Final Call had every right to fold after working overtime in the Glenroy Chaff Maiden (1800m) at Ascot on Wednesday but the beaten division didn’t count on his will to win for jockey Joey Azzopard.

A lightly-raced son of former Geisel Park sire All American, he sat outside Corporate Nymph (Choistar) in the early stages and then took it up to Maximus Bon (Bon Aurum) who had circled the field at the 1200m mark.  He was under the pump on the home turn but refused to surrender and still held a three-quarter length advantage over Big Man Zor (NZ) on the line.

Final Call is only in his second racing prep and was getting out to 1800m for the first time yesterday.  He was purchased by Steve Lynch as a yearling at an Inglis Online Sale in 2022 and his breeder Kelly Davis (Kelstar Park) stayed in the partnership with trainer Donna Riordan.

“He’s been a work in progress and we’ve had to be patient,” Riordan said.  “He was growing all the time and now that the penny’s dropped he can make a nice stayer.  That was a tough win and it’s a wonderful result especially for Kelly who has some members of her family in the ownership.”

Final Call is a younger half-brother to the dam of Awesome Rock 3yo filly Kazana who won a Northam maiden on debut for Gold Front Thoroughbreds in October.  They descend from blue-hen Stage Hit (Century) who foaled the Group 2 winners Encores and Irradiate and the dam of Group 1 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Pillaging.

All American (Red Ransom) has his final-crop foals on the ground this season and the Australian Stud Book reports the last one is a filly from NZ-bred mare Readabeel (Savabeel) that was bred by Pinjarra-based Robbie Gardiner.

Vert De Grece (Verglas) is another former Giesel Park sire in the news courtesy of his recent winners Major Mario and Deamber for owner-breeders Livio and Renato Divitini and trainer Stephanie Bakranich.

Divitini Racing has built a formidable record in recent years with the Playing God money-spinners Nerodio ($635,000) and Playing Marika ($595,000) who were seen to advantage on numerous occasions in their Black, Blue & White Striped silks.

Major Mario was winning in town for the first time in the in the Drummond Golf Hcp (2100m) at Ascot on November 22 after sitting on the speed for Holly Watson.  He’s a younger half-brother to Playing Marika who foaled a filly first-up for the Divitini family by Darley stallion Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) in October.

Deamber won the Grandstand Cup (1500m) at Pinjarra on November 30 and she was nominated for the LR Starstruck Classic (1600m) and Morley Growers Market Hcp (1500m) at Ascot this Saturday before Bakranich opted for the latter assignment.

Vert De Grece sired her from Miss Tahitian (Pearl Of Love) who won three races apiece at Ascot and Belmont for Livio and Renato.  The family goes back to G2 MVRC Sunline Stakes (1500m) winner Beautiful Gem (Peintre Celebre).

Major Mario and Deamber are from Vert De Grece’s second crop at Geisel Park after being imported to Australia following a career that peaked with a five-length victory in the Group 1 Criterium International (1600m) at Saint-Cloud.  He transferred to Fiona Mylan’s Brisbane Meadows in NSW after four books in WA.