The enthusiastic owners in the MyRacehorse syndicates swelled the midweek crowd at Sandown-Lakeside, and they found plenty to cheer about in the first two races with Our Sassy Lady and Etincelle returning to Group 1 receptions.
The 3-year-old Ocean Park filly Our Sassy Lady got the ball rolling when making a winning career debut in the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Maiden Plate (1400m).
Ridden by Jye McNeil for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Our Sassy Lady sat on the speed in the five-horse contest. She was strong to the line in defeating the Impending gelding Makdane by one and a quarter lengths, with The Autumn Sun colt Autumn Storm three-quarters of a length back in third.
"It was a good effort. It's never easy sitting outside the leader working," Kent Jnr said.
"It's nice to get one back on Dad (Makdane's trainer, Michael Kent), he got me last week.
"I'm rapt for MyRacehorse. Shares were still available in this filly midweek, so I'm sure they will be gone now. They do a lot for racing, igniting people's passion for the sport. They spent a tiny sum to become involved and have a metropolitan winner on debut, so the dream's alive.
"We will check the calendar and see what's available for her; 1400m is the minimum, and she will get 2000m in time.”
Our Sassy Lady was a bargain basement $8,000 purchase from the Brighthill Farm draft at the 2022 NZB Karaka Book 2 Sale.
She is the third winner from as many to race for the Keeper mare Tihi Keepa, a sister to the Group 1 QTC TJ Smith Classic winner Linky Dink, out of the Listed AJC Reginald Allen Hcp winner Gimmick (Sir Tristram).
There was barely time to find a seat when the 3-year-old Grunt gelding Etincelle broke his maiden at start two in the ve > Maiden Plate (1200m).
Ridden by Mark Zahra for Anthony and Sam Freedman, Etincelle stormed down the centre of the track to defeat the Capitalist filly Capzinzi by three-quarters of a length, with the Zoustar filly Telescope a length back in third.
“They (MyRacehorse) have been really good supporters, Ben Willis and all the team at MyRacehorse,” Sam Freedman said.
“We haven’t had a whole lot of luck, so it’s nice this horse has gone on with it.
“They have been patient and its taken a bit of time to get here. We had a lot of barrier issues with him early days. He has always shown talent but is coming good after a bit of a blip on the radar at his first start when he pulled up with Cardiac arrhythmia.
“He is a half-brother to Elliptical (Dundeel). While his 3-year-old season is getting away from him, we will place him conservatively, get him going the right way, and try and string a few together.”
A $40,000 pinhook from the Barador Stud and Phoenix Broodmare Farm draft at MM National , Etincelle was a $180,000 buy for Freedman Racing/Julian Blaxland Bloodstock from the Coolmore draft at Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A half-brother to Group III CS Hayes Stakes winner Elliptical, who placed in a Rosehill Guineas and Caulfield Guineas, Etincelle is the third winner for the Testa Rossa mare Marquise Da Rossa.
Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) has enjoyed success with the family having purchased Elliptical as a yearling and went back to the well to purchase Marquise Da Rossa’s So You Think filly at the 2023 National Weanling Sale. She was in the Milburn Creek draft at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, where Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock had the final say at $525,000.
When carrying the So You Think filly, Yulong purchased Marquise da Rossa for $675,000 at the 2023 National Broodmare Sale. She was covered by Alabama Express last spring after missing to an earlier cover by Grunt.
