Darley Stakes double at Caulfield

New Black type winner for Reset; Lonhro's G1 victor Denman returns with triumph in the Zeditave Stakes

The leading third-season sires came to the fore today at Caulfield when Reset filly Set For Fame scored a devastating win over her age group in the Listed Kevin Hayes Stakes. Having had her spring campaign end prematurely due to a bleeding attack, the Peter Moody trained filly returned in fine fettle with a sustained display of speed to hold off her rivals by two and a half lengths.

In taking out this race, the lightly-raced filly emulated stablemate Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom) who won this race by a similar margin last year en route to victory in the G1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.

When Moody was questioned on where the filly would head this campaign, he said that nothing was locked in as yet, but there were many options for the impressive filly.

"She's a hell of a good filly," Moody said.

"She's always been in our top echelon. She's a top class filly in the making. I really believe that."

Bred by Mr Robert Crabtree, the aptly-named filly is the first foal of the winning Dehere mare Northpoint and was purchased from the Inglis Premier Sale for $75,000.

Currently in third place behind Lonhro and Exceed And Excel on the third-season sires' table, Reset (pictured) covered a quality book of mares this season highlighted by the dam of spring staying sensation Alcopop, plus Picholine - already dam of his dual G1 winner Rebel Raider.

The very next race on the Caulfield card saw the Peter Snowden-trained Denman (Lonhro) return from a spell and assert his authority with a dominant victory. Appearing in trouble rounding the home turn, last season's G1 winning colt was stuck in traffic behind the leader Carrara. In a scene reminiscent of his sire's victory in the G1 Darley Australian Cup, Denman forced his way through a gap before going on for a facile one-and-a-quarter length win in the Listed Zeditave Stakes.

A relieved Snowden declared after the race that his star galloper was right on track for his autumn goal, the G1 Australian Guineas on March 6.

"His work has been as good as it's ever been," Snowden said.

"I've been around when we had his father and Octagonal and the times they were running in work were those of good horses.

"He runs those same sorts of times."

Bred by Woodlands Stud, Denman is the third Stakes winner for his dam Peach, joining G1 winning two-year-old Preserve (Canny Lad) and dual Stakes winner Rio Osa (also by Canny Lad). Peach is currently in foal to Lonhro, with the full relation to Denman sure to be one of the most anticipated foals to be born later this year.

Having sired his 100th individual winner yesterday, Lonhro clearly leads the third-season sire ranks and is also sitting in sixth position on the general sires' table, currently headed by fellow Darley stallion Street Cry.

With the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale set to commence tomorrow, Reset and Lonhro have two and four yearlings catalogued respectively. Overall the Darley stallions are well represented, with fellow third-season sire Exceed And Excel having an extremely promising draft highlighted by Lot 391, a bay/grey colt from the Stakes winner Born Priceless. He is from the family of fellow Stakes winners The Heavyweight, Happy Strike, Zedrich, Imananabaa and last seasons' dual Stakes winning juvenile Rostova.

Earlier in the day, Octagonal two-year-old filly Warm Love secured her first Black type when taking third in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview.