Blackfriars warming up for summer carnival

Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars is warming up for another winning season with his current crop of three year-olds and the latest to emerge are last-start Belmont winners Sealed With A Kiss and Kia Ora Koutou.

The Dan Morton trained Sealed With A Kiss split a dead-heat decision in the Westspeed Hcp (1200m) on Wednesday and was unlucky not to win outright.  His jockey Pat Carberry protested against Key To Fame alleging interference but the objection was dismissed by officials.

Sealed With A Kiss (3g Blackfriars – Contiki Kiss by Scenic) is from the family G3 Scahill Stakes winner Pago Escort and was purchased by Peter Gangemi for $50,000 at the 2014 Perth Magic Millions.

“He’s still a work in progress,” Gangemi said.  “He’s immature mentally and physically and is still six months away.”

Sealed With A Kiss was bred and sold by Scenic Lodge general manager Jeremy Smith.  He has a 2yo brother named All Diamonds and their dam Contiki Kiss has a yearling colt by Blackfriars.

Odds-on favourite Kia Ora Koutou gave connections a fright before beating See Me Sizzle in the Westspeed 3YO Plate (1650m) on Saturday.  Trainer Adam Durrant is on record labelling the unbeaten Blackfriars gelding as potentially the best horse he’s ever prepared.

“I was very concerned at the 600m when he was off stride and hanging out,” Durrant admitted.  “But once balanced in the straight, he hit the line strongly and the second horse is a very smart animal.”

Kia Ora Koutou (3g Blackfriars – Kia Ora Miss by Jeune) is from a mare who won 10 races topped by the 2006 Belmont Oaks.  “There’s a good race in him up to 2400m,” Durrant declared.  “He can fly the flag for our stable over the next 18 months.”

Blackwood is another unbeaten three year-old by Blackfriars and she has been in work with Fred Kersley at Ascot for more than a month.

Kersley and owner-breeder Neville Duncan have several spring and summer options for the filly who won four on end as a late-season two year-old.  She will head for a showdown against her own sex in the G3 Champion Fillies (1600m) on November 14 or take on the colts for double the prizemoney in the G2 WA Guineas (1600m) on November 21.

“She’s an exceptional filly,” Kersley said.  “I don’t know what the bottom is but I couldn’t have asked for anything more during her first prep.”

Blackwood (3f Blackfriars – Karriwood by Tobougg) is related to legendary galloper Northerly who won two Cox Plates, a Caulfield Cup, two Australian Cups and a Railway Stakes for Kersley and Duncan.

Blackfriars (Danehill) stands at Scenic Lodge for a $12,000 (plus gst) service fee.

Snippetson enormous value at Scenic Lodge

Snippetson has entered the WA sires’ premiership in second spot after his mare Vergara scored a half-length victory in the LR Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) on Friday.

The former Hunter Valley stallion covered his first mares at Scenic Lodge this week and Vergara became his 9th stakes winner in the feature sprint at Wyong.

When the first WA leader-board for 2015-16 was posted on Friday evening, Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars ($343,702) led Snippetson ($180,201) and Rivercrest Park resident Due Sasso ($176,130).

Vergara (5m Snippetson – Graces Spirit by Flying Spur) raced outside the leader Two Blue before edging clear after a two-horse war down the straight. “She worked very smartly on Monday and we were confident,” stable foreman Edward Cummings explained. “It was one of the strongest renewals of the race in a long time and the way she put them away fills us full of confidence.”

Cummings said his father Anthony has mapped out an ambitious spring program for Vergara that includes the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 26.

Stand-in jockey Christian Reith agreed the mare is destined for better things. “She has ability and it was a tough win today. She got on the pace and gave a good kick. If she keeps going forward, you can throw her in at the deep end.”

Vergara is from a half-sister to 2009 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Turffontein (Johannesburg) and she is also related to G1 Victoria Derby winner Hit The Roof (Maroof). Bred and part-owned by Pat Carroll, she has won 7 races for prizemoney of $255,445.

Snippetson’s signature was a coup for Scenic Lodge. He was a Top 10 sire on the Australian 2YO winners’ premiership last season and is enormous value at a $7,150 (inc gst) service fee.

Blackfriars warms up for Kalgoorlie carnival

Blackfriars has assumed his customary spot at the top of the WA sires’ premiership following a four-timer at Belmont (Saturday) and Kalgoorlie (Sunday).

The Scenic Lodge champion has been represented by 11 individual winners this month and is already on course for a sixth Sunspeed title in 2015-16.

The winning weekend began with Ultimate Success scoring a back-to-form victory in the Westspeed Stayers’ Bonus Hcp (2200m) at Belmont. He is a younger half-brother to Group 1 star Scenic Shot and, while not in his class, has won 6 races for owners Bob & Sandra Peters.

Ultimate Success (7g Blackfriars – Sweepshot by Dr Grace) ranged up to tearaway leader Cougar Express at the furlong to win by a short-neck under a well-timed ride by Clint Johnston-Porter. “He’s been a bit unlucky but seems to go better when his runs are spaced,” Peters said. “He’s in the Kalgoorlie Cup and that could work out very well for him.”

Last-start Perth winner Young Lionel is another Blackfriars targeting the LR Kalgoorlie Cup on September 27.

The Goldfields carnival begins with the Coolgardie Cup on September 6 and Blackfriars warmed up with a winning hat-trick on Sunday.

Stablemates The Cruel Sea and Black Moment landed a running double for leading local trainer Peter Fernie before Smart As A Fox claimed the Goldfields Toyota Cup (1300m).

Smart As A Fox (7g Blackfriars – Foxaround by Foxhound) broke his maiden at Belmont as a spring three year-old and has won 7 races since transferring to Kal in 2013. Trainer Neil Dellar is sure to find another winnable event for the consistent sprinter during the round.

His dam Foxaround was a precocious two year-old in Perth and she is a half-sister to WATC Matchmaker Classic winner Danecay.

Scenic Lodge is standing Blackfriars (Danehill) for a $12,000 (plus gst) service fee this year.

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