Sunday, February 28, 2021 | Dedicated to the Australasian bloodstock industry - subscribe for free: Click here LUNAR FOX CAUSES A 300-1 BOILOVER IN AUSTRALIAN GUINEAS - PAGE 1 Impossible to ignore his Impeccable pedigree Prepare yourself for his impeccable yearlings... www.itsimpending.com.au Sunday, February 28, 2021 | Dedicated to the Australasian bloodstock industry - subscribe for free: Click here BEASLEY RIDES FIRST WINNER BACK TO UNIQUE ATMOSPHERE - PAGE 17 THE VICTORIANS STANDING FIRM - PAGE 19 Lunar Fox causes Read Tomorrow's Issue For The Week Ahead What's on a 300-1 boilover in Race meetings: Armidale (NSW), Mudgee (NSW), Colac (VIC), Ballarat (VIC), Sunshine Coast (QLD), Esperance (WA), Australian Guineas Balaklava (SA) Foxwedge colt upstages stud-bound rivals in Flemington upset International meetings: Happy Valley (HK), Nakayama (JPN), Hanshin (JPN), Kokura (JPN), Scottsville (SAF), Oaklawn Park (US) International Group races: Nakayama (JPN) - Nakayama Kinen (Gr 2, 1800m). Hanshin (JPN) - Hankyu Hai (Gr 3, 1400m). Oaklawn Park (US) - Bayakoa Stakes (Gr 3, 8.5f) Sales: Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale - day one Lunar Fox RACING PHOTOS Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) ($3.50) were favoured BY TIM ROWE | @ANZ_NEWS to fight out the finish at Flemington but came up wo high-profile stud-bound short for various reasons, leading to questions MORNING BRIEFING three-year-olds could be set for over their respective futures. immediate racetrack retirement Elsewhere, Forbidden Love (All Too Five for Foxwedge after another colt, the Horsham- Hard) also scored her first victory at the In a shock victory, Lunar Fox (3 c ex Grant's Moon Ttrained Lunar Fox (Foxwedge), caused a highest level in the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, by Malibu Moon) became a fifth Group 1 winner for massive upset in the $1 million Australian 1400m), continuing her consistent three- Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock) in the Australian Guineas Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington yesterday. year-old season, while Verry Elleegant (Zed) (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington yesterday. Lunar On a day where there was Group 1 racing demonstrated her customary toughness in a Fox was a $40,000 purchase by TKO Racing in Sydney, Melbourne and at Otaki in New thrilling Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) from the Inglis Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale in Zealand, Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) ($7.50) and victory at Randwick. Continued on page 2>> 2019. Morning Briefing page 12 >> SUN 28TH FEB - TUE 2ND MARCH 2021 INGLIS MELBOURNE PREMIER SALE YEARLING SALE LIVE VIEW HERE Follow us @anz_news | 1 | Brought to you by Lunar Fox causes a 300-1 boilover in Australian Guineas | 2 | Sunday, February 28, 2021 << Continued from page 1 Te Akau Racing-owned five-year-old On this occasion, CS Hayes winner Tagaloa finished three quarters of mare Avantage (Fastnet Rock) made it eight Group 1 victories in the WFA a length behind the Paul Preusker-trained Lunar Fox. Ole Kirk was five Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) at Otaki to arguably be the country’s second-best lengths behind the Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock) colt. horse behind stablemate Melody Belle (Commands). It was Horsham-based Preusker’s first Group 1 winner but he was not But the major talking point to emerge is whether dual Group 1 winner Ole on course for the milestone, leaving partner Holly McKechnie to saddle Kirk, his generation’s dominant three-year-old in the spring, will have time up Lunar Fox. called on his career ahead of his maiden season at Vinery Stud in September, "It's a bit surreal at this stage," McKechnie said. "I can't believe it. while Tagaloa may be given the chance to improve his CV prior to his retirement. "He's always had a lot of ability, this horse. Obviously last start he ran Ole Kirk, who underwent a pre-race veterinary inspection and below par and we couldn't really find any issue. We've done the old trick was passed fit to start, settled back in the field from a wide barrier after with the blinkers and it seems to have done the job. bounding in the air at the start of the Guineas. He eventually finished "Last time was just out of character. He's always trying this horse." tenth, while Yulong’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Tagaloa Jockey Michael Dee was the nemesis of the majority of punters who ran a brave third in the Group 1 after setting a solid tempo. had discarded Lunar Fox’s winning chances prior to the race. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Tagaloa was swamped "I can't believe it. It hasn't sunk in. To be honest, I didn't give him in the final stages much hope. No one else really did either,” Dee said. WE KEEP SOME, WE SELL SOME, by Lunar Fox, who “All I could do today was do my job and do it to the best of my ability. Hopefully THAT’S HOW IT GOES, BUT TO started at $301 after the horse ran well in doing so. Having the blinkers on today and just a massive being beaten more improvement. They drilled it into me before the race to stay off the fence. HAVE BRED A GROUP 1 WINNER than 13 lengths first- From the gate we were able to get the perfect run three-wide and work into it. NOW, IT’S UNBELIEVABLE, IT up in the CS Hayes "It's obviously a massive thrill and I can't believe it has just happened.” REALLY IS Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), Lunar Fox (3 c Foxwedge - Grant’s Moon by Malibu Moon), who won - TRAVIS KELLY and Cherry Tortoni the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at two as a $26 chance, is (Night Of Thunder). the fifth Group 1 winner for Foxwedge and, Continued on page 4>> Experienced FOALING ATTENDANT Location: Spendthrii Farm, Kerrie Valley, VIC Job opportunity We are seeking an experienced, compassionate foaling attendant for the upcoming season. To apply, please send CV and Cover letter to [email protected] Follow us @anz_news | 2 | Brought to you by Champion 2YO and winner of 4 consecutive Gr.1 races. The only son of Galileo to win at Royal Ascot as a 2YO. CHURCHILL wins the 2,000 Guineas-Gr.1 at Newmarket in a faster time than the top-class sires Frankel and Camelot. 20 sons of Galileo have sired Gr.1 winners to date! His full-sister, Clemmie, and grandam, Airwave, were both champions and Gr.1-winning 2YOs over 1200m. Watch out for more First yearlings in the southern hemisphere have already quality yearlings sold for $250,000, $200,000, NZ$200,000 etc. at the Melbourne Premier Sale Colm Santry, John Kennedy, Paddy Oman, Tom Moore, Rob Archibald or Emma Pugsley Tel: 02 6576 4200. New Zealand: Gordon Calder Tel:+64 218 41612. www.coolmore.com Lunar Fox causes a 300-1 boilover in Australian Guineas | 4 | Sunday, February 28, 2021 << Continued from page 2 interestingly, the first male Group winner for his sire. Foxwedge, the foundation Newgate Farm stallion, relocated to Woodside Park Stud in 2019 after a deal was struck by Victorian owner- breeder Eddie Hirsch to buy the stallion. He covered 114 mares in 2020. Lunar Fox, a $40,000 purchase at the Inglis Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale in 2019 by former trainers Terry and Karina O’Sullivan, is out of US Listed-winning mare Grant’s Moon (Malibu Moon), who died last September. She has a two-year-old unnamed filly by Holler (Commands) and a Frosted (Tapit) yearling filly. Lunar Fox was bred by the Sale-based Travis and Rebecca Kelly, who are this year offering three yearlings at the Inglis Melbourne Premier sale, Lot 446: Impending ex Young Love INGLIS which starts today. “We bought him to Premier but things didn’t quite work out as The Kellys’ will offer fillies at Premier by Impending (Lonhro) (Lot 446) planned and in the time between that sale and Gold, he really furnished and Palentino (Teofilo)(Lot 647) and a colt by Holler (Commands) (Lot 653). again,’’ Travis Kelly said. “We’ve been breeding for eight or nine years, Rebecca trains a Connections to weigh up colts’ future small team at Sale and we realised years ago that we couldn’t afford While retirement is being considered for Tagaloa, who will to buy top level yearlings, so we thought we’d try breeding a few be Yulong’s highest-profile stallion to stand at owner Yuesheng ourselves. Zhang’s Nagambie property, the more likely scenario is that he “We keep some, we sell some, that’s how it goes, but to have bred a heads to Sydney for the autumn before the curtain is closed on his Group 1 winner now, it’s unbelievable, it really is.’’ racetrack career. Continued on page 6>> SILVERDALE FARM 2021 INGLIS PREMIER DRAFT CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR OUTSTANDING FARM! LOT 16 LOT 90 LOT 119 LOT 253 LOT 392 RUSSIAN REVOLUTION EX DEEP FIELD EX LONHRO EX SMART MISSILE EX HIGHLAND REEL EX ENDEAN ROSE ICELAND TURF BELLE LA PARISIENNE POWER OF LOVE TEXARCANA FILLY FILLY COLT COLT COLT [email protected] | For further information, please contact Rob Petith on +61 410 464 345 | Follow us @anz_news | 4 | Brought to you by SEARCHING FOR A STALLION PROSPECT?Australia’s top 10 stallions have two things in common: ALL ALL were locally were offered at bred & yearling sales NUMBER STALLION YEARLING PRICE 1 Snitzel A$260,000 2 Pierro A$230,000 3 I Am Invincible A$62,500 4 Not A Single Doubt A$210,000 5 Sebring A$130,000 6 Fastnet Rock PI, Res A$290,000 7 Zoustar A$140,000 8 Exceed And Excel A$375,000 9 Rubick A$460,000 10 Written Tycoon A$50,000 Click through to our INVESTORS’ GUIDE to learn more THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY Aushorse.com.au Connections to weigh up colts’ future | 6 | Sunday, February 28, 2021 Tagaloa’s jockey Luke Currie believes the 1600-metre Guineas distance was the upper limit the colt could handle.