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