Four Group I races in Australia and New Zealand on Saturday produced three first time G1 winners, highlighted an unexpected influential broodmare sire and of course the mighty Anamoe, who claimed his sixth Group I win making him the most successful horse Godolphin have ever had in Australia.
The $3million Group MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) was won by Golden Mile, first Group I winner for Astern and the second for Lonhro as a broodmare sire, read about him here.
The $1million Group I MRC Toorak Handicap (1600m) produced a third Group I winner for another Darley sire in Kermadec with progressive 5YO gelding Tuvalu successful, read about him here. Tuvalu is the 11th Group I winner for Exceed and Excel as a broodmare sire and interestingly the runner-up Laws of Indices is also from a mare by the champion Darley sire.
The $1million MRC Might and Power Stakes (2000m) provided an epic battle with Anamoe coming out on top to give Darley sires a treble of Group I winners on the day, read about him here.
The Group I Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Matamata in New Zealand delivered a first time G1 win for outstanding mare La Crique, who was second in the New Zealand Derby last season. She is the first G1 winner for Vadamos (Fr), read about her here.
She is from a mare by Kingmambo sire Dubai Destination (USA), who is proving a far better broodmare sire than a sire. She is one of 49 stakes-winners left by his daughters and six of them are Group I winners.
As a sire, Dubai Destination left 28 stakes-winners, but only one Group I winner, so his results as a broodmare sire are clearly superior. He shuttled to Australia for five seasons so there are a good number of his mares around and they should not be underestimated.
