Darley’s superior sire Street Cry struck twice with his Group 1 winners Shocking (Flemington) and Here’s Come Ben (Saratoga) on Saturday.

Shocking caused somewhat of a surprise when he saluted at weight-for age for the first time in the G2 Makybe Diva Stakes at headquarters.  Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner is now a firming favourite to make it back-to-back victories on the first Tuesday in November.

Here Comes Ben also defied a double-figure quote when he beat a field full of big-shots in the G1 Forego Stakes in the closing week of the Saratoga summer carnival.

Shocking (5h Street Cry – Maria Di Castiglia by Danehill) stormed home to extend his unbeaten Flemington record to four-from-four.   The win sent his earnings soaring past $4.14 million – not bad for a $64,000 purchase for owner Laurence Eales at the 2007 Magic Millions National HIT Sale.

Trainer Mark Kavanagh admitted to being a little surprised that the Street Cry entire was able to win and win so well.  “It was a hard ask really but he’s going better than last year,” Kavanagh said.  “He’s 12 months older and he’s fair dinkum now.”

Shocking was bred at Ilala Stud and was pin-hooked by Washpool Lodge for $45,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions March yearling s ale.  He changed hands again when Eales weighed in with $64,000 the following October after he breezed up at the Gold Coast.

Here Comes Ben (4c Street Cry – Chasetheragingwind by Dayjur) upstaged a field of Group winners to remain perfect from four starts this year in the prestigious Forego Stakes.  

“I was a little intimidated coming up because this was his first Group 1 race,” trainer Charles Lopresti admitted.  “But I know he’s really good and Alex (Solis) has been telling me all along he’s a Breeders’ Cup horse.”

Here Comes Ben has won 6 races in 12 starts and has improved his own weight this campaign winning allowance events at Keeneland and Churchill by a combined margin of 11 lengths before graduating to a Listed victory in the Kelly’s Landing Stakes under the Twin Spires last time out.

Here Comes Ben is a homebred for Kentucky based Marianne and Brandon Chase and he is out of a winning half-sister to French G1 winner King Charlemagne (Nureyev).  He shuttled to Blue Gum Farm in Victoria but didn’t fire out here with just 4 stakes winners from 600 named foals.

Street Cry is poised for a flying finish to the year in both hemispheres.  Shocking’s stablemate Whobegotyou is gearing up for another crack at the G1 Cox Plate and all-conquering mare Zenyatta is heading for an unprecedented third Breeders’ Cup crown.

Zenyatta sports a spotless 18 from 18 record and her younger half-brother Souper Spectacular opened his account in a Saratoga maiden on Saturday.  The chestnut colt was appearing for the third time and had two lengths to spare at the end of 1200 metres.

Souper Spectacular (Giant’s Causeway) commanded a $1.15 million price tag at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale.  He is trained by Seth Benzel for Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation.  Besides Zenyatta, he is also a half-brother to the stakes winners Balance (Thunder Gulch) and Where’s Bailey (Aljabr).  Their dam Vertigineux (Kris S.) has a yearling filly by Bernardini and a filly foal by Henrythenavigator.

Street Cry is standing for a $137,500 service fee at Darley’s Kelvinside base in NSW this year.