After two seconds in barrier trials behind his hugely talented stablemate Straight Charge, the Snitzel colt Trunk makes his eagerly awaited debut in a fascinating Rex Gorell Geelong Diamond Hcp at Geelong on Saturday.
A $1,300,000 purchase for Yu Long Investments from the Highgrove Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained son of Snitzel is the eighth live foal of the stakes-placed O’Reilly mare Acquired.
Like her half-sisters Hips Don’t Lie, Ocean Of Tears, and Luna Bella, Acquired is leaving her mark on the breed.
They are daughters of the Centaine mare Procure. A Rosehill winner in four starts, Procure is a great-granddaughter of the prolific Holborn (IRE) mare Miss Holborn, whose seventeen live foals include the stakes-winners Born Rich, Sovereign Ghost, and British Steel.
Miss Holborn’s first foal, Bibiana Girl (Beau Sovereign), is the dam of the Listed winner Getting There (Jungle Boy), the dam of the Group III HBJC Gold Trail Stakes winner Rhythm (Bakharoff), Listed WaikRC Fairview Ford Stakes winner Tristachine (Sir Tristram), Listed VRC Maribyrnong Trial Stakes winner Western Music (Western Symphony), and Procure (Centaine).
The first foal of Procure, Azevedo (Helissio), was a flyer winning five and placing in nine of his 37 starts, including a second to Super Elegant in the Group III Rubiton Stakes and third to Choisir and Spinning Hill in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes.
Procure’s third foal, Luna Bella (Stravinsky), was unraced and is the dam of Weatherly, whose name may be lost to time. The son of Beneteau won the Listed Talindert Stakes at Flemington and was third to Kiss and Make Up in the Group II Todman Stakes at Randwick.
The Paul Messara-trained gelding never made it past his three-year-old debut. He was euthanased at start four after fracturing a sesamoid at Canterbury on New Year’s Eve, 2016.
Luna Bella’s 4-time winning daughter Luna Mia (Redoute’s Choice) has her first foal, A Written Tycoon filly, in the Arrowfield Stud draft at the Magic Millions.
Procure’s daughter Ocean Of Tears (Minardi) was rushed off to stud after finishing eighth in a maiden at Kyneton. Her daughter No More Tears (Darci Brahma) was a top performer for Stephen Marsh with stakes wins in the Group III ARC Mr Tiz Trophy, Listed ARC Soliloquy Stakes, and Listed WaikRC Star Way Stakes.
No More Tears hit the ground running when she retired to stud. Her second foal,(Zoustar), has won four of five starts, highlighted by his explosive performance in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Hips Don’t Lie (Stravinsky), a sister to Luna Bella, was a $200,000 purchase for James Bester from the Trelawney draft at the Karaka in 2007.
Trained by David Hayes, Hips Don’t Lie won six of 13 starts highlighted by the STC Reisling Stakes, Listed VRC Herald Sun Sprint (Ottawa Stakes) and Listed VRC Talindert Stakes. After banking over $500,000 on the track, Hip’s Don’t Lie has six yearlings sell for an average of $1,000,000. She is the dam of stakes-winners Ennis Hill, Lake Geneva and Acrobat, all by Fastnet Rock.
Ennis Hill is the dam of the outstanding Justify (USA) filly Learning To Fly, whose three wins in four starts included the Group II ATC Reisling Stakes, and Group III Widden Stakes.
A year before Procure foaled Hips Don’t Lie, she had an O’Reilly filly. Purchased by John Wallace on behalf of Geoff Grimish for $170,000, the filly named Acquired had a long and productive career on the track. Facing the starter 53 times, Acquired won seven and placed in 14, earning $286,000. She was second in the Group II Dane Ripper Stakes and has not let the side down at stud.
All four foals to get to the races are winners led by the dual Group II winner and $1,187,000 earner Splintex (Snitzel), Listed winner Invictus Salute (Exceed And Excel), and stakes-placed Acqume (Sepoy).
Trunk is a brother to Splintex, and Acquired visited Snitzel in September after having setbacks in her previous two seasons.
Even by Yu Long’s lofty standards, Trunk is a significant investment. Just two of the 46 yearlings purchased in 2023 by the Victorian-based behemoth made more than his $1,300,000 price at Easter.
