Swettenham’s second-season sire Host maintained his winning run when Golden Vogue claimed a share of the spoils in the Toowoomba West School Maiden (1625m) on Saturday night.

Golden Vogue (3f Host – Runway Lollipop by Candy Stripes) flew home to dead-heat with Sniff (Danzero).  Jockey Skye Bogenhuber lodged a protest on behalf of the Host filly’s connections but it was dismissed even though stewards reported Sniff raced ungenerously throughout the event.

“I was at a wedding on Saturday night and, after viewing the replay, would have fancied my chances at the enquiry,” trainer Barry Squair said.  “My filly made up plenty of ground in the straight and was unlucky not to win outright.”

Golden Vogue was also the victim of circumstances during her previous run at Eagle Farm.  She was on the wrong end of interference at the start and was then hit in the eye by a clump of dirt.  “Larry Cassidy rode her that day and said she didn’t really start galloping until the last furlong,” Squair revealed.  “He said to take her back home to Toowoomba and she would win for sure!”

Cassidy won a Sunshine Coast race on her three-quarter sister Sweet Little Filly (Hussonet) in May.

Squair prepares Golden Vogue for his wife Val and Tamara Rickert.  The filly has fully imported South American bloodlines through Host (Chi) and Runway Lollipop (Arg).  Her dam is a winning sister to G1 San Isidro Enrique Acebal winner Victory Stripes who also scored a G2 victory at Hollywood Park.

Host has sired 9 individual winners from 17 starters this season and he’s right on the heels of Casino Prince (10 winners from 44 starters) who leads the Australian second-season winners’ table.

Host (Hussonet) stands for a $7,500 (inc gst) service fee at Swettenham Stud.  For further information, breeders can contact Swettenham nominations manager Chris Belli on 0417 514 552 or Swettenham owner Adam Sangster on 0418 543 633.

– Karl Patterson