Mungrup Stud sire Oratorio (Aus) improved his outstanding strike-rate on the first-season sires’ premiership when his smart filly Clueless Angel scored at Belmont Park on Wednesday.

Oratorio has now sired 5 individual winners from just 14 starters which is the best strike-rate among Australia’s first-season stallions this season.  Highly-regarded Hunter Valley horses Dane Shadow and Al Maher have also sired 5 winners but they have been represented by 27 and 29 starters respectively.

Oratorio (Stravinsky) is based at Mungrup Stud in WA’s Great Southern and he is also well-placed on the first-season prizemoney premiership.  When Clueless Angel won the Westspeed 2yo Plate (1200m) yesterday, it took his earnings to $621,750.  He is in fourth spot on that table behind Charge Forward, Fastnet Rock and Dane Shadow.

Clueless Angel was sent out the odds on favourite and she responded with a comfortable one-length win over Gotham City (State City).  “She’s a pretty nice prospect who’s still putting it all together,” trainer Lindsey Smith said.  “I think she is going to make a lovely three-year-old.”

Clueless Angel (2f Oratorio – Petite Angel by Marooned) was a $130,000 buy for Yarradale Stud owner Ron Sayers at the 2008 Perth Magic Millions.  She comes from a family that has supplied numerous black-type winners for leading owner-breeder Bob Peters.

Her dam Petite Angel was an Ascot winner for Peters in March 2001.  His cerise and white silks have also been carried by her close relations Old Nick (WA Fruit ‘n’ Veg St-G1), Mogul (WA Easter Stakes-G3) and the Listed winners Lady Belvedere and Lady Belgrave.

Petite Angel is based at Mungrup and is also the dam of Impact (Eternity Range) who has won 8 races in Singapore.  She has a yearling filly by Stormy’s Son and a weanling colt by Due Sasso.

Oratorio was trained by Lee Freedman to win the MVRC C S Hayes Stakes (G3), MVRC St Albans St (LR), BTC Tommy Smith Slipper (LR) and the SAJC Adelaide Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

The Mungrup resident is a half-brother to NZ G2 winner Lady Dehere (Dehere) who reprised her race record in the breeding barn with South African G2 winner Oracy (Zabeel) and NZ stakes winner The Lady (Stravinsky).  His second dam Hold That Smith (Haulpak) was WA’s Horse of the Year in 1988-89. 

Oratorio’s leading earner this season has been G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Gold Rocks.  His other black-type performer is the Bill Godecke trained gelding Wizards Point who was runner-up in the Supremacy Stakes (LR).

Oratorio will stand for an $11,000 (inc gst) fee at Mungrup Stud in 2009.