Oakland Park struck twice with an interstate double on Saturday via Urquharts Bluff (Sessions) at Ascot and Stormfront (Frosted) in Darwin.
Urquharts Bluff won his maiden at Pinjarra twelve months ago and has come of age this prep with 3 wins in 7 starts since the New Year. He sat just off the speed set by Lucky I Am (Universal Ruler) in the MC Polytrack Hcp (1200m) and poked his bib in front right on the line to defeat So Si God (Playing God) by a nose.
The lightly-raced son of Oakland Park sire Sessions (Lonhro) was sidelined as a younger horse with a hairline fracture of the tibia ensuring he would be given plenty of time to recover. “He was slowly away today but then it went to plan and he ran over them,” trainer Paul Jordan said. “He’s tough and well-bred and he cost me enough as a yearling.”
Urquharts Bluff (4g Sessions – Xaar Boom by Xaar) was bred and sold by Ben and Jo Duncan from Forest View Farm for $155,000 at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions. Jordan prepares him for a syndicate managed by his wife Laura and now they’re all square with his best days ahead.
He’s a younger half-brother to LR Burgess Queen Stakes winner Buzzoom (Safeguard) and Forest View retained a share the final foal from their dam Xaar Boom. She is a Pearce Racing-trained 2yo filly named Boom Session (Sessions).
Oakland Park bred and sold St Patrick’s Day Cup (1600m) winner Stormfront (Frosted) for $120,000 at the 2022 Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne where he won twice in his first two starts for trainer Clinton McDonald.
Stormfront was later transferred to Darwin and the St Pat’s Cup was his third win at Fannie Bay in the Top End. Well-beaten by Zourata (Zoustar) over a sprint journey when resuming last month, he was ready to peak over a mile when saddled up for the first time by leading trainer Gary Clarke on Saturday.
Front-runner Rock Revolution (Russian Revolution) held a six-length advantage over Stormfront into the straight but the grey gelding kept lifting for Jarrod Todd. They got there a stride before the line while simultaneously holding out the late burst of Maxxi Bon (Bon Aurum).
Stormfront is by former Darley shuttler Frosted (Tapit) who is now based at Sheikh Mohammed’s Kentucky-based Jonabell Farm. And he was the only foal bred by Oakland Park from G3 Champion Fillies (1600m) winner Danebeela (Danetime).
Danebeela hails from a WA family going back several generations to Tang Dang (Arivederci) who won in Perth and Adelaide. Her half-sister Abrego (Arivederci) won the Queen’s Plate (1000m) at Ascot in 1970 and she foaled G1 Brisbane Cup (3200m) winner Queen’s Road (Sir Tristram) in 1982.
Des De Largie had purchased Danebeela as a yearling for $45,000 from De Grey Park at the 2007 Perth Magic Millions and she was the dominant filly of her year before he retired her to stud in the Hunter Valley. She foaled winners by Medaglia D’Oro (USA) and Bernardini (USA) for him over there prior to returning home where De Largie sold her to Oakland Park in 2019 before she changed hands again in 2021 to Scenic Lodge.