Commanding win on Cup day

Darley sire Commands increased his Australian stakes wins tally to 70 when Lamasery landed the LR Johnnie Walker Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on Tuesday.

The David Vandyke trained five-year-old has previously won the G3 Kingston Town Stakes and G3 Colin Stephen Quality in Sydney.

Lamasery (5g Commands – Verse by Quest for Fame) overcame several setbacks to win on Melbourne Cup day.  “He had travel sickness and had been lame most of the time he’s been down here,” Vandyke revealed.  “He had a temperature and he’s been off his feed but he just keeps getting off the canvas.”

Lamasery is one of three winners from three to race for unraced mare Verse.  She is a half sister to G1 winner Anthems and the dam of champion sprinter Yell.

Amarina Farm has catalogued a Hard Spun – Verse colt for the 2012 Gold Coast Magic Millions.

Apart from siring the winners of 70 domestic stakes races, Commands has added stakes wins in NZ (2), France, Hong Kong, Macau and South Africa.

Commands was Australia’s leading sire of individual winners in 2010-11 with a new benchmark of 155.  He stands at Darley Kelvinside at a fee of $66,000 (inc gst).