Lonhro bookends black-type double

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