You’re Canny dented the reputation of highly fancied Golden Slipper filly Kurata Queen in the Listed Black Opal Stakes at Canberra on Sunday.  The Gratz Vella-trained gelding set out after the leader as the field turned for home and ran her down to post a 1.5 length victory in the capital feature.

You’re Canny (2g Canny Lad – Techniques by Palace Music) has now won three of his four starts including a $50,000 bonus for a debut victory in the Chemworks Inglis Race Series Hcp in November.  “All he wants to be is a racehorse,” Vella said.  “And he’s just going to keep improving.”

You’re Canny is not in the Golden Slipper but Vella is considering the G1 AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes.  The Canberra based gelding is by Darley elder statesman Canny Lad and he put the finishing touches on a wonderful weekend after Darley sires racked up seven stakes wins on Super Saturday.

Canny Lad (Bletchingly) won the 1990 Golden Slipper and his stakes winning juveniles include Preserve (G1 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes), Canny Jack (G2 WATC Karrakatta Plate), Cannsea (G2 NZ Lion Red 2YO Classic) and Planchet (G2 STC Pago Pago Stakes & G3 Black Opal Stakes).

You’re Canny was bred by Anderson Thoroughbreds and was a $40,000 buy at the 2010 Inglis Classic yearling sale from Guntawang Stud.  His dam Techniques was a stakes winner at Newcastle and Randwick and she has foaled three to race for as many winners.  Her latest is a Lonhro colt foaled in August and she was bred back to him at Darley Kelvinside.

Canny Lad built up a magnificent record at Woodlands before the Darley takeover and he has now sired over 650 winners at a 67% strike-rate.  Among that total are 49 individual stakes winners of over 90 stakes races.

Karuta Queen (Not A Single Doubt) was given a clean bill of health after her surprise defeat as the $1.20 favourite.  Trainer Neville Layt and her owner Glenn Williams will press ahead with a Golden Slipper campaign.

The Magic Millions winner lost for the first time in five starts and it prompted bookmakers to ease her out from $5.50 to $11 for the April 2 Grand Final.

Ironically, Karuta Queen’s owner is a Canny Lad fan.  Williams paid $70,000 for a Canny Lad – Countess Dehere filly from Raheen Stud at the Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale in January.