Scenic Lodge dominated Bunbury’s Thursday meeting with four of the first five winners on the Fibre Sand.
The Muchea nursery is home to Universal Ruler and he sired a double with Global Trip in the Scan My Bet Maiden (950m) and Village Girl in the Swan Draught Hcp (1275m).
Global Trip (3g Universal Ruler – Journey by Jeune) is the final foal of mare who won the LR Belmont Oaks (2000m) on a hit-and-run raid to Perth in 2009 for Lindsay Park trainer David Hayes.
It’s a classic-winning family through third dam Hasty Departure (Red Anchor) and her half-sister India’s Dream (Western Symphony). They doubled up in the 1989 and 1991 renewals of the WA Oaks (2400m) when it was a Group 1.
Scenic Lodge principal Jeremy Smith had purchased Journey from NSW-based Bowness Stud owner John North in 2019 when she was carrying David Harrison’s Pinjarra winner Travel Warning (Smart Missile).
Village Girl (5m Universal Ruler – Amber Dream by Orientate) won the second-leg for her sire on Thursday for Jeremy’s sister Caroline Gammage. The homebred mare has now won 5 races for over $150,000 in prizemoney and there’s ample residual value in retirement at Muchea.
Her dam Amber Dream is a half-sister to Cohort (Scenic) who won at Listed level in the 2008 Belmont Guineas (1600m) and Belmont Classic (2200m) for Peters Investments.
Scenic Lodge filled out the Bunbury four-timer with One Punch in the FibreSand Solutions Hcp (1500m) and Santanova in the Bunbury Ford Hcp (1275m).
One Punch (4g Star Witness – Prime Knockout by High Chaparral) bolted in at his first start for local part-owner and trainer Steven Burton. Bred and sold by Scenic Lodge for $35,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions, he’s a half-brother to Like A Butterfly (Blackfriars) who won a LR Ascot 1000 Guineas (1800m) sporting Scenic Lodge silks in 2018.
Santanova (3f Santos – Wild Ava by High Chaparral) had won at Bunbury and Northam earlier this season and is proving a profitable conveyance for a Canal Enterprises syndicate and trainer Michael Lane.
She was a $40,000 graduate through the Scenic Lodge draft at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions and is now on the cusp of $100,000 in earnings. Scenic Lodge had purchased her dam for just $6,500 from Gooree Park Stud at an Inglis Digital Sale in March 2021.
Her dam Wild Ava is a half-sister to G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) winner Ima Single Man (Gingerbread Man) and her latest foals are rising 2yo Ava Wild Son (Snippetson) and a weanling colt by Universal Ruler.
Universal Ruler (Scenic) has sired 217 individual winners at Scenic Lodge and he broke through the 700 wins barrier on Thursday. He will cover a restricted book this year and Jeremy Smith can be contacted for further details on 0419 943 356.