The fighting third by Waging War behind his promising stablemate Dalasan and the Group 1 winner Scales Of Justice in Saturday's Group III Spring Stakes at Morphettville topped off a very good week for Wyndholm Park's Rebel Raider who had the rare distinction of siring a trifecta during the week.
It came at Balaklava last Wednesday when the 3yo gelding Imperial Raider, to the delight of punters, improved on his career debut fourth at Morphettville to open his winning account over 1400 metres.
The Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas-trained gelding defeated his stablemate Smiling Assassin by one and a half lengths, handing that 3yo gelding his third minor placing in as many starts.
The Kristi Evans-trained Sassy Raider was a length and a quarter back in third.
Despite
limited representation, Rebel Raider is coming off a successful season headed
by the Wyndholm Park-bred stakes-winner Wasabi Bob while the Group III Hobart
Cup hero Pretty Punk was a multiple stakes-placegetter during the year before
being retired for a date with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (USA).
Like the Group III SAJC Chairman's Stakes winner Waging War, Pretty Punk was bred by that doyen of South Australian breeders, Harry Perks.
But perhaps the highlight for Rebel Raider last season came from the wonderful scenes from the Payne family who cheered on Michelle Payne on the 100/1 shot Miner's Miss who claimed some valuable black-type when third in the Group 1 Victoria Oaks.
Rebel Raider has a solid support base among breeders in Victoria and few have done more to champion the cause than Leon Macdonald who trained the son of Reset to victories in the Group 1 Victoria Derby and the Group 1 SAJC South Australian Derby.
Rebel Raider stands at Wyndholm Park in 2019 at a fee of $6,600.
