Super day for Arrowfield’s Class of 2018

With three decades of success to uphold and a couple of particularly outstanding cohorts preceding them, Arrowfield’s Yearling Class of 2018 has much to emulate.

In little more than 90 minutes on Saturday, Super Seth, Groundswell, Castelvecchio and Missile Mantra put up four Group 1 performances that emphatically confirmed the quality of Arrowfield’s current graduate 3YOs.

Super Seth (Dundeel-Salutations by Redoute’s Choice) charged home from a seemingly impossible position to snatch the $2 million MRC Caulfield Guineas 1600m G1 from the valiant Alligator Blood in the last stride. 

Super Seth with a scintillating run down the outside takes it on the line from Alligator Blood! @FreedmanRacing pic.twitter.com/9xPlwlceQL

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 12, 2019

Bred by Arrowfield and John Leaver’s Planette Thoroughbred, Super Seth was a $280,000 Dean Hawthorne buy  for Pinecliff Racing at the Inglis Easter Sale and is Arrowfield’s 15th Group 1-winning sale graduate from the Stud’s Classes of 2014-18.

Super Seth’s fellow Easter graduate, the $2.3 million sale-topper Groundswell (Fastnet Rock-The Broken Shore by Hussonet) fought on well for third, at his fourth start and only a month after his maiden win. 

That completed a remarkable result for Jonathan Munz who races both colts in partnership, with co-breeder Arrowfield retaining a share in Groundswell. 

Super Seth is the third consecutive Arrowfield-sired winner of the Caulfield Guineas, after The Autumn Sun (by Redoute’s Choice) and Mighty Boss (by Not A Single Doubt).

Salutations, also the dam of Listed winner Wild Planet (by Animal Kingdom), foaled a full brother to Super Seth earlier this month and returns to Dundeel who is now the sire of four Group 1 winners from 110 runners in his first two crops.

The Broken Shore has a yearling full sister to Groundswell and 2018 Champion 3YO Filly Shoals, and visits I Am Invincible this Spring.

Missile Mantra (Smart Missile-Wecansay Mak by Starcraft) missed winning the $1 million MRC Thousand Guineas 1600m G1 by the same narrow margin that gave Super Seth his Group 1 victory. The Godolphin filly Flit (out of a Redoute’s Choice mare) won a three-way drive to the line from Missile Mantra, who posted the race’s best sectional times, and Pinecliff Racing’s Southbank.   

A $30,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast purchase by Triple Crown Syndications and a Listed winner last season, Missile Mantra is trained by Peter & Paul Snowden. Wecansay Mak produced a Dundeel filly in August and is booked to Snitzel.

Last season’s stunning Champagne S. G1 winner Castelvecchio (Dundeel-St. Therese by Dehere) came close to a second Group 1 victory when he powered home from the back of the field to fill the runner-up spot behind Shadow Hero in the $1 million ATC Spring Champion S. 2000m G1.

Castelvecchio was a $150,000 buy for Ottavio Galletta from the Inglis Classic Sale and, in the care of trainer Richard Litt, he has already handsomely repaid that investment with $1.8 million prizemoney.

St Therese, also dam of last year’s Spring Champion winner Maid Of Heaven and Group 3 winner Mirrasalo, foaled a filly by Panzer Division on 13 September but sadly died soon afterwards. Maid Of Heaven joined Arrowfield’s broodmare band this season and has been served by Dundeel.

The Australian sires’ lists reflect the results from an exceptional day’s racing in Melbourne & Sydney. Dundeel now heads the Australian 3YO Sires’ list and is 3rd on the Australian General Sires’ premiership with $2.6 million earnings, while Redoute’s Choice has regained the lead on the Broodmare Sires’ table with just over $6 million.