City Win for Alba
The Class Three event for fillies and mares over 1400 metres Warwick Farm Canterbury on Wednesday was won by the fast finishing Alba, a $220,000 purchase for Vin Cox Bloodstock at the 2005 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
A runaway winner in maiden company at Gosford last start, Alba made a smooth transition to the metropolitan area when she swept home to beat stablemate Les Roses by a long head.
With two wins and two seconds from four starts, Alba is going the right way for George Altomonte’s Corumbene Stud Syndicate, who had much success a few seasons back in racing champion juvenile Hasna, who was also trained by Waterhouse.
Alba was bred by Peter Ward’s Eagle Park Stud and offered for sale by Attunga Stud as agent.
By quality sire More Than Ready (USA), she is the second foal of the winning Danehill (USA) mare Dawn Grace, a half-sister to stakes-winners Carolingian, Chiliad and Night Sky.
Her win brought up a double for Vinery Stud based More Than Ready (USA) who was successful earlier in the day when Readyforcatherine won the welter event over 1000 metres.
Group Three and stakes-placed on several occasions, Readyforcatherine is now trained by Kris Lees for John Rippon’s Reavill Racing Syndicate, who purchased the mare for $310,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in June.
Keeneland September – source of value fillies
The quest to find and purchase well bred fillies consumes many of our most influential breeders in this country and for those willing to look offshore there has never been a better time to roll the dice.
“We’ve had two major yearling sales in North America already with both having been down significantly,” said Vin Cox, Australasian Representative for Keeneland.
There have been 2 sales in North America over the last month, where the average prices have been down over 10% and median prices down toward 8%. The total number of horses sold in excess of $500,000 is down 25% to 16.
“There is a definite softening of the North American bloodstock market flowing on from what we are seeing in the broader American economy, so for an Australian buyer looking to find value this could be the golden opportunity,” added Cox.
“The strengthening or the Australian dollar combined with the dip in the American bloodstock market probably means as much as a 20 to 25% turnaround on the prices paid last year.”
The top echelon of fillies at any Australian yearling sale are the subject of intense competition and it seems many local investors are becoming increasingly frustrated at their inability to purchase what they want and are invariably amazed at the depth of quality on offer at Keeneland.
Buying fillies with commercial, internationally recognized pedigrees at a sale such as Keeneland September is not only achievable, but more importantly it’s affordable.
This year’s stakes-winning three year-old filly Moonee Ponds comes with an A Grade pedigree that can be seen here and was purchased for just $US45,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and races for an all Australian syndicate.
”She’s been an outstanding investment and there are plenty more where she came from,” said Cox.
“The whole process of buying a filly and racing her in America is no more difficult than living in Sydney and racing a horse in Melbourne.
Communications are so good now and at the end of the day you’ll either have a lovely broodmare to bring back to Australia or a valuable commodity with which to play on in the US market.”
10 Juvenile Winners for Vin Cox Bloodstock
Sydney, June 21 - The first event on a rain soaked Kensington track on Thursday was won by the fast finishing two year-old Cool Duke, a $65,000 purchase for Vin Cox Bloodstock at the 2006 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne.
The Matthew Smith trained Viscount colt ran a terrific race on debut when fourth to Bel Spur at Canterbury on June 6 and ran right up to that form in charging home to beat the Encosta de Lago first starter Fidele with Silken Appeal in third place.
Raced by Mr David Fairfull and Mr Geoffrey Hill, Cool Duke was secured by Vin Cox from the draft of Bellerive Stud and is the first foal of the Canny Lad mare Freezing Point, a half-sister to smart stakes-winner Cool Choice.
His exciting win in the restricted event for juveniles over 1150 metres continues a remarkable run of success for Vin Cox Bloodstock.
Of the 34 yearlings purchased at sales in 2006, ten of them have won - Cool Duke joining Allervite, Bel Spur, Cigar Royale, Kick 'n Chase, Isurava, Lucky Duke, Vecchia Roma, Weekend in Paris, and Yoburg.
Beaten a long head and a short half head into third place behind Cool Duke was the Clarry Conners trained filly Silken Appeal, another Vin Cox Bloodstock purchase, whose turn in the winner's circle may not be far off.
A $90,000 Magic Millions purchase from the first crop of Darley shuttler Tobougg (IRE), Miss Apps was having just her second start and resuming from a long spell so can only go forward from here.
One to watch this weekend is the promising General Nediym filly Isurava, a $95,000 purchase for Vin Cox Bloodstock, making her stakes debut at Eagle Farm on Saturday in the Listed QTC Tatts Australia Post Stakes after scoring slashing wins in Sydney at her last two starts.
Winning Run for Vin Cox Bloodstock
May 24 - The winning run being enjoyed by horses purchased by Vin Cox Bloodstock continued at Canterbury on Wednesday with a double courtesy of brilliant filly Isurava and exciting prospect Happy Finish, with another purchase Glenbawn Star considered unlucky in finishing third..
Slick three year-old Happy Finish made it four wins from five starts when he led throughout to win the Class Three event over 1250 metres for astute young Canberra trainer Matthew Dale.
The Black Hawk (GB) gelding has now won four of five starts earning $42,300 and looks a horse with a bright future.
Purchased for just $32,500 at the 2005 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from the draft of Lincoln Farm, Happy Finish is the first foal of the Luskin Star mare Kirin Lady, a grand-daughter of Group Three winner Belle Tetue from the family of Group One winner Magic of Money.
The day started well with a runaway victory for General Nediym filly Isurava, a $95,000 Magic Millions weanling purchase for George Altomonte's Corumbene Stud.
The Jack Denham trained filly improved off an unlucky debut fourth to win the restricted juvenile fillies event running away by four lengths.
In doing so she becomes the eighth individual juvenile winner purchased by Vin Cox Bloodstock this season joining Allervite, Cigar Royale, Kick 'n Chase, Lucky Duke, Vecchia Roma, Weekend in Paris, and Yoburg.
He Kicked ‘N’ They Couldn’t Chase
Sydney May 21
The open juvenile event at Rosehill on Saturday was won by the Clarry Conners trained two year-old Kick ‘n Chase, an $80,000 purchase for Vin Cox Bloodstock from the draft of Widden Stud at the 2006 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne.
Despite being hampered at the start and tailing the field for much of the journey, Kick ‘n Chase swept home with a strong run to score by the best part of a length.
By Red Ransom (USA) from the Centaine mare Cool Chick (NZ), Kick ‘n’ Chase has shown sharp improvement since being gelded and connections plan to send him to Brisbane for the better juvenile races.
“Gelding him prior to his last run has really switched the horse on,” said Conners.
”He wasn’t doing anything wrong but he just wasn’t concentrating, but I’ve always had a bit of time for him and today he showed he is a nice horse. He’ll go to Brisbane now along with everyone else and run in the Sires in a fortnight before the T.J Smith.”
Selected and purchased by Vin Cox and now raced by a syndicate of eight delighted owners, Kick ‘n Chase has already recouped $58,150 in prizemoney with a win and two placings from seven starts.
He is one of seven juvenile winners this season purchased by Vin Cox Bloodstock joining previous winners Allervite, Cigar Royale, Lucky Duke, Vecchia Roma, Weekend in Paris, and Yoburg
