Beneteau (by Redoute’s Choice ex Slice of Paradise, by Encosta de Lago). Beneteau graduated from this first meeting to run the two-year-old performance of the season when he broke the race record in the G3 Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Prelude.
Last weekend another sprinter GRIFFON (ex Jeune Girl, by Jeune) franked Flying Spur’s ability to produce sprinters of note when the 4YO made it two in a row on a heavy Randwick track. Just two weeks prior Griffon had established a new record time for 1100m on Randwick’s Kensington track when he won the Festival Of Sydney Benchmark 70 Handicap. Griffon clocked 1.02.34 – more than half a second quicker than the previous best for 1100m. The Bart Cummings trained gelding was having just his 2nd race start after returning from a 15-month break.
Globally, Flying Spur is responsible for six stakeswinners and six stakesperformersto date this season including the Listed MVRC St Albans S. winner ROULETTES (ex Discretion, by Canny Lad), G2 AJC Premiere S. winner MENTALITY (ex Synaesthesia (USA), by Quiet American (USA)), HK-3 HKJC Premier Bowl winner INSPIRATION(ex La Bamba, by Last Tycoon (IRE)) etc.
Flying Spur is fast gaining a reputation as a tip-top broodmare sire. So far this season he has been the sire of the dam of Magic Millions 2YO winner Military Rose and G1 Coolmore Stakes winner, Headway (by Charge Forward ex Chatelaine, by Flying Spur) and last Saturday’s Adelaide stakes-winner Warm Love. He is also the broodmare sire of 2008 Golden Slipper winner, Sebring.
Flying Spur stands at Arrowfield Stud in Scone. He is represented by 13 yearlings at the upcoming Melbourne Premier Sale and 55 yearlings at the forthcoming Easter Yearling Sale.
