Clear-cut result for Confusing

Blackfriars gelding Confusing has continued his latest campaign with a dominant victory in the Membership Pro-Rata Rates Hcp (1800m) at Ascot.

Confusing sat at the girth of front-runner Weekend Shadow before stealing a break at the top of the straight to score by two lengths from O’Reilly’s Crumpet (O’Reilly) and Preselection (Authorized).

The Neville Parnham trained gelding warmed up with two 1400m races earlier this month and those hit-outs had him peaking on Wednesday.  “His trackwork had been good and he was ready to step up to 1800m,” stable foreman Mark Sestich said.  “He hit the line nicely and should go further although I think 1800m – 2000m suits him at this stage.”

Confusing is a three -quarter brother to Blackfriars’ G2 WA Derby winner Rohan and the dam of LR Gimcrack Stakes winner Darlington Abbey.  Parnham bought him from Scenic Lodge for $110,000 at the 2012 Perth Magic Millions for a partnership that includes staunch stable clients Santo Guagliardo and Bob Pearson.

“Those first two runs back were encouraging and he would have finished closer last time except for being held up,” winning jockey Steve Parnham explained.  “When I did the speed map for today, the thought did cross my mind we could be closer to the lead than usual.  There was no pace and he settled outside the leader – that’s the key – he travelled and then gave a good kick.”

Scenic Lodge has catalogued Confusing’s full brother as Lot 276 at this year’s Perth Magic Millions on February 16.  Their dam Crossed Wires (Scenic) has a Blackfriars filly at foot and she was bred back to Sunspeed’s champion stallion in October.

Blackfriars has 17 yearlings from Scenic Lodge at the Magic Millions.  “We are delighted with our draft,” operations manager Jeremy Smith told TABForm this week.  “Blackfriars continues to dominate in WA.  His stock are just so genuine and tough and improve every campaign and love our conditions and tracks.”

Scenic Lodge’s brother to champion filly Delicacy is shaping up as a potential sale-topper at the 2016 Perth Magic Millions yearling sale.

The Al Maher youngster has been catalogued as Lot 140 and is timed to sell towards the close of the first-session on Monday evening, February 15.

The colt’s value continued to climb as Delicacy went on a winning run that saw her named Australia’s Champion 3YO Filly in 2014-15.  The season culminated with classic doubles in the G3 West Australian Oaks & G2 West Australian Derby and G1 South Australian Oaks & G1 South Australian Derby.  She returned to training this term and was nosed out of another Group 1 by stablemate Perfect Reflection in the Kingston Town Stakes at Ascot before getting back on track in the G2 C B Cox Stakes and G2 Perth Cup.

Delicacy led home an historic trifecta for owner-breeders Bob and Sandra Peters in the 2016 Perth Cup.  She railed up in the straight to defeat stablemate Neverland and 2015 winner Real Love.  The Perth couple bred her by using Emirates Park stallion Al Maher over Simply Wicked (Scenic) who had won races at Northam and Belmont carrying their cerise and white silks.  Her first foal Usual Suspect (King Cugat) was a slowcoach and that prompted Bob to cull the mare at the Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale in May 2014.

Scenic Lodge operations manager Jeremy Smith takes up the rags-to-riches story.  “I flew over to Sydney to buy a few mares and Simply Wicked was an obvious choice.  She was a well-bred Scenic mare and I knew she would be within our price range because it was late in the day and her wins had been in WA.

“The timing was also perfect because no-one had heard of Delicacy.  A month later she came out and won first-up at Belmont and you know the rest.”

Smith paid just $4,000 for Simply Wicked and the mare is the gift that keeps giving because she was sold carrying another PPT to Al Maher.  “The colt was a late September foal and he will continue fill out after the Magic Millions,” Smith predicted.  “He’s tall and looks like he will develop along the same lines as his big sister.”

Simply Wicked’s current three year-old Universal Law (Beneteau) is another promising type having completed a city hat-trick at Ascot in October.  He was last seen finishing midfield in the G2 WA Guineas.

Simply Wicked stayed on site at Scenic Lodge last year and she foaled a colt by champion sire Blackfriars on October 15.  Smith sent her back to the Hunter Valley but she slipped to Widden Stud’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Stratum.

“It’s very exciting to be offering the brother to a champion at the Magic Millions,” Smith said.  “And we have 18 lots by Blackfriars.”

Western Australia’s champion sire for the last five years – and a clear leader this season – Blackfriars begins the Magic Millions with the colt from Scenic’s city winner Jacita (Lot 1).  The mare is a three-quarter sister to LR Seymour Cup winner Panoramic Lad and she has already foaled Blackfriars winner Scenic Lord.

Scenic Lodge has several standouts by Blackfriars.  Lot 252 ex Card Queen (Final Card) is a half-sister to Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Karuta Queen and Lot 276 ex Crossed Wires (Scenic) is a three-quarter brother to WA Derby winner Rohan.

Dequetteville double ahead of Dash For Cash

Dash For Cash sired his latest two year -old winner when With A Bit Of Dash bolted in by the best part of four lengths in Adelaide on Saturday.

The Chris Bieg trained filly will be given a black-type campaign after her second-up victory in the Schweppes 2YO Plate (1050m) at Morphettville.  “She’s a very nice horse and I will probably give her a freshen up then bring her back for the Adelaide carnival,” Bieg said.  “A race like the Dequetteville Stakes will be her goal next prep.”

This year’s LR Dequetteville Stakes (1100m) is scheduled for April 23.  Bieg won the juvenile feature with Dash For Cash filly Dashitude in 2012.

With A Bit Of Dash (2f Dash For Cash – Storm Esprit by Bel Esprit) camped behind the three leaders who raced abreast until straightening for home.  She had the drop on the trio and then powered home after being angled into clear running by Todd Pannell.

The winner is the only named foal from the Bieg owned mare Storm Esprit who died in April 2014.  The dam is a half-sister to Adelaide stakes performer Storm Brewing (Desert Sun) and her second-dam is a half-sister to Sir Ernest Lee-Steere’s Group 1 winning grey Heroicity (Cheraw).

Dash For Cash also has Cash Dash being set for the $100,000 Capricornia 2YO Classic (1200m) at Rockhampton in April.  “He won a trial by 9 lengths – it was a bit of a shock actually that it was such a big margin,” trainer Stephen Jones said.  “He’s thrived since we’ve had him at Jacaranda Park in Beaudesert – he likes the paddock life.

“For a two-year-old he’s very professional.  He’s always just got in and done his job.”

Dash For Cash (Secret Savings) has served two books at Scenic Lodge in Muchea and his first Sunspeed-bred yearlings will be catalogued for the 2017 Perth Magic Millions.

2016 Magic Millions Yearling Draft – Coming soon

Lot 219 – Blackfriars / Ancient Lights – Outstanding filly in ever department. Strong, mature and is simply all class with one of the bests pedigrees in the sale. This filly is a half sister to Dance On Waves (her first yearling just sold for $725k in the Gold Coast) and very closely related to dual Gr1 winner Preferment. This filly is the complete package.

 

Lakeside landslide from Onerous

Dash For Cash sprinter Onerous returned from a spell to land a brilliant first-up victory in the Le Pine Funerals Hcp at Sandown (1200m).

The Team Hawkes galloper was bailed up between runners before charging through a gap at the furlong. He won running away by a half-length from Master Sommelier (Testa Rossa). “He was just too good for them,” trainer Wayne Hawkes said. “It was a super run and a brilliant ride by Dwayne Dunn.”

Onerous (4g Dash For Cash – Amoroso by Revoque) had won at Bendigo, Seymour and Geelong as a three year-old before graduating to his first city victory around the Lakeside circuit on Wednesday. He races for a syndicate headed by Daleigh Park manager Steve Lester.

The grey gelding is a younger brother to Arinosa who was a Group 2 winner of the Premiere Stakes and Sapphire Stakes at Randwick. She retired to stud last year to be covered by Zoustar.

Their dam Amoroso struck for a third time when her 2yo filly Sweet Sherry (Bel Esprit) won the LR Maribyrnong Trial at Flemington in October. Her latest foal is a yearling colt by Dash For Cash.

Dash For Cash (Secret Savings) stands at Scenic Lodge and he has sired the winner of 30 races this season for earnings of $649,000.

Happy New Year for Lims Sincere

Happy New Year for Lim’s Sincere

Snippetson sprinter Lim’s Sincere maintained his consistent form with a front-running victory in the Happiness 2016 Stakes (1000m) in Singapore on New Year’s Day.

The speedy three year-old has only missed the money once since a winning debut at Kranji in July and that was in the G3 Juvenile Championship behind top 2YO Super One. “He’s had a few problems but showed ability from Day 1,” trainer Steven Burridge said. “He was also a very excitable type of horse and always got stirred up.

“We tried hold him up but then decided to just let him run along and it’s paid off.”

Former champion jockey Mick Dittman bought Lim’s Sincere for $30,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions HIT Sale. He is the second foal of unraced mare Exabaa (Anabaa) and her third foal is a Snippetson 2yo filly named Snipex Abaa.

Snippetson has sired the winners of 46 races in Australia this season and is currently running second to Blackfriars on the WA premiership with earnings over $1.47 million. He stands at Scenic Lodge and has three yearlings catalogued for the Perth Magic Millions next month.