There was a time when the Fernhill Handicap was an important guide to the following seasons classic hopefuls and while it may not carry the same importance today the race still boasts an impressive rollcall of winners.
In the past, the like of Gunsynd Marceau, Veloso, Handy Proverb, Beau Zam, March Hare and Danewin kick-started their careers in the Fernhill.
For sure the list of top-class winners has been more patchy of late but in 2016 the striking More Than Ready (USA) colt Prized Icon won the race a week before claiming the Group 1 ATC Champagne Stakes.
The now Kooringal Stud-based stallion went on to claim the Victoria Derby the following spring.
In 2012 Dear Demi won the Fernhill then seven days later it took a champion in Pierro to defeat her in the Champagne Stakes.
The following spring Dear Demi won the VRC Oaks.
Pierro went on prove himself among the all-time greats and the son of Lonhro has quickly risen to the top in the stallion ranks.
In Saturday’s Listed Fernhill Mile at Randwick, Pierro has two starters, China Horse Club and Newgate Bloodstock’s $450,000 Gold Coast purchase Untamed and another Magic Millions purchase in the $600,000 buy Wheelhouse.
On form, we like the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Untamed although he carries a 3.5 kg penalty.
At his career debut over 1250 metres at Canterbury on January 3, Untamed got his career off to the best possible start with a thoroughly professional performance.
He was off the scene for three months when stepped up considerable in class for the Group III T L Baillieu Handicap at Rosehill where he defeated all bar the superbly bred I Am Invincible colt Holyfield.
It would be a fitting eulogy for Untamed’s breeder Paul Whelan who died last year.
Inglis will conduct a complete dispersal of Whelan’s Luskin Park Stud. The unreserved sale, which consists of 30 broodmares, race mares and weanlings will be conducted at the Australian Weanling and Broodmare Sale (May 6,7,10,11) and The Chairman’s Sale (May 8).
Among the highlights is expected to be Untamed’s dam She’s A Wildcat (Fastnet Rock) an unraced sister to the Group 1 William Reid Stakes winner and successful sire Foxwedge who was sold as a yearling for $925,000 at the Easter Sale of 2010.
She’s a Wildcat is also a sister to the $600,000 Easter Yearling purchase She’s A Fox who won three races including the Listed ATC The Rosebud in a career restricted to six starts.
Their dam Forest Native (USA) was sourced by Vin Cox at the 2004 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Fresh off the racetrack after winning two races and earning black-type when second in the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita, Forest Native (USA) was knocked down for $US45,000 and set sail for a new life in Australia.
A daughter of the Storm Cat stallion Forest Wildcat, Forest Native (USA) is out of the stakes-winning Water Bank mare Miss Timebank a half-sister to the Grade III winner and Grade 1 Super Derby and Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes runner-up Count The Time (Regal Search).
Anthony Cummings, who trained She’s A Fox, shelled out $80,000 at this year's Gold Coast Sale for She’s A Wildcat’s yearling filly by Flying Artie.
Untamed (and Wheelhouse) will be vying to be the first stakes winners from the fourth crop of Coolmore Stud’s Pierro who is currently holding off Snitzel and I Am Invincible in the race to be Australia’s leading sire of 2019-20.
