Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Kooweerup was super impressive settling
near the back of the field for Mark Zahra and charging to the line to win the
1000 metre scamper running away by a long head.A $650,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Vinery Stud draft for Ulong, she was the most expensive filly by her sire sold at that sale.
She is the fourth winner from four foals to race from Group I winning Redoute's Choice mare Allez Wonder, a daughter of Group II winner Lunar Tudor and half-sister to the dam of Group I winner Tivaci. Vinery Stud offered a full brother to Kooweerup this year at Magic Millions that was passed in and she is now back in foal to More Than Ready after producing a colt by Tavistock last spring.
Winning the next race was Lady Lupino, who is bred to be well above average as a half-sister to Champion 3YO Colt and leading sire Star Witness and Group III winner Nostradamus.
Retained to race by her breeders, Lady Lupino is trained by Danny O'Brien, who also trained her famous half-brother to Group I wins in the MRC Blue Diamond Stakes and VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes.
She won on debut last year and has since been unplaced in two stakes races this year so was probably appreciating the drop in grade to midweek company.
Sent to the lead by Damien Oliver, Lady Lupino just got too far in front of the favourite Chenier and while he ran home solidly for second, she was never in danger of defeat coasting to a length and three-quarter win, her second from four starts.
Lady Lupino is the seventh winner from eight to race from brilliant Group III winning sprinter Leone Chiara, a sibling to Group II winners Chinchilla Rose and Ferocity.
Leone Chiara has no yearling for the sales but did produce a Starcraft colt last spring that is a full brother to Star Witness and is in foal to Starcraft again.
