Talented sprinter Dashiell was an omen tip at Geelong last week.
The son of incoming Scenic Lodge sire Dash For Cash is named after Cate Blanchett’s son and he won shortly after the Australian star was awarded the Best Actress Oscar for Woody Allen’s film Blue Jasmine.
The four-legged Dashiell is from the Testa Rossa mare Blanchett. The dam is a sister to Magic Millions 3YO Trophy winner Tereschenko.
Dashiell was patiently ridden by Matthew Allen in the Channel 31 News Maiden (1200m). Starting odds-on at $1.50, he was caught wide but was always travelling well. After swinging around the home turn, he let down and charged to the line for a soft win.
“He sprinted hard and picked them up easily,” Allen said. “He probably should have won that way at Bendigo last month. He’s a get back and run home sort of horse and always needs a bit of luck – but we were blocked all the way down the straight that day.”
Dashiell is trained by Robbie Griffiths for a large syndicate headed by part-owner and breeder John Mathieson. Connections have covered all bases this weekend nominating him for Moonee Valley (Friday), Yarra Glen & Donald (Sunday) and Warrnambool (Monday).
Dash For Cash sired another winner from the same crop as Dashiell at Moonee Valley on Monday when Waldorf saluted in the Essendon Hyundai Elantra Hcp (1600m)
The David Hayes trained Waldorf has won two on the bounce at Moonee Valley for owner Gary Lechte who owns Delamere Stud on the Mornington Peninsula. Lechte’s connection with the Hayes family goes back to the days when he was a major shareholder in 1986 Melbourne Cup winner At Talaq.
Waldorf (5m Dash For Cash – Princess Phoebe by King Of Kings) is from a half-sister to Queensland based sire Bagger Vance. Her second dam Fluoro was Listed winner of the 1994 Bounding Away Quality at Sandown for David Hayes and Lechte.
Dash For Cash (Secret Savings) has joined Sunspeed champion Blackfriars (Blackfriars) and rookie sire Universal Ruler (Scenic) on the roster at Scenic Lodge for 2014.
Blackfriars ($2.66 million) is the only West Australian based stallion above Dash For Cash ($1.76 million) on the Australian sires’ premiership this season.
– Karl Patterson