Buddy begins winning week for Snippetson

Buddy Honest was the catalyst for another winning week for Scenic Lodge sire Snippetson at Rosehill last Saturday.

The Aleacia Bennett-trained sprinter produced a bold, front-running performance to score a two-length victory in the TAB Highway Hcp (1100m). It was his third win in 10 starts following victories at Wellington and Quirindi earlier this season.

“It’s my first win in town, so I’m pretty excited,” Bennett said. “I wasn’t overly confident, but I knew he would come out and try his heart out because that’s what he does. He’s just learning and has finally figured out he’s a racehorse.”

Buddy Honest (3g Snippetson – Honest by King Of Kings) was a $26,000 buy at the 2015 Inglis Classic yearling sale. His dam is out of a half-sister to Tobougg who earned a start as a Darley shuttler after Group 1 victories in the Dewhurst Stakes and Prix de Salamandre.

Snippetson stepped up his strike-rate late this week with Sniponet (Taree) & Snippety Sip (Dubbo) on Friday and Desirable Miss (Gold Coast), Enzo The Barber (Morphettville) & Virgilio (Kembla Grange) on Saturday.

Time is Snippetson’s greatest enemy in an effort to sire 100 individual winners this season. He has 96 on the board to lead fellow Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars (93) with just a week remaining in season 2016-17.

Scenic Lodge stands Snippetson for $6,000 (inc gst) and the stud’s service fees are subject to discount structures for early confirmed bookings. For further details, contact Jeremy Smith on 0419 943 356 or [email protected]

D Mac Rules by Decree

Impressive Racing trainer Darren Mcauliffe knows how to prepare a Universal Ruler winner and he’s found the key to By Decree.

The comeback mare was being set for last year’s Belmont Oaks when she fractured her back and had to be nursed back to health by Mcauliffe. She’s as good as gold now and enjoyed all the favours winning the Inglis Bloodstock Hcp (1650m) last Saturday.

Given the run of the race by Matthieu Autier, she tracked the favourite Nelson’s Flight (Blackfriars) before bursting through along the rails to score by short-neck. “She finds a length on soft ground, like a lot of the Universal Rulers, and ‘Frenchie’ rode a perfect race,” Mcauliffe said. “He had been leading on her but I told him to take cover and it worked out today.”

By Decree was bred Impressive Racing’s Kevin Berry and hails from an Argentinian female family imported to Australia by Victorian breeder Ted Cockram. Her dam Elusive Choice (Choisir) is now owned by Balmoral Park manager Brian Collison and she foaled a Proart filly last August.

“I was happy when it started to rain and she was always travelling behind the leader,” Autier explained. “I just followed (Willie) Pike and she ran home nicely.”

Mcauliffe also won with Universal Ruler mare Queen Of Tease at Belmont earlier this month and he has Universal Ruler 2yo Abdicator ready to resume after a barrier trial win at Lark Hill on Monday.

Universal Ruler 3yo Snow Lord also won at Monday’s trials for Grant & Alana Williams. He scored twice at Ascot earlier this year for owners Elio & Jacquie Galante.

Scenic Lodge stands Universal Ruler (Scenic) for a discounted $3,850 (inc gst) service fee this year.

Weir in tandem with Blackfriars

Premier trainer Darren Weir will be double-handed for the Melbourne spring carnival with Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars.

Weir has set WA Horse of the Year Black Heart Bart for the G1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 26 and new stablemate Chocolate Holic will start first-up in the G3 Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield this Saturday.

“Obviously, I just couldn’t compare the two but Chocolate Holic is a really nice horse,” Weir said on Tuesday.  “The Monash is likely to be a bit sharp before he goes to Caulfield for the Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) in a fortnight and the Lawrence Stakes (1400m) three weeks later.”

Chocolate Holic won his 7th race in 11 starts when partnered by Damien Oliver in the Listed WA Carbine Club Stakes (1400m) at Ascot during the last summer carnival.

Owner-trainers Grant & Alana Williams brought him back into work for a close second to Group 1 star Scales of Justice in a Lark Hill trial before the transfer to Victoria.  They bred him by using Blackfriars over NSW import World Famous (Geiger Counter) who is related to stakes winners Adraanito (G2 Queen of the South Stakes) & William’s Ghost (LR Towton Cup).

The Karnup couple sold World Famous to Dandaragan breeder Dan Rieusset but kept her 2009 mare Chocolate Moon (Cape North).  She foaled a Blackfriars filly last September and is due to him again next month.

Blackfriars will turn 21 on August 1 while Scenic Lodge celebrates a 7th WA title in succession.  And he will give them something to chase in 2017-18 after Weir’s stablemates get cracking at Caulfield in August.                                                                                                                                                  The Scenic Lodge line-up is headed by Blackfriars at a $12,000 fee alongside Snippetson ($6,000), Universal Ruler ($3,500) & Dash For Cash ($2,500).  All fees (plus gst).  Fees are subject to discount structures for early confirmed bookings. For further details, contact Jeremy Smith on 0419 943 356 or [email protected]

Scenic Lodge locks in premierships

Blackfriars has edged ahead of Snippetson for the WA winners’ title with just three weeks remaining in 2016-17.  The Scenic Lodge sires were locked on 91 individual winners before Blackfriars filly Burning Pride won the Hahn Superdry Hcp (1300m) on debut at Belmont on Wednesday.

Blackfriars ($5.02 million) is home-and-hosed ahead of Snippetson ($3.52 million) for his 7th WA prizemoney premiership in a row but the winners’ duel will go right down to season’s end.

Burning Pride (2f Blackfriars – Pride by Hussonet) was always travelling like a winner in front and she toyed with them in the straight to score by a length from fast-finisher Uncle Con (Econsul).  Punters allowed her to drift from $5.50 to $9 despite an impressive trial at Lark Hill last month.

“She’s still very immature but she’s got a motor and that’s the most important thing,” trainer Ken Adams said.  “I will give her one more run if she pulls up okay.  She will get over ground and looks an Oaks filly for next season.”

Adams trained Mystic Chantry (Chanteclair) to win the 1997 WA Oaks and Blackfriars won it with Pop Culture in 2012.

Burning Pride was bred by De Grey Park’s Dick Vincent and is related to Singing The Blues (G1 Oakleigh Plate) & Summer Swallow (LR Bunbury Breeders’ Classic).  Vincent has retained Pride’s yearling filly by Blackfriars and the mare foaled a Snippetson filly last year.

Black Heart Bart was top earner again for Blackfriars this season with Group 1 rewards in the Memsie, Underwood, Orr & Futurity Stakes.  They totalled $1.46 million and he’s back in work for more following a winter in Queensland.

“He had a break before pre-training on our water-walker,” Washpool Lodge manager Paula Smiles said.  “He was up here last year and went back to Darren Weir last week looking as good as ever.”

Black Heart Bart will defend his G1 Memsie Stakes crown first-up at Caulfield on August 26.  Blackfriars (Danehill) heads the Scenic Lodge line-up this year for a $12,000 fee alongside Snippetson ($6,000), Universal Ruler ($3,500) & Dash For Cash ($2,500).  All fees (plus gst).

Scenic Lodge fees are subject to discount structures for early confirmed bookings.  For further details, contact Jeremy Smith on 0419 943 356 or [email protected]