New Metro Winner for St Marks Basilica

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday Jul 8

Astute WA trainer Simon Miller has a great record of success with purchasing weanlings from the major Eastern States sales and a filly by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) he purchased from the Magic Millions National Sale for $80,000 opened her account at Belmont on Wednesday.\

Gentle Touch gets there on the line - image Western Racepix

Gentle Touch was a close fourth on debut last month over 1200m at Belmont and was sent out a hot favourite for the maiden today over the same course and distance.

Advertisement

Allowed to settle off the pace by Willie Pike, she loomed up to challenge at the 100m mark and was strong through the line to win by a long head giving the impression further will be better.

Bred and sold by John Muir’s Milburn Creek, Gentle Touch is the third winner from three foals to race from Soft Kiss (USA), an imported half-sister by Bernardini to Group III winner Den’s Legacy.

Gentle Touch is the sixth Southern Hemisphere bred winner for St Mark’s Basilica and they include stakes-winner unbeaten Aristopolos and stakes-placed West Coast.

St Mark's Basilica (FR), click for more info and a Hypo mating.

The European Horse of the Year in 2021, St Mark’s Basilica returns to Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $38,500.

Advertisment

Race Result - MC Polytrack Mdn 1200m

Belmont Park Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:12.87
1
Gentle Touch
- 2f St Mark's Basilica (FR) x Soft Kiss (USA) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: Simon Miller Rdr: W Pike 55
2
0.2
Da Hinchi Belle
- 2f Leonardo Da Hinchi (AUS) x Pagani (AUS) (Sizzling (AUS))
Tnr: Sue Olive Rdr: Jefferson Tsang 52
3
1.3
Rifleman
- 2g Shooting To Win (AUS) x Catherine Wheel (AUS) (Rogano (AUS))
Tnr: D L Morton Rdr: Lucy Fiore 57
4
1.6
Lucky Shot
- 2c Lucky Vega (IRE) x Our Wildest Dreams (NZ) (Pentire (GB))
Tnr: Aaron Mitchell Rdr: Jordan Turner 57
5
2.5
Lunar Spark
- 2f Awesome Rock (AUS) x Swim Star (AUS) (Star Witness (AUS))
Tnr: Embroja Lee Altieri Rdr: P Harvey 55
6
3
Elegant Rock
- 2f Awesome Rock (AUS) x Seven Of Nine (AUS) (Planet Five (USA))
Tnr: Michael Grantham Rdr: Holly Watson 55
7
4
Envy Her
- 2f Playing God (AUS) x Jest Envy Her (AUS) (Patronize (AUS))
Tnr: D L Morton Rdr: Natika Riordan 52.5
8
5.2
Triple Impact
- 2g Bivouac (AUS) x Triple Latte (USA) (Medaglia D'Oro (USA))
Tnr: C & M Gangemi Rdr: C Johnston-Porter 57
9
5.3
Carrigane Boy
- 2g Splintex (AUS) x Pambella (AUS) (Playing God (AUS))
Tnr: Daniel O'Connor Rdr: Chloe Azzopardi 57
10
5.3
Force Field
- 2g Splintex (AUS) x Shimmer Lake (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: T M Andrews Rdr: S Parnham 57
11
6.1
Cryptomania
- 2g Gold Standard (AUS) x Grand Design (AUS) (Master Of Design (AUS))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: S O'Donnell 57
12
7.5
Strut Your Stuff
- 2g Awesome Rock (AUS) x Dance the Beat (AUS) (Shaft (AUS))
Tnr: Russell Stewart Rdr: Holly Nottle 55.5
13
8.4
Wine God
- 2g Playing God (AUS) x Wine I Am (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: S J Wolfe Rdr: S Mc Gruddy 57
More Reading...
Haras d'Etreham Set Fee for Hotazhell
Triple Group I winner Hotazhell will begin his stallion career at Haras d'Etreham in France at a fee of €15,000 next year before then shuttling to Widden Stud in Australia.
G1 Aussie Pedigree Watch –Newly Minted
Pedigree does matter if you want to be winning races longer than 1200m, although in an interesting twist a colt bred on face value for speed is in fact from the family of Zabeel.
One to Watch – Mornington
A homebred for Seymour Bloodstock with an intriguing pedigree opened her account with a stylish win at Mornington on Tuesday.
Southern Highlands Thoroughbred Week is Out of the Gate!
Celebrating 140 years of racing and thoroughbred culture, Southern Highlands Thoroughbred Week presented by GROW Southern Highlands will span three weekends, from 19th November to 6th December.
Inglis Digital Purchase Iron Hawk to Tackle G3 TAB Mile
Harness racing trainer Barry Purdon bought Iron Hawk last year with New Zealand Cup Week in mind, and now the moment has arrived, with the stakes performer set to tackle the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) at Riccarton on Wednesday.
Frankel Heads Juddmonte Euro Roster at £350,000
Fresh from siring outstanding young stayer Point of Law (GB) to win the $10m Group I VRC Melbourne Cup, champion sire Frankel will again top the roster at Banstead Manor Stud for Juddmonte.
Remembering Northerly – The Greatest Caulfield Cup Winner This Century
It's Caulfield Cup week, and what better moment to revisit the life and times of one of the greatest - if not the greatest - Caulfield Cup winner of the modern era.
Unraced First Season Sires Trial Report
It’s been a pretty steady start to spring in terms of 2YO races and we are still waiting to see a first season sire post a winner, but there has been action aplenty at the trials which would indicate the pre-Christmas period is set to ignite.
Racing Industry Mourns Much Loved Izzy Neale
The thoroughbred racing industry is devastated tonight following news that apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, aged 22, has tragically died as the result of a race fall at Warren on Sunday.
2027 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1881 entries for the 2027 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?