Darley stallions Street Cry and Reset took centre stage at Moonee Valley on Saturday when Whobegotyou and Avienus combined to complete a Group 2 double.
The Mark Kavanagh trained Whobegotyou enhanced his wonderful Moonee Valley record and took his earnings beyond $2.6 million with back-to-back wins in the G2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
Whobegotyou (5g Street Cry-Temple Of Peace by Carnegie) has won five of his six appearances at Moonee Valley and is four from five at 1600m. The lone defeat at the Valley was in last year’s Cox Plate and he sole loss at a mile occurred when he was a desperately unlucky third in last year’s Doncaster Mile.
Kavanagh is now eyeing off another Cox Plate attempt. “He is a better horse this year and has still got a bit of improvement left, too,” the trainer said at Moonee Valley. “He’s a good tough gelding and there aren’t many horses who can beat him here.”
Whobegotyou was a $19,500 buy for Laurence Eales at the 2007 Inglis Classic yearling sale. His dam has a 2YO colt by Strada.
Avienus dominated the Stocks Stakes after stalking a strong speed and then racing away in the straight. She was bred by Darley and was passed-in for $28,000 at the 2007 Melbourne Premier yearling sale.
The Mark Webb trained mare had shown great potential over the past 12 months. “Weight for age probably wasn’t ideal but she is so tough and doesn’t lay down,” Webb said. “The plan after today is the JRA Cup. We’re just trying to get a run in the Caulfield Cup somehow.”
Avienus (5m Reset – Genova by Darshaan) is from a winning half-sister to international stayer Mamool (In the Wings). He was a G1 winner in Germany was also successful in the G2 Yorkshire Cup and G3 Royal Ascot Queen’s Vase.