Blackfriars sired his second feature double in as many weeks with Aquinas and Black Felix at Ascot on Saturday.

Aquinas did best in a busy finish to the Listed Tattersall’s Cup and Black Felix benefited from a superb Nash Rawiller ride to win the Listed Placid Ark Stakes.

Aquinas (7g Blackfriars – Lyric Grove by Grosvenor) was purchased for $24,000 from Aburn Park’s draft at the 2005 Perth Magic Millions and he’s returned that many times over for Lark Hill owner-trainer Bernie Miller.  “I think it’s the best I’ve ever had him,” Miller said.  “We will go one step at a time but hopefully we can get him to the Perth Cup.”

Blackfriars got the Tatts Cup winner from Grosvenor mare Lyric Grove who is related to Sir Ernest Lee Steere’s G1 winning stayer Heroicity.

Black Felix brought up a winning hat-trick this campaign when he overhauled race favourite Even Astar in the Listed Placid Ark Stakes.  

Black Felix (3g Blackfriars – Catch The Cat by Royal Abjar) failed to reach a $30,000 reserve at the 2009 Perth Magic Millions.  He is a direct descendant of G3 Sir Ernest Lee Steere Classic winner Edge Of Darkness.

He is trained by Stephen Miller for South Perth Rugby League clubs members Bob Wilson, Trevor Sanders and Kevin Gould.  The same syndicate raced stakes winning sprinter Kaprats several years ago.

Blackfriars started Perth’s Festival of Racing on winning note last Saturday week with the Neville Parnham trained brothers God Has Spoken (G3 R J Peters Stakes) and Playing God (G2 WA Guineas).

The Durham Lodge sire has opened up a big lead at the top of the Western Australian sires’ premiership this season.  He has sired the winners of $975,000, well in advance of Oratorio ($561,000) and Bletchley Park ($517,000).