Bart Awesome in Gr1 Memsie Stakes

Sunspeed star Black Heart Bart has made a triumphant start to the spring carnival in a high-class renewal of the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

The son of Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars climaxed his previous campaign winning the G1 Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide and running a close second in the G1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in Brisbane.

On Saturday, just a week after being crowned WA Horse of the Year, he began a Cox Plate preparation with a dominant display in the first Group 1 event of the new Australian season.

Aided by a fast early pace, Black Heart Bart settled behind the leading division before taking control in the straight and sprinting to a resounding victory over Rising Romance (Ekraar) and Mahuta (Flying Spur).

“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” jockey Brad Rawiller said. “When he let down he was just awesome.”

Black Heart Bart (6g Blackfriars – Sister Theresa by At Talaq) has won 13 races and been placed 11 times from 32 starts earning over $2.28 million. He cost $20,000 at the 2012 Perth Magic Millions and is raced by a Geraldton-based syndicate that includes Kim Renner, Craig Delacy, Dave Richardson, Arthur Psaltis and Ian McCarthy.

“He’s the best I’ve got and is a perfect horse to train,” Darren Weir said. “They’re hard to find. The owners are very keen on the Cox Plate.”

The Caulfield victory deposited $300,000 towards Blackfriars extending his winning run to seven premierships in Western Australia. He sired the Memsie Stakes winner from a half-sister to NZ & Australia Group 1 winner Savannah Success – the dam of Group 1 racehorse and sire Savabeel.

Blackfriars (Danehill) tops the Scenic Lodge roster at a $12,000 service fee alongside Snippetson ($6,500), Universal Ruler ($4,500) and Dash For Cash ($3,000). All fees (plus gst). For further details, contact Jeremy Smith on 0419 943 356.

Sticky wicket winner by Dash For Cash

Dash For Cash gelding Not A Blemish landed his maiden by a long-head at Mildura on Friday after skirting a sticky patch on the corner.

The Terry & Karina O’Sullivan trained galloper was racing first-up following unplaced runs at Donald and Warracknabeal in March. He races for Werribee owner-breeder David Lyons who has been a long-time stable client.

By rights, Not A Blemish should have been one of the outsiders in the Hygain Maiden Plate (1005m) but was kept safe at $7.

“Karina told me he had been working nicely and she expected him to come here and win,” jockey Jack Hill explained. “It wasn’t one of my better rides sitting three-wide but I wanted to stay away from that trouble spot turning for home.

“He got to the front and then, if anything, sat back and waited for them to catch up. He’s a nice horse.”

Not A Blemish (4g Dash For Cash – Cazzuma by Umatilla) is the fourth winner from a mare who was a Super VOBIS maiden winner at Hanging Rock in 2005. She was also trained by the O’Sullivans for Lyons and has continued in the same vein at stud with her first four foals all winners.

Dash For Cash burst through 1,000 career wins at stud in June and is in pursuit of his 7th century of wins in a season. Scenic Lodge’s Group 1 grey stallion is a bargain for owner-breeders at a $3,300 (inc gst) service fee.

SENSTATIONAL SEASON FOR SCENIC LODGE SIRES

In an industry where many promises are given on sires the only true guide is racetrack performances by their stock. It’s fair to say we are delighted with our Sires performances in this area during the 2015 – 2016 season.

Snippetson Crowned WA Champion 2YO Sire

Snippetson was crowned WA Champion 2YO Sire on Saturday and he celebrated with a Group 3 victory in the Singapore Juvenile Championship (1200m) on Sunday.

His consistent youngster Mystic Master settled in a handy spot outside the front-runner Caorunn at Kranji before powering clear in the straight to win by more than a length.

Mystic Master (2g Snippetson – Distant Symphony by Distant Music) is the 11th stakes-winner for his sire who stands for a $6,500 (plus gst) fee at Scenic Lodge.  “He’s a horse who always gives his best but I didn’t expect him to beat those very good two year-olds like that,” trainer Alwin Tan said.  “He’s a horse with good potential and he’s also very versatile.”

A $70,000 purchase at the 2015 Magic Millions 2YO Sale, Mystic Master was bred by Raheen Stud and is from a half-sister to Group 1 winning mare Rostova.  Raheen owner Basil Nolan also bred Snippetson stakes winner Snippets Land.

“He’s killed them,” winning jockey Alan Munro said.  “I was able to park outside the leader and he was very strong to the line.”

Snippetson clinched the 2015-16 WA 2YO premiership at Belmont on Saturday when Dainty Tess (War Chant) defeated The Celt (Planet Five) and One Short (Snippetson) in the final juvenile race of the season.

Oakland Park stallion Rogano (Redoute’s Choice) was Sunspeed’s leading first-season sire with 3 individual winners for earnings of $161,400.

WA 2YO PREMIERSHIP
$465,195   Snippetson
$429,075   War Chant
$416,750   Oratorio
$375,425   Alfred Nobel
$362,025   Demerit