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Young Lionel signals big week for Blackfriars

Young Lionel is the latest black-type winner for Blackfriars following his half-length victory in the LR Northam Cup (1600m) on Sunday.
The Scenic Lodge champion has now sired 31 stakes winners and it was his third Northam Cup in the last five editions following Son Of Something (2014) and Moneghetti (2011).
The Avon Valley victory begins a big week for Blackfriars who has Kia Ora Koutou lining up as second-favourite for the G1 Victoria Derby at Flemington this Saturday.
Young Lionel is trained by Lou Luciani and he also prepared the gelding’s dam Prime Again (Marooned) to win the 1994 Northam Cup when he was private trainer for Tilden Park owner Dallas Dempster.
“It’s always good to win a race from one you’ve had in the past,” Luciani said. “Prime Again was one of my favourites and this bloke is becoming one, too.”
Young Lionel’s next assignment will be the LR Ascot Gold Cup (1800m) on November 7. He has earned $390,000 for part-owners Colin Teede, Mike Kikeros and Lyle Bailey since graduating from Scenic Lodge for $35,000 at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions.
Blackfriars (Danehill) won the 1999 Victoria Derby for owner-breeder Robert Sangster before retiring to Scenic Lodge where he stands for a $12,000 (plus gst) service fee.young lionel northam cup presentation

Classic conquest by My Poppette

My Poppette gave her new owners Rob and Donna Love a quick return on their investment in the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m) on Saturday.

The Snippetson filly controlled proceedings in front and then increased the tempo to trounce her rivals by almost three lengths.  “I was able to dictate and we were home at the 600m,” jockey Mark Zahra said.  “She’s just getting better and improving the further she gets into the preparation.”

My Poppette was bred and raced by Cranbourne’s Alderson family to win a juvenile stakes race at Flemington in April and she changed hands before returning to action this season.  “We didn’t think she was ready for the Thousand Guineas and this race looked perfect,” trainer Robert Smerdon said.  “She’s just coming right and I would like to keep going while she’s racing so well.

“But I don’t want to go one run too many because she can go right on with it after a break in the autumn.”

The Loves have made several astute investments in recent years buying G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Shamal Wind (Dubawi) and Black Caviar’s half-sister Belle Couture (Redoute’s Choice) who foaled a Pierro colt in August.

My Poppette (3f Snippetson – Brompton’s Choice by Runyon) is from a half-sister to the dam of Neo (G2 Wellington Guineas) and other close relations include Brompton Cross (G2 Edward Manifold Stakes) and her son Delago Brom (G1 Australian Guineas).

The Moonee Valley win completed a city treble within 24 hours for Snippetson following Lady Sniper (Canterbury) and Our Lady Mac (Doomben).  The Scenic Lodge sire is covering his first Sunspeed mares for a $6,500 (plus gst) service fee.

My Poppette Photo / Sharon Chapman

My Poppette
Photo / Sharon Chapman

Million-dollar Mile beckons Bart

black heart bartTwo down, two to go – that’s the equation facing trainer Vaughn Sigley and Black Heart Bart.
The Blackfriars sprinter-miler won the LR Birthday Stakes (1200m) first-up at Belmont on October 3 and backed up with an exciting victory in the G3 Northerly Stakes (1420m) at Ascot on Wednesday.

Black Heart Bart and top mare Wink And A Nod (McFlirt) made their runs in tandem from the back of the field with Sigley’s stable star getting the verdict by a nose.  “We had to make a few adjustments with the meeting being delayed from Saturday,” he said.  “But he adapted and hasn’t blown a candle out.”

Sigley will raise the bar again next time out when Black Heart Bart starts in the G2 Lee-Steere Stakes (1400m) on November 7 as a final lead-up to the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) on November 21.

The million-dollar mile has been the goal since a luckless trip east earlier this year in the G1 Goodwood and G1 Stradbroke.  “He’s more mature and tractable now and, hopefully, we get a bit of luck in the big one.”

Black Heart Bart (5g Blackfriars – Sister Theresa by At Talaq) emerged as a potential Group 1 winner last summer winning 5 Listed events between November and March.  His only hiccup was a half-length loss to Blackfriars sprinter Shining Knight in the LR Crawford Quality.

“He was feeling the pinch and then stuck his head out right on the line,” jockey Glenn Smith explained after weighing in on Wednesday.  “He had them covered at the furlong but needed the run.  He’s grown up this season and has probably found another couple of lengths.”

Black Heart Bart is building up a tremendous strike rate for a Geraldton syndicate that includes Kim Renner, Craig Delacy, Dave Richardson, Arthur Psaltis and Ian McCarthy.

He cost $20,000 after being passed in at the 2012 Perth Magic Millions and his earnings now stand at $698,430.  Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars got him from a half-sister to NZ & Australia Group 1 winner Savannah Success – the dam of Group 1 racehorse and sire Savabeel.

Blackfriars (Danehill) sired a double on Wednesday with Liberty Rise winning first-up for Colin Webster and fellow Scenic Lodge stallion Universal Ruler was also in the frame when his mare Raczynski completed a hat-trick earlier in the afternoon.

Black Heart Bart has been installed a $5 TAB favourite for the Railway Stakes ahead of Group 1 winners Delicacy and Turn Me Loose (NZ)  at $8.

Weir wraps Cash Gift

Darren Weir’s superb run continued at Swan Hill on Tuesday when he saddled promising maiden winner Patche Gift in the Warburton Carriers Plate (975m).

Weir was in rare form at the Caulfield Cup carnival winning the G1 Toorak Hcp and then landing a stakes winning treble at The Heath on Saturday.  He has prepared the winners of 68 races in Victoria this season to top the trainers’ premiership ahead of David Hayes (48) and Peter Moody (32).

Patche Gift was a drifting favourite but saluted by a half-length with apprentice Jye McNeil on board.  He was disappointed for a rails run in the straight before switching wide to reel in the leaders.

The Dash For Cash three year-old had finished fourth at his only other outing in May.  “It was a real good win first-up and we will take him straight to Melbourne,” Weir’s racing manager Jeremy Rogers said.  “There’s a sprint at next Friday night’s Moonee Valley meeting that should suit.”

Weir races Patche Gift under his Forest Lodge stable-banner in partnership with breeders Larry & Lynette Eastman and Neville Dewhurst.  They also have his 2yo sister by Dash For Cash.

They are the only two foals from Northwood Lass (Dolphin Street) who won 3 races up to 2100m in Victoria.  She was bred by Northwood Park’s Barrie and Midge Griffiths and is related to their Caulfield Cup winner Mannerism.

Dash For Cash transferred from Victoria to Western Australia last year and stands for a $4,400 (inc gst) fee at Scenic Lodge.

Rebel promotes Snippetson in Perth

Scenic Lodge sire Snippetson proved he’s still popular with buyers from the Eastern States and Asia at the Magic Millions 2YO Sale on Tuesday.
Snippetson transferred to Western Australia from the Hunter Valley earlier this year and his half-dozen 2YOs averaged in excess of $70,000 at the Gold Coast.
Topping the list was a $105,000 colt knocked down to Brisbane trainer Desleigh Forster.  An October 31 foal from Countess Dehere (Dehere), he’s a half-brother to 4 winners in Brisbane and Hong Kong and caught the eye with a slick breeze in 10.23s.

Another pleasing aspect for the future was 5 of his 6 lots will be heading to Macau, Singapore & South Korea.  That will help Magic Millions publicize the Perth Yearling Sale to Asian buyers when Scenic Lodge sells its first Sunspeed Snippetsons.

Rebelson has been promoting Snippetson in Perth since he claimed the LR Fairetha Stakes and LR Aquanita Stakes in 2012.  He’s just as competitive as a six year-old and was a brave, front-running winner over 1600m at Belmont on Saturday.

“He’s a monster and gives everything,” trainer Darren McAuliffe said after the gelding shouldered 58.5kg to victory after a 3kg claim for Chloe Azzopardi.  “There was an on-speed bias and I knew he would be hard to beat off a big run here last month.

“He’s a black-type winner and has raced in Group 1 events – none of these horses have done that!”

Rebelson’s next assignment will be the LR $125,000 Northam Cup (1600m) on Sunday, October 25.  He dead-heated with Son Of Something (Blackfriars) in the Avon Valley feature last year. Snippetson stands at Scenic Lodge for a $6,500 (plus gst) service fee.

Snippetson - Countess Dehere colt

Snippetson – Countess Dehere colt – Sold $105,000

Blackfriars sires 30th stakes winner in Kal Cup

Blackfriars ticked another box in the black-type department when Woodsville won the LR Kalgoorlie Cup (2300m) on Sunday.

WA’s champion sire dominated the Goldfields grand-finale with four of his runners – Woodsville, Black Moment, Drive West and Friarday – all finishing in the first five home.

Woodsville is the 30th stakes winner by Blackfriars who stands at Scenic Lodge for a $12,000 (plus gst) service fee.

The 2015 Kal Cup was a triumphant return for trainer Jeff Noske and his daughter Jerry who became the first female jockey to win the race. “We decided he was worthy of having a crack after winning two in a row at Belmont in July,” Noske snr said. “I decided against running him in the Coolgardie Cup because if he won it he would have copped a penalty.”

Noske won the Coolgardie, Boulder and Kalgoorlie Cups as a jockey on Lawmaker in 2002.

Woodsville (7g Blackfriars – Yorks

Woodsville

Woodsville

hire Rose by Scenic) took 19 starts to win a Pinjarra maiden but his owner-trainer Bill Godecke never lost faith in the gelding. “Bill’s a good mate and he asked me to take over last year,” Noske recalled. “I always liked the horse and now we will get him ready for the Perth Cup.”

Woodsville’s dam Yorkshire Rose won up to 2200m at Belmont and she is a three-quarter sister to Scenic Group 3 winners Dashing Scene (STC Kingston Town Stakes) and Count Scenario (Grafton Cup).

Her Blackfriars four year-old Emerald And Gold won two in a row at York and Northam in April and the mare has an unnamed Blackfriars 2yo filly with Bunbury owner-breeder Dan Love.

The Kalgoorlie Cup completed a sensational weekend for Scenic Lodge stallions. Snippetson and Dash For Cash won feature races in Victoria (Kenjorwood) & Queensland (Ladretto) on Saturday while Universal Ruler filly Military Reign won for the fourth time in six starts at Belmont.

Blackfriars is on course for his sixth WA title and he heads the sires’ premiership with Snippetson (3rd), Universal Ruler (6th), Dash For Cash (8th) and Hurricane Sky (10th) filling out the Top 10.

Hurricane Sky, who retired from stud duties at Scenic Lodge five years ago and still resides at Muchea, continues to pump out winners like Zuccheros who has won four races at Ascot and Belmont this year.

Bart back to best in Birthday Stakes

Bart back to best in Birthday StakesRefreshed from routing last week’s Kalgoorlie Cup, Blackfriars switched the focus to Perth’s feature race on Saturday and he dominated again with Black Heart Bart in the LR Birthday Stakes (1200m).

Black Heart Bart was racing in his home-state for the first time since in March. He was back in action for the locals following a meteoric rise last season winning the LR Carbine Club of WA Stakes, Summer Scorcher, Cyril Flower Stakes, Pinjarra Classic and Bunbury Stakes.

Sent east, he finished an unlucky fourth in the G1 Goodwood at Morphettville and then travelled to Queensland for the G1 Stradbroke. Caught out very deep from a wide barrier at Doomben, he took off at the half-mile and was gassed at the top of the straight.

Black Heart BartAppearing for the first time at Belmont on Saturday, Black Heart Bart was given a perfect one-out, one-back ride by Glenn Smith before outlasting Fuchsia Bandana (Trade Fair) and stablemate Dawn Approach (Statue Of Liberty).

“He’s back to his best after those runs in the Eastern States,” trainer Vaughn Sigley said. “I wasn’t sure how he would go today but his class shone through. Glenn reckons he’s only 8
Black Heart Bart (5g Blackfriars – Sister Theresa by At Talaq) has summer goals in the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and G1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) in November – December.

Blackfriars has another Group 1 on the horizon with his up-and-coming three year-old Kia Ora Koutou who won Crown Perth Opening Day Hcp (2200m) on Saturday.

Kia Ora Koutou (3g Blackfriars – Kia Ora Miss by Jeune) is unbeaten after four starts and trainer Adam Durrant will set him for the G1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on October 31. His sire won Australia’s most prestigious classic in 1999.

Durrant will start Kia Ora Koutou at Ascot in a fortnight or go straight to Melbourne for a final lead-up at Caulfield, Geelong or Moonee Valley.

Blackfriars (Danehill) stands at Scenic Lodge and there are limited nominations remaining to WA’s champion stallion at a $12,000 (plus gst) service fee.

Picture:- Simon Merritt / Western Racepix