Allegiance cruising for Willis

Scenic Lodge graduates Allegiance (Blackfriars) and Easy Snip (Snippetson) completed an international double for the Muchea stud with wins at Ascot and Happy Valley on Wednesday.

Allegiance bolted in for Port Kennedy owner-trainer Chris Willis with four lengths to spare under Jade McNaught.  She was back in harness off a four-day break and relished going around again in The One One Podcast Hcp (2200m).

“She was cruising and in a lovely rhythm.  I had a look back and the others were a long way away,” McNaught said.  “Chris gave me one instruction and that was not to get caught deep so I had to go forward.  She was getting tired late but I gave her a reminder and she dug deep.”

Allegiance (6m Blackfriars – Classy Charmer by Regal Classic) sold for $45,000 at the 2019 Perth Magic Millions and was initially trained by Tiarnna Robertson to win a York maiden over 1920m this time last year.  She was getting out to 2200m for only the second time under Willis.

Besides first slice of the $30,000 in prizemoney, it was her first city win and that’s just as important for the residual value of a mare who is by Blackfriars from a half-sister to 2009 Australian Horse of the Year Scenic Blast.

Allegiance was bred by Scenic Lodge general manager Jeremy Smith and he also owns her older full-sister Elegant Shell who won an Apprentice’s Cup in Perth and was placed in a LR Belmont Oaks.

The Universal Ruler – Elegant Shell filly (Lot 52) is one of 18 yearlings catalogued by Scenic Lodge for the 2024 Perth Magic Millions Sale.

Aussie expat Easy Snip made $65,000 when sold by Scenic Lodge half an hour after Allegiance at the 2019 Perth Magic Millions.  A son of former resident stallion Snippetson, he was bred by Glenn Martin and was purchased by Victorian trainer Patrick Payne.

Easy Snip won a Mildura maiden under his previous name Semenuk before transferring off-shore to trainer Benno Yung.  After taking time to acclimatize, he broke through at Sha Tin in April and came to hand much quicker this prep thanks to a brilliant ground-saving ride by Karis Teetan in the Mars Hcp (1200m) on Wednesday evening.

Easy Snip is by former Scenic Lodge stallion Snippetson from Derring (Redding) who also foaled LR WA Carbine Club Stakes winner Zuccheros (Hurricane Sky).  It’s the extended family of G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Metal Master (Metal Storm).

Snippetson has 11 penultimate-crop yearlings for sale at the 2024 Perth Magic Millions.  First in the ring is Lot 193; the chestnut colt from Scenic Lodge’s reliable winner-producer Zany Lady (Zeditave).  The best of her six winners has been Snippetson flyer Spin The Knife.