Dash For Cash Runner Onerous Blitzed Rivals In First Start at Bendigo

Dash For Cash unearthed another potential stakes winner when first-starter Onerous blitzed his rivals at Bendigo on Sunday.

Onerous is a member of Team Hawkes and he was heavily backed into a $2 favourite for the Zonta International Plate (1100m).   He travelled without cover behind the leaders before cruising to the front at the furlong.

The grey colt accelerated under Dwayne Dunn to score by nearly two lengths from Godolphin filly Miniver (Bernardini) who also appeals as a promising type for the future.

Onerous (3c Dash For Cash – Amoroso by Revoque) is a younger brother to Arinosa and she has won up to Group 2 level at Randwick in the Sapphire Stakes and Premiere Stakes.

Part-owner and breeder Steve Lester manages the syndicate that races Onerous.  “I watched the Bendigo win with John Hawkes at the Coolmore Stud stallion parade,” Lester said.  “We’ve always liked him but he’s doing it all on raw ability at present.

“John said he’s still soft and is twelve months away.  Arinosa was the same – she didn’t really mature until four and then took off.  John will either give him one more run or tip him out straight away.”

Lester owns Amoroso and the mare is ready to foal to Dash For Cash again any day now.  Her yearling is a Bel Esprit filly that will be catalogued for the 2015 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.

Scenic Lodge stands Dash For Cash for his first season in Western Australia this year alongside champion Sunspeed stallions Blackfriars and Universal Ruler.  His introductory WA service fee has been set at $7,700 (inc gst).

Dash For Cash was a Group 1 Australian Guineas and Futurity Stakes winner and he has established a second-to-none record at stud with 308 individual winners at a 65% strike-rate.

“He sired 71 individual winners last season and that was better than Blackfriars who topped the WA table with 61,” Scenic Lodge general manager Jeremy Smith said.  “He’s a winning machine and there are plenty of other promising gallopers like Onerous ready to come through the ranks.

“We will be supporting Dash For Cash with some of our best mares and so are the State’s leading breeders like last season’s WA Breeder of the Year Neville Duncan from Oakland Park.”