Former Geisel Park stallion Vert de Grece (Ire) kicked off a coast-to-coast treble for the Myalup stud on Saturday when Major Mario claimed a city race with aplomb in the Drummond Golf Hcp (2100m) at Ascot.
Withing an hour, Geisel Park resident Manhattan Rain sired a landmark feature double with Sabaj in the LR Cranbourne Cup (1600m) and Jigsaw in the $1 million Cranbourne Meteorite (1200m). Their combined prizemoney propelled him into second spot with earnings of $1.83 million behind Playing God ($1.93 million) on the WA Sires’ table for 2025-26.
Major Mario (6g Vert De Grece – Just Marika by Grandera) is a homebred for Livio and Renato Divitini and he’s a younger half-brother their LR Grandstand Cup (1400m) winner Playing Marika (Playing God).
He did it at both ends after working from an outside gate to take a trail for Holly Watson behind Noahquintilly (Playing God) who took off at the 600m. Major Mario had to take the field up to the leader and then dig deep to deny the favourite First Encounter (Dundeel).
“He’s been racing super and Holly was disappointed with her first two rides on him so she was determined it went exactly to plan today,” trainer Steph Bakranich revealed. “He’s honest and is racing much better as he’s got older.”
Major Mario is the final foal from Just Marika, however, the Divitini brothers welcomed the first foal from Playing Marika last month when she delivered a filly by Darley Victoria shuttler Ghaiyyath (Dubawi).
Manhattan Rain’s running double at Cranbourne was one of his best days as a stallion with more big-money events on the horizon this season. Sabaj is arguably Australia’s most promising horse in training and Jigsaw takes the prize for reviving his career after a run of out going back to April 2023.
Sabaj (4g Manhattan Rain – Bouzy by Uncle Mo) was always travelling like a winner in the Cranbourne Cup and co-trainer Mick Price is already looking ahead to G1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) worth $4 million at Randwick in April.
“He was off the fence today but well-balanced and finished off strongly,” Price said. “He hasn’t bottomed out so if I spell him now we will have a lovely autumn. He’s perfectly sound, lightly raced and clean winded. He’s a big, long striding horse and I’ve put a circle around the Doncaster.”
Sabaj races for a partnership that includes Angelina Rossi, Joe and Paul Piteo and Pat Hodby. His dam is out of a half-sister to South African Group 2 winner Run Fox Run (Southern Cross Stakes) and Randwick Listed winner Guard Of Honour (Heritage Stakes).
And in another first for Manhattan Rain, Sabaj clocked a Cranbourne record (1:23.93s) for 1400m to join Jigsaw who already holds the Cranbourne record (57.24s) for 1000m.
Jigsaw scored a barrier-to-box victory in the Cranbourne Meteorite (1200m) on a day to remember for part-owner and trainer Cindy Alderson at her home track. The Cranbourne Turf Club honoured her Group 1-winning father with the Colin Alderson Classic (1400m) on Cup Day.
Her born-again sprinter was completing a hat-trick following the Apache Cat Classic (1200m) and G2 McEwen Stakes (1200m). “He’s in fabulous form and ticking all the boxes,” Alderson said. “His coat has never looked better, he’s never been brighter and never eaten any better.”
Stable apprentice Logan Bates kept lifting Jigsaw in the straight to repel the challenge of Arkansaw Kid to score by three-quarters of a length. “It’s a real family affair and that’s how I got started in the game,” Cindy added. “Logan is like family, too, so it’s a really proud moment.”
Manhattan Rain sired him from Demandz (Lonhro) who won in NZ and Melbourne and, until Jigsaw won the first of his five black-type sprints in the LR Doveton Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield, her best foal had been LR Tasmanian Oaks runner-up Queen Adele (Adelaide).
Sabaj is the 21st individual stakes winner by Manhattan Rain and follows hot on the heels of New York Lustre who was his was 20th earlier this month with a late burst in the G3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
Manhattan Rain is completing his latest book for a $5,500 (inc GST) fee at Geisel Park.