Ilovethiscity links up with Larneuk Stud

Last year’s G1 Randwick Guineas winner Ilovethiscity is the latest high-profile stallion to link up with Larneuk Stud this year.

He joins Hong Kong G2 winner One World (Danehill Dancer) who was signed by the Euroa based stud in March.

Ilovethiscity (4h Magic Albert – Kensington Rose by Kenfair) is a good looking chestnut in the same mould as his sire and Larneuk studmaster Neville Murdoch secured him ahead of competition from the Hunter Valley and New Zealand.

Trained by Graeme Begg, the colt was runner-up to flying filly Chance Bye in the $250,000 Inglis Classic at Rosehill as a January juvenile and he was also fourth home in the G3 Skyline Stakes behind Hinchinbrook, Brightexpectations and Pressday.

Returning in the spring, he overcame a troubled run in transit to score a soft victory at Randwick.  He followed up with an unlucky third in Toorak Toff’s G1 Golden Rose before coming of age in the G3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle.

“As soon as I got over his neck going to the barriers, I knew that he was a good horse,” jockey Glen Boss said at Newcastle.  “He has the most unbelievable action and his acceleration is incredible.  He’s a proper Group 1 horse.”

Ilovethiscity returned with a vengeance as an autumn three year-old with a dominant victory in the G2 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill.  “It was a pretty arrogant win – he had them covered a long way from home,” jockey Brenton Avdulla explained.  “There’s more improvement which is scary – it’s onwards and upwards from here!”

Indeed, he was sent out an odds-on favourite a fortnight later in the G1 Randwick Guineas and didn’t disappoint – enduring another tough run but finding plenty.  “I probably got to the front too soon,” Avdulla admitted.  “But he dug really deep – he’s a top class colt.”

Ilovethiscity kicked off his final campaign as an autumn four year-old in the G2 Canterbury Stakes but suffered a soft tissue injury and was retired.  “We didn’t really see the best of him,” Begg recalled.  “He always raced at the highest level in the best of company and he is a great looking horse with a wonderful temperament.”

Ilovethiscity is a son of successful Yarraman Park stallion Magic Albert and is bred on the successful Zeditave – Sir Tristram cross.  His dam hails from the immediate family of champion sires Grosvenor and Lonhro.

Larneuk Stud will stand him at a $8,800 (inc gst) service fee in 2012.

Ilovethiscity