Comeback sprinter Oscar's Fortune produced a gutsy performance to claim a first up win in the G3 Colonel Reeves (1100m) at Ascot and signal that he's ready for another crack at the upcoming G1 Winterbottom Stakes.
“Oscar's” was runner up to Jokers Grin in the Colonel Reeves last season, before running a close sixth to Libertad in the big one.
The Dion Luciani trained galloper rebounded in the best possible way from a bleeding attack he sustained at the one start of his winter preparation.
Now six years of age, the talented son of Rich Enuff was runner up in the 2023 Winterbottom to Overpass, before being transferred to the eastern states for a long and mostly unprofitable campaign - though he did place in the G2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield before a loss of form.
Once back at Ascot in the stable of original trainer Luciani, the galloper quickly returned to his best before the bleeding incident.
Now he's back, and looks to be going at least as well as he was this time last year!
The G3 Colonel Reeves victory is the second stakes win for Oscar's Fortune and advances his record to 29 starts for 7 wins, 6 seconds and 2 thirds for prizemoney just a tick under $1.8 million.
The tough campaigner went to post at odds of 8/1, with the ever-dangerous fresh conveyance Rope Them In (Playing God) installed as 5/2 race favourite and star mare Talkanco (I'm All The Talk) well fancied, despite drawing a horror gate.
All eyes were on Mitchell Pateman's up and coming four year old speedster Bassett Hound (Wootton Bassett) looking to make it six straight wins as he tackled stakes company for the first time. From the immediate family of the great filly Bounding Away, Bassett Hound is bred to go at the speed of light, and there were plenty of punters backing him to emerge triumphant in his biggest test to date.
Quality sprinters Immortal Bliss ( I Am Immortal) and Rissoles (Playing God) had friends in the betting ring, but the remainder of the thirteen runners went around at big odds.
When the gates opened Rissoles jumped in the air and went sideways and Bassett Hound got out only fairly.
Beginning far more smoothly were roughies Twisted Steel ( Rommel) and Thermosphere Lad ( Exosphere) who both rushed forward, as did Oscar's Fortune for jockey Fred Kersley Jnr.
Talkanco was back midfield and predictably trapped four wide, while Bassett Hound had settled on the rail. Immortal Bliss was near last and the errant Rissoles had it all to do from the tail.
At the 450m Thermosphere Lad was charging along with Oscar's Fortune beginning to loom on his outside and Twisted Steel sneaking up along the rail. The field turned for home and the first three had kicked well clear of the chasing pack!
Favourite backers looked desperately for signs of the customary finishing burst of Rope Them In, who had been positioned up to challenge, but Rope Them In was phoning it in today.
Despite enduring a difficult run, Talkanco was on the scene breathing fire, with Immortal Bliss trying to ride her tail - but Oscar's Fortune had hit the front!
With 100m to go Oscar's responded brilliantly to Kersley's urgings and powered to towards the line as Talkanco edged closer. The mare was so gallant, but Oscar's Fortune had enough in hand to hold her off by half a length.
The first two came away by two lengths from the chasers, headed by Immortal Bliss in third and the bolter Thermosphere Lad hanging onto fourth, with a somewhat one paced Rope Them In fifth.
Bassett Hound never really got going in the straight, but held his midfield position at his first experience in the big time.
Fred Kersley has returned to WA with a bang, getting back-to-back feature wins today after guiding Oscar’s Fortune to victory in the G3 Colonel Reeves Stakes. https://t.co/WZsE1lMEY9
— Racing WA TV (@RacingWATV) November 14, 2026
The post race interviews were entertaining.
“I know the horse has got ability, but I just shit myself every time he goes out to gallop,” began Luciani.
“It was a real shock to our system, that one run we gave him in the winter when he bled, so we made the decision just to keep him as a summer horse from now on.
“He was all set to race first up a couple of weeks ago, but we were forced to trial him on the Monday and it was wintery conditions on the Saturday, so I just back pedalled. We're just trying to protect him, we know he performs great at the top level and I want to keep him there as long as we can.”
“What you see is what you get with him, but he was good here today and he's certainly come back in top order.
“Watching the race, I said to ( partner and Oscar's owner Bailey) I'm going to kill him ( Kersley Jnr ) because I didn't want him up there that close! I prefer to see him saved for the last crack…. but Fred knew what he was doing.”
The win brought up a race to race stakes double for Kersley Jnr, who is back in his hometown to ride through the Pinnacles Carnival and possibly beyond.
“Pre race instructions, I kept it very simple, I said first four? and Dion said No! Make sure you find cover.
“Look, off what I've seen in his replays, I just thought the horse was asking to be ridden closer, and today's the day (with the wind conditions) to be on speed at Ascot.
“We took advantage of that, and even though horses age they never lose their class.
“I think it was a feel good moment for him ( the horse), only having to pass one at the top of the straight, and with me not asking him for an effort until the 200. I was fortunate today to be able to ride him to suit him.”
All’s well that ends well.
Bred by Woodside Park Stud, Oscar’s Fortune was a savvy $5,500 Inglis Digital purchase for Kellie Everett’s Loloma Farms when offered by Morningside.
He was the first foal of the placed Sebring mare Oscar Award. Her second was his winning full sister Cleanmeup.
As Capitalist is the sire of yesterday's outstanding G3 Champion Fillies heroine Profit Motive, this lass will surely attract plenty of attention from buyers on both sides of the country!
Oscar Award produced a filly to Switzerland this spring.
It must also be noted that the success of Oscar's Fortune was one of two stakes wins on the big Pinnacles card for Sebring as a broodmare sire - the Placid Ark Stakes winning filly Jedi Dream was the other.
Oscar Award's winning dam Stage Performer ( Encosta De Lago) is a half sister to G1 VRC Derby and Gr1 ATC Champagne Stakes winner and sire Prized Icon, G3 MVRC Inglis Mile winner Matras, and Group 3 ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Romantic Moon.
They were the best of ten winners produced from Danehill's outstanding broodmare, the G2 placed Tropical Affair.
The G2 winning / G1 placed Kabayan (Haradasun) is another close relative of Oscar's Fortune.
This family is that of the Gooree Park bred Bletchingly daughter Just As Lovely and descends from Blue Hen Winged Beauty, a flying filly by Port Vista who became dam of the Champion West Australian sire Haulpak ( (Dignitas) - himself a full brother to both the ancestress of Oscar's Fortune, and to the G1 Thousand Guineas heroine Princess Talaria - and half to the G2 placed colt Sticks And Stones ( Faringdon)
Winged Beauty's half sister Admire became dam of the influential sires Covetous and Pag-Asa.
This branch of family 2-b through Felidoma traces to the imported Marchioness (GB 1852) - to which belongs the legendary stayer Doriemus.
From another branch Hammock (GB 1871) came Cup winner Kiwi and the great gallopers The Phantom, The Phantom Chance and Surfer's Paradise.
Oscar's Fortune is bred
Danehill x 5m,4f
Blue Hen Rolls x 5m,5f
He is linebred to Bletchingly and his sire Biscay, and to Better Boy.
His sire Rich Enuff is one of Victoria's best value stallions. The G2 Danehill Stakes winning son of champion Written Tycoon was beaten a lip in the G1 Caulfield Guineas.
Oscar's Fortune is one of eleven stakes winners to date for Rich Enuff.
The handsome chestnut stands at Woodside Park Stud on a fee of $11,000.
