Neither the heavy track nor an in-form group of opponents caused the slightest problem for Plague Stone as he scored a dominant victory in Saturday’s Listed Mick Dittman Plate at Doomben.
In his first run for nine months, the only difficulty confronting the son of Lonhro was his own tendency to over-race.
But jockey Larry Cassidy persuaded the gelding to save something for late in the dash to the line and Plague Stone consented, bursting to the lead at the 200m and cruising away to a 3-3/4 length win.
The win made him Lonhro’s 83rd lifetime Stakes winner in a season when the former Australian Horse of the Year has produced a string of big-race successes and 75 individual winners so far. These wins include his two-year-old daughter Lyre who won the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes, his daughter Aristia won the G1 VRC Oaks, juveniles Stakes winners Amercement and Pin Sec, three-year-olds Ranier and Encryption and on Saturday with Plague Stone.
As well as having a strong year on the racetrack, Lonhro achieved a record price for his yearlings when his filly from Dancing Heather sold for $1.4 million at this month’s Inglis Easter Sale.
Plague Stone is out winning Elusive Quality mare Giggleswick, a daughter of High School (Sadler’s Wells).
Lonhro will stand the 2019 breeding season at Kelvinside at a service fee of A$77,000 including GST.
