On the eve of New Zealand's Karaka sale, one of its pricier 2017 graduates, Long Leaf (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), extended his unbeaten record to three and put himself in pole position for the Feb. 24 G1 Blue Diamond S. with a win in the male division of Caulfield's Listed Blue Diamond Preview. Owned by a Coolmore partnership and trained by the Lindsay Park team, Long Leaf graduated going this 1000 metre trip at Morphettville on Oct. 28 and took a listed contest over the same distance at Sandown the following month. Content to take a sit three lengths off the lead, the NZ$750,000 acquisition had a wall of four runners ahead of him turning into the straight, but a wide opening materialized as those fanned out and the bay charged through. Sticking his head in front at the 200, Long Leaf held off a facile rally from Ollivander (Aus) (Charge Forward {Aus}) to win by a half-length.
Long Leaf's dam, Frustrating (Aus) (Stravinsky), is a half-sister to Group 1 winners Terravista (Aus) (Captain Rio {GB}) and Tiger Tees (NZ) (Dubawi {Ire}), as well as Singapore champion Super Easy (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), and the Fastnet Rock over Stravinsky cross is the same one that produced the four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen (Aus).
“He's a definite stallion prospect in the future now,” co-trainer Ben Hayes told Racing.com “Everything about him, his attitude at the races, he's a real professional and gets it done. Looking at him, he's a big lengthy horse, and I think there's definite room for improvement as well. We actually think he'll be better over 1200m [the Blue Diamond trip]. I think we'll definitely most likely go straight to the Blue Diamond from here.”
Coolmore connections had another pricey Fastnet Rock colt win on Saturday when the 3-year-old Siege of Quebec (Aus) made a winning return at Rosehill for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. The A$1.2-million colt, the winner of his first two starts last winter, was making his first start since finishing second in the Listed Rosebud S. over this 1100 metre track and trip in August. The ownership group on the close relation to Horse of the Year Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}) also includes Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, Belinda Bateman and Markus Jooste's Nordic Breeding and Racing.
Also staying unbeaten was the winner of the fillies' division of the Blue Diamond Preview (a Group 3), Lady Horseowner (Aus) (Equiano {Aus}), who had broken her maiden at Moonee Valley in her only prior start on Dec. 8. Biding her time early among the back markers, Lady Horseowner gradually made up ground as they came through the turn and turned for home with about three lengths to make up. Put to a drive by jockey Nikita Beriman, Lady Horseowner got to the front inside the final 50 metres to win by a quarter-length from Crossing The Abbey (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}). Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's Oohood (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) came flying late between runners but had to settle for third.
Lady Horseowner is not nominated for the A$1.5-million Blue Diamond, and her owner/breeders Paul and Carol King would have to pay a A$55,000 late fee to run the filly in four weeks' time. Paul King told Racing.com, “Why not? On that run, you'd have to give it a go wouldn't you? But it's going to be his [trainer Greg Eurell's] call,” Paul King said.
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