What an extraordinary day of racing at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
There are five Group 1 races led by the $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes for two-year-olds, which shapes as the most open in years. You could probably make an argument for just about every runner in the field.
In what could be a race within the race, Godolphin has six starters as well as the first emergency.
If the Medaglia d’Oro (USA) filly Tenley stretches her unbeaten record to four it will be the culmination of an unbelievable first three weeks in March for her sire.
On Sandown-Lakeside on Wednesday, the Anthony Freedman-trained, 2yo colt Chenier opened his career with a five and a half-length romp and looks a sure-fire stakes winner in the not to distance future.
On the first Saturday in March, Medaglia d’Oro (USA) had Crown Prosecutor win the Group 1 NZ Derby at Ellerslie, Sword Of Justice win the Listed Tatt's Members' Cup at Doomben and Adornment win the Listed 1000 Guineas at Ascot.
A week later Tenley won the Group II Reisling Stakes at Randwick. (photo Steve Hart )
Then the filly Pohutukawa made a one-act affair of the Group III Kembla Grange Classic at Kembla Grange the day before Flit shared the honours in the Group III Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Flemington.
Medaglia d’Oro (USA) has been a headline-hogger since the future Horse Of The Year Rachel Alexandra came out of his first crop in the United States.
With two crops on the ground, the son of El Prado was purchased in 2009 by Sheikh Mohammed to stand at Darley's Jonabell Farm near Lexington Kentucky as he hasn’t looked back since.
His success in the southern hemisphere may have been more of a slow burn although his first crop included the stakes-winners Nostradamus, Federal, Durendal and Ruling
However, Medaglia d’Oro (USA) did not have a 2yo stakes winner in his first crop and it took until Nostradamus’s win in the San Domenico Stakes in August 2014 to credit his sire with his first southern hemisphere-bred stakes-winner.
But less than two months later, his second crop son Vancouver hit the ground running in the Breeders Plate before adding the Canonbury Stakes, Todman Stakes and Golden Slipper.
Ironically, Vancouver lost his unbeaten record in the San Domenico and never raced again.
So, Medaglia d’Oro (USA) edged out I Am Invincible for leading second-crop sire in season 2014-15 and it has been a steady stream of stakes winners since.
It looked as if he could make it two Golden Slippers in a row when Astern entered the race off two wins from as many starts including the Silver Slipper however, Astern did not have the rub of the green on the day before rounding out his juvenile year when successful in the Group III Widden Stakes.
Astern quickly made amends at three when winning the Group 1 Golden Rose.
So, we will throw out lot behind that most likeable grey filly Tenley in Saturday’s Golden Slipper.
The daughter of Medaglia D'Oro (USA) is out of the Lonhro mare Fratianne whose dam Dubai Ice (Danehill) is a sister to Vancouver's dam Skates.
Dubai Ice and Skates are out of the outstanding racemare Skating (At Talaq) the winner of the Group 1 AJC Doncaster Handicap and the Group 1 STC Winfield Classic.
Purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Darley for $525,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2001 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Dubai Ice was a winner at 1000 metres and was stakes-placed in the Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.
She had eight foals for seven winners including the stakes-placegetters Avalanches (Street Cry) and Palm Trilogy (Dubai Destination) before Darley sent her to Japan in 2013.
Fratianne won a maiden at Kyneton and placed twice in six starts.
Tenley is her third foal and first winner.
The daughter of Lonhro was carrying a Shooting To Win filly when she was consigned by Godolphin to the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale where she was purchased by Widden Stud for $185,000.
The Shooting To Win filly was withdrawn from the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Fratianne had a Sebring filly last spring and was bred back to Zoustar.
