The Group I Tatts Tiara at Eagle Farm last Saturday was the final Group I event of the Australian racing season so we’ll wrap up those last Group I races with three of the four winners tasting success at the top level for the first time.
The Tatts Tiara (1400m) was won by 3YO Star Turn filly Startantes, who had never won a stakes race previously, but had been twice Group I placed down in Sydney, read about her here.
Startantes is the fifth stakes-winner for Vinery Stud’s Star Turn and his first Group I winner and is also the first Group I winner for Easy Rocking as a broodmare sire.
Star Turn’s five stakes-winners have come from 97 starters giving him 5.2% SW to runners which is very favourable when compared to his second season peers.
Startantes is the best of three winners from Group II winner Funtantes, whose dam Cantantes has done an exceptional job producing 10 winners from 11 runners, so it’s a fast running Queensland family that has just delivered a personal best.
The Group I Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) was won by classy All Too Hard gelding Alligator Blood, who won the Group I VRC Australian Guineas as a 3YO.
He is one of four Group I winners for Vinery Stud’s All Too Hard and is his lone stakes-winner bred from a daughter of champion sire Encosta de Lago, who is Australia’s leading broodmare sire by winners this season and is second on earnings to Redoute’s Choice.
The second and third dams of Alligator Blood are by outstanding shuttle sires Red Ransom (USA) and Last Tycoon (IRE), so there are some great sires at work in his pedigree.
The Group I Queensland Oaks (2200m) went to Kiwi bred Tarzino filly Gypsy Goddess, the Australian second Group 1 winner for her young sire Tarzino, who also produced the SA Derby winner Jungle Magnate.
A Victorian Derby winner by Tavistock, Westbury Stud’s Tarzino always had the profile to suggest he could be a classic type sire and has certainly delivered on that promise.
Gypsy Goddess is the 25th Group I winner as a broodmare sire for Redoute’s Choice and she is from a sister to his Group I winning filly Cheeky Choice, whose female family is European, but has had plenty of success in Australia.
The Group I JJ Atkins (1600m) for 2YO’s was won by a filly with Sheeza Belter overpowering some very smart colts to post her first Group I win.
She comes from the first crop of Sebring’s Group II winning son Gold Standard and is his first stakes-winner and first Group I winner. She is also the first stakes-winner and first Group I winner for Danehill stallion Saxon as a broodmare sire.
This WA female family features plenty of Black Type performers and with a grand-dam by Sunday Silence stallion Fuji Kiseki and third dam by Cox Plate and Victoria Derby winner Red Anchor it’s hard not to think Sheeza Belter will not be even better at three.
Gold Standard has moved to Widden Stud Victoria this spring and stands at a fee of $17,600.
