Scenic Lodge wrapped up another successful summer afternoon when Wild Stratus and Shining Knight book-ended the C B Cox Stakes meeting at Ascot on Saturday.

In the last month, Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars has sired Ascot feature winners Kerrific (R J Peters Stakes), Black Tycoon (Tattersalls Cup), Son Of Something (Country Challenge Final) and Pop Culture (ATA Cup).

Scenic Lodge owners David and Jeremy Smith also bred Newton Prince (Universal Prince) to a Listed victory in the Aquanita Stakes a fortnight ago and Jeremy doubled up with Wild Stratus in Race 1 on Saturday.

Wild Stratus (3f Hurricane Sky – Bella Diva by Centro) had won on debut at Bunbury and she maintained a perfect strike-rate in the QA Management Hcp (1200m).  “She’s a ripper – still raw – but that was a soft win,” trainer Simon Miller said.  “She will come back for the Magic Millions Trophy in February.”

Jeremy Smith bred the unbeaten filly from 1998 Sheila Gwynne Stakes winner Bella Diva and sold her for $25,000 at the 2012 Perth Magic Millions.  Miller trains the filly for the partnership of Peter Bell and Ron & Ryan Meadowcroft.

Bella Diva foaled a Blackfriars colt on December 15.

Wild Stratus is from the penultimate crop of Hurricane Sky.  He stood at Arrowfield Stud and Scenic Lodge prior to being pensioned in 2012.

Blackfriars closed the C B Cox Stakes card with promising sprinter Shining Knight in Race 8.

Shining Knight (5g Blackfriars – Cool Business by Key Business) was coming off a slashing fifth in the G1 Winterbottom Stakes and he gave favourite punters heart palpitations before nailing the Watson Memorial (1200m) by a nose.

“I didn’t think he could win from that far back on the corner,” owner-breeder Bob Peters admitted.  “But he lengthened and found another gear.”

Peters bred him by using Blackfriars over LR Bolton Sprint winner Cool Business.  She is a sister to G3 winner Hot Shot Brother and a half-sister to the dam of G2 winner Marasco (Scenic).