More Than Ready moved into the Top 5 on the Australian 3YO sires’ premiership with a winning double on Monday.
The Vinery’s champion’s 3yo fillies Sparkle (Warwick Farm) and Zolani (Echuca) both looked capable of going through the grades after their maiden victories.
Sparkle powered home to defeat Darley’s homebred Medaglia D’Oro fillies Medaille and Sisken. “That was a promising win – it took a while to get her fit and for the penny to drop,” trainer Gai Waterhouse said. “The step back to 1300m was a big positive and I was sure she would be there at the end.”
Sparkle had finished fourth to subsequent stakes winner Zenalicious at her previous start over 1400m.
Bred in Victoria by Richard and June Harding, she is the first live foal of their Redoute’s Choice mare Gallica who won the G1 MRC Thousand Guineas and G1 SAJC Australasian Oaks.
Zolani was bred by fellow Victorian and Vinery partner Greg Perry and he races her in partnership with a syndicate managed by Wylie Dalziel.
The Ciaron Maher trained filly was very impressive winning by three lengths on debut over 1200m. “She was just too good and did it on her ear,” jockey Linda Meech declared. “I gave the heads up to race today but was a bit worried when the track felt more like a Heavy 12.
“She will strengthen and go up in class now. I think Wylie and the owners will have a bit of fun with her this season.”
Zolani is from G2 Sunline Stakes winner Nakaaya (Tiger Hill) and cost $100,000 out of the Vinery draft at the 2015 Gold Coast Magic Millions.
More Than Ready (USA) has sired 10 individual 3yo winners so far this season headed by last Saturday’s G1 Flight Stakes placegetter Sezanne.
And in North America on Saturday, More Than Ready’s top-class colt Tom’s Ready punched his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup with a half-length victory in the G3 Ack Ack Hcp (1600m) at Churchill Downs.
Tom’s Ready had won the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes (1400m) at Belmont Park in July and connections are setting him for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on November 4.
SPARKLE