Category Archives: Dash For Cash

Planet Cash wins against bias at Belmont

Planet Cash had been backed from $10 into $6 before the Quayclean Hcp (1400m) on Saturday and bookmakers would have been happy when the lightyl-raced 3yo was spotting the favourite Triple Jay six lengths into the straight at Belmont.

Backmarkers weren’t making ground in the Soft 7 conditions but the bias couldn’t counteract Planet Cash (Photo / Western Racepix) when he powered home to defeat Sunny Honey (Patronize) and Californication (Preferment).

“We were relatively confident after he really hit the line first-up here a fortnight ago,” trainer Hayden Ballantyne said. “He had missed a trial with a foot abscess and needed that hit-out. He was a long way back today but that serious turn of foot made all the difference. He will have one more run and then go out for the Ascot season.”

Bred by managing part-owner Karl Kazmer, he’s by Scenic Lodge sire Dash For Cash from Belmont winner Planet Claire (Zedrich) who is two for two at stud having foaled Belmont winner Astro Warrior (Demerit) for the same connections. Her 2yo filly Zeezea (Patronize) is also with Ballantyne and the mare was bred back to Dash For Cash last September.

Dash For Cash has sired 411 individual winners at a 65% strike-rate. The popular grey galloper was a Group 1 winner at Flemington and Caulfield and initially stood at Swettenham Stud in Victoria before transferring west in 2014.

Scenic Lodge completed a Belmont double in the TABtouch Hcp (1300m) when Vane Tempest spaced the Dan Morton-trained Featherweight in the TABtouch Hcp (1300m). They also filled out a quinella for former Scenic Lodge sire Snippetson.

Vane Tempest’s dam Quantum Leap (Regal Classic) was a $70,000 buy for Scenic Lodge at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. She is the mare’s only WA-bred foal and was retained by Scenic Lodge founder David Smith knowing her residual value as a younger half-sister to Outlandish Lad (G3 SAJC McKay Stakes) and He’sfantastic (LR VRC Interlink Stakes).

Scenic Lodge sire Universal Ruler had weighed in with two winners at the Belmont barrier trials last Monday. His unraced 3yo Ardent Fox scored by three lengths for owner-breeder Wally Daly and trainers Sean and Jake Casey. He’s a half-brother to LR Carbine Club of WA Stakes (1400m) winner Xaaravid.

Zenique also impressed winning a juvenile hit-out for Mitch Pateman and he has been nominated to debut at Belmont this Wednesday.

Scenic Lodge stands Universal Ruler for $8,250 alongside Dash For Cash at $2,200. Fees (inc GST).

Service Fee’s Announced

Leave a reply

Universal Ruler heads the table for Westspeed-bred 3yo winners this season and his promising filly Rusty Dreams is poised to improve her strike-rate at Belmont on Saturday.

Rusty Dreams has opened an even-money favorite in the Glenroy Chaff Plate (1400m) for trainer Michael Lane and jockey Willie Pike. She is one of 14 individual 3yo winners by the Scenic Lodge stallion giving him a margin among active sires over Playing God (12) and Maschino (10).

In the lead-up to the start of the Belmont winter season, Scenic Lodge general manager Jeremy Smith has announced Universal Ruler will stand for a value-plus $7,500 fee this year alongside Dash For Cash at $2,000. Both fees (plus GST).

“Universal Ruler (pictured) has cemented his position as a proven sire and he’s a no-brainer for broodmare owners who breed to race or breed to sell,” Smith said. “He’s one of WA’s most successful commercial sires and his current 3yo crop was followed by a book of 117 mares which was the largest in WA that season.”

At the Perth Magic Millions in February, Universal Ruler had a 100% clearance-rate in Book 1 at an average of $73,000. His Swan Valley yearlings were purchased by Justin Warwick ($110k), Jim Taylor ($100k), Ryan Hill ($80k), John Chalmers ($80k) and Noel Carter ($80k).

Rusty Dreams (3f Universal Ruler – She Done Him Wrong by Oratorio) completed a hat-trick at Ascot last month prior to losing her unbeaten record as an odds-on favourite behind Catch These Hands (Rommel). She is raced in partnership by her breeder Peter Capararo.

This Saturday also marks the anniversary of Universal Ruler’s G3 Belmont Sprint (1400m) victory in 2009. He sired The Velvet King to win the 2021 Belmont Sprint and his younger full-sister The Velvet Queen is a $6 second-favourite in this year’s edition for their trainer Darren McAuliffe.

Universal Ruler is the only son of Champion sire Scenic (Sadler’s Wells) at stud in Australia and his Scenic Lodge colleague Dash For Cash (Secret Savings) is great value for a stallion with career-stats of 411 individual winners at an amazing 66% strike-rate.

In other Scenic Lodge news this week, Stakes-winning mare Sniparoochy (Snippetson) changed hands for $155,000 at the Inglis May (Early) Online Sale. She was purchased by Belmont Bloodstock (as agent) for Cathy Hains who operates Burnewang North Pastoral in Victoria.

Scenic Lodge announces fees for 2021

Leave a reply

High-end results at the Perth Magic Millions complemented by remarkable strike-rates at Ascot have been the spur for modest service fee increases for Snippetson and Universal Ruler at Scenic Lodge.

They will both stand for $8,250 (inc GST) in 2021.

The Scenic Lodge pair led all Australian stallions for yearling sale returns this year set against their 2018 service fees.

Perth’s record-breaking Magic Millions Yearling Sale propelled Universal Ruler to the top of the nation-wide list when his 2018 fee ($4,950) was multiplied by 11.3 to his yearling average ($55,909)

Snippetson (11.2) was second with a 2018 fee ($6,600) soaring to a Magic Millions average of $74,067.

“We are delighted with the results for Snippetson and Universal Ruler in the sales ring and on the track in the last 12 months,” Scenic Lodge general manager Jeremy Smith said. “We are always mindful of our service fees and feel even with this moderate increase they are still both standout options for breeders in WA.”

Snippetson scored a PB during Book 1 of the Magic Millions with the filly from Pearlesque (Statoblest) making $200,000 to the bid of trainer Stephen Miller. His Book 2 yearlings also received the tick of approval, averaging $70,667 off a 100% clearance rate.

Snippetson was Champion WA Active Sire in 2019-20 and will be hard to dislodge from the top of the table again this season. Gemma’s Son was the catalyst for an amazing winning run in the second-half of this season when he became the first galloper to complete the Magic Millions 2YO Classic – 3YO Trophy double.

Snippetson’s current crop of juveniles burst out of the blocks with brilliant filly Sniparoochy. She was unbeaten leading into the Magic Millions 2YO Classic only to suffer a leg injury in running as the odds-on favourite.

Spin The Knife won on debut at Ascot as did Storm Whisper at Bunbury before a head-bobbing second in the LR Perth Stakes (1100m). Featherweight also saluted at Ascot prior to finishing fourth in the G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Universal Ruler has been the most popular sire with WA breeders in recent years, averaging over 100 mares in his last three books.

In light of those figures, the best is yet to come from the Stakes winning son of Scenic (Ire) who has already made an indelible impact in WA. He was Champion First-season sire in 2013-14, Champion 2YO sire in 2017-18 and Champion Active sire in 2018-19.

His strike-rate in black-type races has gone to another level in the last two years with ANGELIC RULER (LR Sheila Gwynne Classic), BAM’S ON FIRE (Gr.3 Victoria Hcp, 3rd G1 Robert Sangster Stakes), LADY COSMOLOGY (G3 Proud Miss Stakes), MARKET RULER (LR Beaufine Stakes), REBEL KING (LR Cyril Flower Quality), THE VELVET KING (G3 Northerly Stakes) and UNI TIME (Carbine Club WA Stakes).

Universal Ruler is the go-to sire for the Westspeed Platinum Scheme. The owners of Military Reign banked $565,200 boosted by $180,000 in bonuses. All Scenic Lodge stallions are nominated for the lucrative Westspeed Platnium Scheme.

Dash For Cash rounds out the Scenic Lodge roster at $2,200 (inc GST). He’s a proven sire at a bargain fee off 400 individual winners to date at a 66% winners-to-runners strike-rate.

For further information, contact Jeremy Smith at (08) 9571 0155 or 0419 943 356 [email protected]

Scene set for Perth Magic Millions

Leave a reply

Following phenomenal returns on the Gold Coast last week, Magic Millions has switched focus to Perth and the local industry is hoping COVID-19 restrictions won’t adversely affect interstate participation on February 15 and 16.

Since the Magic Millions Yearling Sale transferred to the Swan Valley complex in 2019, Perth’s Book 1 turnover has increased 11% and the average has also risen by 8%.

For the first time since 2004, Scenic Lodge will not have a yearling by its 10-time champion sire Blackfriars (Danehill), however, general manager Jeremy Smith is upbeat about its consignment by Snippetson and Universal Ruler.

Snippetson has received several updates in recent weeks led by his unbeaten 2yo filly Sniparoochy. “She’s come along at just the right time for our 11 Snippetsons,” Smith said. “We bought Snippetson from Widden Stud to sire horses that can get going early and he’s certainly doing that in WA.”

Trainer Stephen Miller was far from disappointed even though Sniparoochy was all out winning the Amelia Park Lodge Plate (1200m) a fortnight ago. She had bolted in by five lengths on debut at Bunbury last month but had to overcome some smart youngsters second-up at Ascot.

Sniparoochy started odds-on in town and had to work outside the speed before taking a clear lead in the straight. Favourite punters would have been happy at the furlong only to wonder if it was turning pear-shaped when Ex Sport Man (Playing God) and Hoi An (Longma) launched late bids. “She had to dig deep to get the job done,” Miller said. “She’s still raw and was looking around. There weren’t any slouches in that field and the main thing is she’s two-for-two.”

Miller is undecided what path to take for the $250,000 Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at Pinjarra on February 6. She has been entered for the Crown Perth Plate (1000m) this Saturday and will race with the addition of winkers.

Nicknamed ‘Ferrari’, she cost $67,500 at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions for a syndicate that includes Craig Yeo, Tony Buhagiar, Michael Brennan, Paul Higgins, Neil Pinner and Scenic Lodge founder David Smith. They also raced her older full-brother Bubaroochy who was the first locally-bred winner by Snippetson when he landed a plunge at Pinjarra in January 2019.

Sniparoochy is from the third crop sired by Snippetson since he relocated to WA from the Hunter Valley. The second is headed by 2020 Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Gemma’s Son who resumes this Saturday after a midfield finish last time out in the G1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m).

Trainer David Harrison has nominated Gemma’s Son for the Devil’s Lair Plate (1000m) at Ascot. He’s unbeaten first-up but has been burdened with 62.5kg hence the claim for 3kg apprentice Maddi Derrick.

Snippetson fillies from Pearlesque (Lot 41) and Athena’s Me Mum (Lot 95) will attract prospective buyers on Day 1 of the 2021 Perth Magic Millions. “The Pearlesque is a half-sister to Friar Fox and is an awesome filly,” Jeremy Smith said. “She’s a typical Snippetson – strong with plenty of size and it’s a black-type page.”

The Scenic Lodge filly out of Athena’s Me Mum is an early August foal and is maturing into a filly who could complement the stakes winning family Black George (LR Hannans Hcp) that goes back to multiple Group 1 winner Island Morn.

Scenic Lodge service fees unchanged for 2020

Leave a reply

Scenic Lodge has pledged its ongoing commitment to the WA industry by keeping all service fees at the same level as last year.

Snippetson and Universal Ruler remain at $6,600 and Dash For Cash at $2,750. All fees are GST inclusive with a free return.

“We have made the decision not to make any changes with the uncertainty due to the Coronavirus,” stated Scenic Lodge general manager Jeremy Smith. “In saying that, Snippetson and Universal Ruler are definitely worthy of fee increases on the back of their superb form in the last year or two.

“We are confident our stallions are standout choices for broodmare owners this season. All three are completely free of Danehill blood which gives breeders some great options looking for an outcross to their mares.”

Snippetson (Snippets) is the leading active stallion in Western Australia this season with progeny earnings of $2.6 million. He has an excellent chance of also winning the WA 2YO premiership.

He sired Champion WA 2YO Tinsnip in his first crop from Scenic Lodge in 2018-19 and he’s done it again with Gemma’s Son who won the RL Magic Millions Classic and LR Perth Stakes earlier this year.

Snippetson leads the 2YO table with $593,720 and there’s more to come in the final quarter of the season with the likes of last-start Pinjarra winner Samsurian and recent trial winners Playing For Keeps and Snipillicious.

Universal Ruler (Scenic) was WA Champion active sire last season and that success has been reflected in his popularity with breeders. He has been the busiest local stallion for the last two seasons covering 93 mares at $4,950 in 2018 and topping that with 117 mares at a $6,600 fee in 2019.

His Melbourne-based mare Bam’s On Fire is primed for a career-high performance in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) this Saturday. She’s coming off a G3 Victoria Hcp victory at Caulfield and has drawn ideally in the $400,000 sprint at Morphettville.

Closer to home, Universal Ruler sired 6 winners over the Anzac long-weekend and his LR Sheila Gwynne Classic winner Angelic Ruler will be set for more black-type in the Roma Cup and Belmont Sprint.

Dash For Cash (Secret Savings) is great value for a proven stallion with 395 individual winners at an amazing 65% strike-rate. He reached 1200 wins on Anzac Day before turning the corner with I’m Pretty at Pinjarra on Sunday.

For more information or bookings, please contact Jeremy Smith on 041 994 3356 or [email protected]

Combined 11 weekend winners for Scenic Lodge sires

Leave a reply

Universal Ruler mare Angelic Ruler added a touch of class to a record-breaking weekend for Scenic Lodge stallions on the weekend.

Scenic Lodge sires combined for 11 winners at Ascot & Kalgoorlie (Saturday) and Pinjarra (Sunday). Universal Ruler led the onslaught with 6 winners followed by Blackfriars (2), Snippetson (2) and Dash For Cash (1).

Angelic Ruler is back home after a frustrating stay in Melbourne for trainers Ben & Dan Pearce. She earned the trip east after winning the LR Rangeview Stud Classic at Bunbury but played bridesmaid with 6 Group placings in 7 starts over there last year.

Starting a long odds-on favourite in the LR Sheila Gwynne Classic (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday, she set about improving her winning strike-rate with a dominant one-length victory over Flower Of War (War Chant).

“She was good and it’s nice to get the win,” co-trainer Ben Pearce told The Races WA. “She hadn’t won a race for 12 months but it’s not like she was going bad, they were all in good races.

“She put them away easily today and we will set her for the Roma Cup (1200m) and Belmont Sprint (1400m).”

Angelic Ruler’s dam Tip The Angel (Tip The Pro) was bred by Joyce Stowe and won 8 races for the Pearce family before going to stud. Her 2yo filly Angelic Encore (Vital Equine) was unplaced on debut behind Samsurian at Pinjarra on Sunday.

The Pinjarra meeting unearthed some promising types conceived at Scenic Lodge in Muchea.

Samsurian (Snippetson) won a 2yo maiden for part-owner and breeder Bridie O’Bree after being under siege at the furlong. Trained by Robert & Todd Harvey, he’s a younger half-brother to stakes winners Samovare (Savabeel) and Samizdat (Not A Single Doubt).

Lindsey Smith’s 3yo filly Aberdeen Queen (Universal Ruler) is also bound for town after arriving very late to land the Anderson International Hcp (1400m). Part-owned by Perth Racing Director Rod Lukatelich, she is a half-sister to the Rogano city winners Sherpa Lass and Glasgow Girl.

Ascot – April 25

Blackwater Bay (3g Blackfriars – Russian Playmate by Dr Johnson)

Looks Like Magic (4m Universal Ruler – Zed Magic by Zedrich)

River Beau (3g Snippetson – Peggie’s Louise by Oratorio)

Angelic Ruler (4m Universal Ruler – Tip The Angel by Tip The Pro)

Kalgoorlie – April 25

Nemiroff (4g Universal Ruler – Elusive Choice by Choisir)

Pinjarra – April 26

Samsurian (2g Snippetson – Sambar by More Than Ready)

Stella Door (3g Universal Ruler – At The Gates by Bletchley Park)

Black Ransom (4g Blackfriars – Ransom Belle by Red Ransom)

Jakestar (3g Universal Ruler – Jake’s Sister by Fimiston)

Aberdeen Queen (3f Universal Ruler – Highest Honour by Elusive Quality)

I’m Pretty (4m Dash For Cash – Not So Pretty by Bletchley Park)

Interstate double by Dash For Cash

Leave a reply

Dash For Cash sired an interstate double on Wednesday with Miss Entice on a Heavy 10 at Cranbourne and I’m Pretty on a Good 4 at Belmont.

The Scenic Lodge resident is one of the most versatile stallions standing in WA with career stats of 390 individual winners ranging from 800m to 3200m. He’s also our value-for-money sire at a $2,750 service fee.

Miss Entice (4m Dash For Cash – Entice by Last Tycoon) jumped straight to the lead and was always comfortable in the prevailing conditions of the Highview Accounting Hcp (1300m). “She makes her own luck in front,” Nikita Beriman said at Cranbourne. “I started increasing the tempo from the half-mile and they were never going to catch us.

“I just had to make sure we stayed on the fence because she tends to lay out if she’s not scraping the paint.”

Miss Entice is a sister to Dash For Cash stakes winner Boom ‘N’ Zoom (LR Cranbourne Cup). There’s a page full of NZ black-type in the family including G2 Wakefield Challenge winner Leading Role (Darci Brahma).

“She’s always in the hunt and it was a peach of a ride by Nikita,” trainer David Feek said. “She resented the tongue-tie here first-up and hated the Ballarat polytrack second-up. She ran well when second at Geelong last time and it was good to get her over the line again for a great bunch of owners.”

I’m Pretty continued the successful run with Scenic Lodge sires for trainer Adam Durrant when I’m Pretty landed the Bielsa Rhapsody Hcp (1400m) at Belmont.

Durrant prepared Come Play With Me (Blackfriars) to win the Swan Vase on Saturday and both gallopers are homebreds for his parents Geoff and Vicki who are holidaying in Broome.

The Dash For Cash filly let down with a powerful finish for a two-length victory over Sir Mambo (War Chant). She had won a York maiden in May and following up with two placings at Pinjarra.

“She’s been consistent and Willie (Pike) summed the race up perfectly,” stable foreman Jason Miller said. “She’s been up a while and we will keep her going while she’s racing so well.”

I’m Pretty’s dam Not So Pretty (Bletchley Park) has an unraced 2yo filly (Looksnoteverything) and a filly foal by Dash For Dash. Second-dam Dedicated Miss (Mukaddamah) was a Group 3 winner of the 2004 Hyperion Stakes and Strickland Stakes for trainer Geoff Durrant and jockey Jason Miller!

(Natasha Morello/Racing Photos)

Black-type with a Grey Shadow

Leave a reply

Dash For Cash flyer Grey Shadow is on a black-type mission after notching her first win for Caulfield trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

Previously with Darren Weir, the speedy grey mare had too much firepower as a $3.40 favourite in the Noel Rundle Hcp (1100m) on Saturday. “We’re still getting to know her a bit,” Eustace said. “There’s a lovely program for mares in Adelaide and she definitely appreciates cut in the ground so Queensland is a possibility.”

Grey Shadow helped her sire Dash For Cash fill out an Easter treble for Scenic Lodge.

Her stablemate Bam’s On Fire started the long weekend with a runaway victory at Benalla on Thursday. She’s by Universal Ruler and received a tick of approval from Eustace and jockey Harry Coffey following her first-up win for the yard.

Snippetson was also on target for Scenic Lodge when Tinsnip won G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on Good Friday. He is currently second on the WA 2YO table with his first-crop in the west.

Dash For Cash is still very much a part of the action at Muchea. His latest crop of foals arrived from a book of 26 mares and he stopped them at a 100% fertility rate!

Grey Shadow is from Masai Miss (Choisir) who was a front-running winner for Greg Eurell at Pakenham before retiring to stud. She is related to LR Belmont Guineas winner Siranto (Laranto).

“She got to the front quite easily and Johnny (Allen) was able to control the race and put them away,” Eustace said. “She had been trialling very well and her work had been very sharp. It will be all about getting her some black type now.”

Spirit Cashing in at Sha Tin

Leave a reply

Champion jockey Zac Purton consolidated his lead on the Hong Kong premiership when Chung Wah Spirit filled out the last leg of a winning treble at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The improving son of Scenic Lodge sire Dash For Cash was completing a running double of his own in the Cox’s Hcp (1650m) having won the Yan Oi Tong Cup over the same track and trip a month ago. It increased his off-shore bank balance to the equivalent of AUD 665,000.

Chung Wah Spirit had won his first two starts at Doomben and Sunshine Coast when registered as Cash Dash. His owners Ross Donovan and Peter Malpass then accepted an offer from Pinhook Bloodstock’s Dave Mee who was acting on behalf of trainer Dennis Yip.

Mee has been in tremendous form in Hong Kong with a double-figure win tally since the start of this season. “It’s very satisfying getting runs on the board up there. Obviously, it’s a different environment and selecting horses with the right temperament is very important. But you never know for sure whether they will acclimatise.

“We’ve had a mixture of seasoned campaigners and up-and-coming horses this season. Chung Wah Spirit always had the talent but took a while to develop and get going up there.”

Purton always felt he was going to mature into a good horse. “I knew he had an engine but he was timid in his races. Even in the mornings at trackwork it was obvious he wasn’t the finished article. He just needed time to mature.”

Dash For Cash has built a remarkable record at stud with 387 winners at a 65% strike-rate.

The 20 year-old grey marvel has been represented by 595 individual starters and the 596th will be Cee Ash on debut at Bunbury this Thursday. A $25,000 buy for Capel owner-trainer Graeme Evans at the 2017 Perth Magic Millions, he was runner-up in a Bunbury trial on March 15.

Cee Ash is the latest foal of Oh So Regal (Scenic) and her most recent cover was to Geisel Park’s grey stallion Vert De Grece (Ire). Her family goes back to those grey flyers from the 1980s – Jungle Dawn and Jungle Mist.

Webster confident with good Reason

Leave a reply

Colin Webster doesn’t normally go overboard with predictions but he made an exception after Without Reason broke through in a midweek maiden at Ascot.

The veteran trainer was happy to talk up the 3yo gelding’s future after he defeated black-type filly Princess Pierro over a mile on Wednesday. “He’s a very promising horse and has an enormous future,” Webster declared. “He’s still all head and legs but watch out when he gets it right.”

Without Reason is from the first WA crop of Scenic Lodge stallion Dash For Cash and cost just $17,000 at the Perth Magic Millions. Webster knows a bargain when he sees one and the grey caught his eye among Scenic Lodge’s Book 2 draft in 2017.

His dam Mystical Messenger (Blackfriars) has black-type close up in her pedigree and it’s the Group 1 variety via Australian Horse of the Year Scenic Blast and Railway Stakes winner Gilded Venom.

“He will tell us when he’s had enough…we’re not going to over-race him this campaign,” Webster said. “It was quite an achievement to beat that filly today. I think his best distance will be around 2200m when he fully matures.”

Jockey Jordan Turner took over from his father Troy who was aboard when Without Reason resumed from a six-month spell with a first-up fourth at Bunbury on January 13. “I’ve ridden him in work and Dad gave me a rundown, too. He took a split coming off the corner before letting down. He’s still a prep away and is only going to get better.”

Scenic Lodge sells a Dash For Cash – Cyclone Bella filly (Lot 197) at the Perth Magic Millions and there could be an interstate update this Sunday with her older half-sister update La Belle Jude (War Chant) engaged in the Pink Angels Cup (1500m) at Mornington.

Meanwhile, Divine Shadow kicked off a winning treble for former Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars at Pinjarra on Thursday and his yearling sister is also coming down from Muchea to the Perth Magic Millions. Catalogued as Lot 230, she’s a three-quarter sister to Group 1 stars Playing God and God Has Spoken.