Darley stallions dominated feature racing in Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday supplying 7 of the 11 stakes races including both Group 1 events.
Darley Victoria sire Reset headlined the Flemington meeting with a feature double courtesy of Disposition (LR The Sofitel) and Fawkner (G1 Makybe Diva Stakes).
Fawkner notched his third victory at the elite level following the 2013 Caulfield Cup and 2014 Caulfield Stakes. Ridden a perfectly-timed race by Damien Oliver, the grey gelding did best in a thrilling finish to make amends for a narrow loss to Dissident in last year’s edition of the Makybe Diva.
Raced by Team Williams, he has won 11 races for over $3.67 million in prizemoney. They also campaigned Reset during an unbeaten career before selling him to Sheikh Mohammed.
Reset’s sire Zabeel won the 1990 Makybe Diva when it was known as the Craiglee Stakes.
“He’s an eight-year-old and he’s a ripper,” Oliver claimed. “Lloyd and Nick Williams have really looked after him and he keeps repaying them.”
Fawkner is out of Group 3 winning Danewin mare Dane Belltar and cost $70,000 from the Mill Park Stud at the 2009 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. He will attempt to double up in the G1 Caulfield Stakes before heading to the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
Earlier in the day, Reset four year-old Disposition was a Listed winner of The Sofitel at his first start for trainers Lee and Anthony Freedman. The G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and G1 Toorak Hcp (1600m) at Caulfield are his spring goals.
“He’s a really high-class horse and he can only improve,” Lee Freedman said. “He’s shown me things that only good horses are capable of.”
Disposition began his career in Perth for owner-breeder Bob Peters and is the first foal to race from Test Case (Testa Rossa) who is a daughter of G1 Goodwood Hcp winner Spectrum. Peters and his wife Sandra have raced the family for five generations.”
Reset stands at Northwood Park at a fee of $16,500 (inc gst). The Flemington feature double saw him surge to an early lead on the 2015-16 Victorian sires’ premiership with earnings of $772,000.