The Weekly Wrap of Australia

A round up of all the action for the Darley stallions over the past week

Another daughter of Lonhro heads to the G1 Golden Slipper 

Lonhro could well begin his 15th season at stud as the 'King of the Kids’ following the victory of Pin Sec in the G3 Black Opal Stakes in Canberra on Sunday, 10 March, a success which improved his already strong Golden Slipper hand.

An overwhelming turn of foot carried Pin Sec to a dazzling four-length victory under the guidance of jockey Jason Collet. Twelve months prior, Lonhro's son Encryption saluted in this race and has since gone on to win at G2 level and place second in the G1 Oakleigh Plate in February of this year.

Pin Sec's win followed the announcement that Lonhro’s G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre would be a Golden Slipper contender along with Athiri, another high-class juvenile winner this season.

They are all among Lonhro’s 36 individual winners of 47 races so far in 2019 and help keep his winners to runners ratio at almost 73 percent.

 

Medaglia d'Oro to be represented in the G1 Golden Slipper

Lonhro is also the broodmare sire of Godolphin filly Tenley, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro who brilliantly won the G2 Reisling Stakes on Saturday, 9 March, an effort that has placed her among the top few Golden Slipper chances.

Tenley made a strong statement with a brilliant one-and-a-half length win that ranks as one of the most impressive two-year-old performances of the season and gives her a three-from-three record.

Tenley became the 124th Stakes winner for Medaglia d’Oro who has four sire sons at stud in Australia including Astern.

Tenley wins the G2 Reisling Stakes at Royal Randwick

 

Cox Plate aim for Melody Belle

The past weekend also recalled – not for the first time this season – the memory of Darley’s much-missed stallion Commands.

The cause of such reminiscence was the fabulous New Zealand filly Melody Belle whose win in Saturday’s G1 New Zealand Stakes was her fifth at the elite level this year, and sixth in all.

A member of Commands' final crop, the four-year-old Melody Belle had to pull out everything to beat another fine filly in Danzdanzdance

"She goes to the paddock now, hopefully as the Horse of the Year,” said her trainer Jamie Richards.

"She will have a nice break and will be back in on the first of May."

"The Cox Plate has got to be the target, as hopefully the mare of the world [Winx (Street Cry)] might be retired by then, which would make things easier."

 

Five Stakes winners for Darley stallions

Ball of Muscle’s (Dubawi) win in the G2 Challenge Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday, 9 March contributed to an impressive five Stakes winners sired by the Darley stallions in the past week.

These results continue a stellar season for the Darley stallions which sees them siring 22% of all Group races this season, 40% of G1 races and 8 of 14 2019 juvenile Group winners.

Exceed And Excel's son, McLaren winning the G3 Canonbury Stakes