Soldier Of God continued a winning week for Yarradale Stud and trainer Paul Jordan with a ground-saving victory in the Schweppes Hcp (1000m) at Ascot on Wednesday.
He was given the run of the race by 3kg claimer Cassey Martinan behind front-runner So Immaculate (So You Think) and then took advantage of the cutaway rail for a narrow victory over equal-favourites Niccimota (Nicconi) and New Target (Tassort)
Soldier Of God was a $75,000 buy for Jordan out of the Yarradale consignment to the 2023 Perth Magic Millions and had won a Northam maiden during a winter campaign last year.
He owns a Group 1 pedigree as a son of Champion Sire Playing God while his dam Soldier’s Lass is by Group 1 Royal Ascot winner Soldier’s Tale (Stravinsky). His South African-bred second-dam Arabian Lass (Al Mufti) claimed Group 1 victories at Gosforth Park, Greyville and the Cape Fillies Guineas (1600m) at Kenilworth.
Dan Morton prepared Soldier’s Lass to win the LR Matchmaker Classic (1400m) at Ascot in 2014 and her earlier foals included the War Chant (USA) winners War Warrior and Warpipes.
Jordan trains Soldier Of God for a syndicate managed by his wife Laura and races in the same colours as stablemate Urquharts Bluff (Sessions). The latter has already won three Ascot races this year and several of the part-owners are in both horses.
Yarradale commenced this week with three 2yo trial winners at Belmont on Monday with unbeaten Crystal Slipper Stakes winner Beatty (Gingerbread Man) looking ready to resume ahead of a G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) campaign for owner-breeder Wally Daly.
Neville Parnham also presented unraced Gingerbread Man colt Official Business to win a 400m hit-out with Chris Parnham not moving a muscle on the youngster. He’s the first foal from an unraced daughter of G3 Gimcrack Stakes winner Chantski (War Chant).
Yarradale-bred filly Rok ‘N’ Rom (Rommel) won her heat over 1000m with Willie Pike aboard for trainer Josh Brown. She settled on the speed and went to the line a half-length in advance of Yarradale homebred Hillside Avenue (Pinatubo).
Rok ‘N’ Rom is a half-sister to War Chant’s Victorian winners Witchfulthinking and Rokeby Road. She’s final foal of Rokeby’s Witch (Blackfriars) whose close relation Delicacy (Al Maher) was a Group 1 winner of the 2015 SAJC Derby & SAJC Oaks.
Gingerbread Man followed up at Albany on Thursday when Buderim streeted his rivals in the Wellington & Reeves Maiden (1230m). Racing second-up for trainer Brandon Fiore, he was sent forward from an outside gate by Lucy Fiore and wasn’t for running down in the straight by even-money favourite Cosmic Gem (Cosmic Force).
Buderim is a homebred for Bellbridge Park owners Michael and Siobhan Campbell and is one of a half-dozen winners from Beersheba Belle (Charge Forward). The Myalup couple have enjoyed enormous success with the family for generations.
Second-dam Saracen Belle (Corporate Raider) is a three-quarter sister to Machine Gun Tom (Corporate Raider) who was a Group 1 winner of the 1998 Railway Stakes. Corporate Raider (Biscay) stood at Bellbridge Park and his Campbell-bred Group winners included Corporate Gun (G3 Prince of Wales Stakes) and Ketchanova (J C Roberts Stakes).