Group 1 racing returns to Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday with the Australian Guineas at Flemington and the Chipping Norton Stakes and Surround Stakes at Randwick.
We will jump in early with the Listed Festival of Racing 1000 at Flemington, where the only winner in the field is Tycoon Humma, who gives the current first-crop frontrunner Capitalist a great chance to put another stakes-winner on the board.
There was little surprise when Redgum Racing's John McArdle had the final say at $240,000 for the filly out of the Flinders Park Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
This is a family McArdle knows well and has had great success with.
He has purchased and trained all four winners to date out of the 4-time Melbourne winner Humma Mumma (Bel Esprit).
The most notable of those was the dual Listed stakes-winner, Humma Humma. Purchased for $80,000, the daughter of Denman banked just shy of $600,000. Her six wins included the Group III SAJC Proud Miss Stakes.
Tycoon Humma made an impressive career debut over 1000m at Bendigo on February 13, which earned her a 'Breednet One To Watch'.
Ridden by Jamie Mott, Tycoon Humma finished full of running to defeat the Frosted (USA) colt Frostin' by two and a quarter lengths with the Zoustar colt Midwest a further two lengths back in third.
While there is speed to burn close up in the pedigree of Tycoon Humma, you don't have to delve too far back in the pedigree to find some classic staying power.
Humma Mumma's granddam Follies Bergeres (USA), a daughter of the Mill Reef stallion Pas De Seul, is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup hero Gildoran.
Follies Bergeres (USA) is out of the Cheveley Park Stakes and Fred Darling Stakes winner Durtal.
A daughter of Lyphard, Durtal is a half-sister to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Detroit (Riverman), who produced another Arc winner in Carnegie (Sadler's Wells) who stood with great success in New Zealand and Australia.
Perhaps the family's most significant contribution, particularly in the southern hemisphere, came from the Val De Loir mare Valderna.
The half-sister to Durtal and Detroit is the granddam of the great Zabeel.
So, all eyes will be on her half-sister Tycoon Humma, who will be out to provide the perfect pedigree update in Saturday's Listed Festival of Racing 1000.
