Darley champion Lonhro was back in frame with stakes winners from Pukekohe to Perth on Saturday.

Kiwi based Bounding won the LR Murdoch Newell Stakes and trainer Ken Kelso made a point of mentioning his unbeaten filly has been entered for the 2013 Golden Slipper.  Lonhro colt Pierro also owned a perfect record going into this year’s Golden Slipper.

Later on Saturday, Lonhro gelding Academus held on for a narrow victory in the G2 WA Guineas at Ascot.  The widely-travelled Darley homebred had been stakes placed three times during the Brisbane winter carnival including the G1 T J Smith at Eagle Farm.

Academus resumed this season to win a Hawkesbury maiden and followed up with a fourth at Listed level in Melbourne before travelling to Western Australia.

The black-type double book-ended a big pay-day for connections of Lonhro colt Specific Choice at Rosehill.  The Dynamic Syndications galloper banked $168,750 for winning the Inglis Find Your Next Racehorse Hcp (1500m) on Saturday.

“He gets $48,000 for winning, another $20,000 BOBS bonus plus the $100,000 Inglis bonus so it’s a great result,” trainer Chris Waller said.  “He is a big free-going horse, a typical Lonhro, and time will tell how far he goes.”

Specific Choice (3c Lonhro – Lady Of Choice by Redoute’s Choice) cost $65,000 at the 2011 Inglis Easter yearling sale.  He is an older half-brother to Direct Charge (Charge Forward) who won the G3 VRC Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington earlier this month.

Lady Of Choice is an unraced half-sister to G2 MVRC Bill Stutt Stakes winner Burrito (Marscay) and the dams of Sydney G3 winning sprinters Collate (Catbird) and Posadas (Commands).

Lonhro was Champion Australian sire in 2010-11 and Champion 2YO Sire in 2011-12 and is currently covering his ninth NSW book at Darley Kelvinside for $110,000 (inc gst) fee.

He will reverse shuttle for a second time to Jonabell Farm next month.  Darley has set his Kentucky fee at USA$30,000.

– Karl Patterson