Universal Ruler has taken the lead among WA stallions on the 3yo winners (14) and wins (25) tables following an extraordinary Easter.
The Scenic Lodge sire now heads both categories from Playing God (12 – 22), Demerit (12 – 17) and Oratorio (12 – 17).
Exporose was the first of four city winners in four days with an all-the-way victory in the Crown Perth Maiden (1200m) at Belmont on Wednesday. She had burnt punters at her previous start when unplaced as an odds-on favourite at Pinjarra last month.
“She didn’t like the straight-course down there but was a different horse around the corner today,” trainer Jim Taylor said. “The pressure is right on over 1000m but they left her alone over 1200m. “
Exporose (3f Universal Ruler – Black Amelia by Blackfriars) is the final foal of an unraced mare owned by David Bagley. He purchased the second-dam Princess Amelia (Bletchley Park) from Amelia Park for $2,000 at the 2012 Magic Millions Autumn Sale. It’s a Heytesbury Stud family going back to Group 1 racehorse and sire Chanteclair (Haulpak). The Universal Ruler – Blackfriars cross has generated 23 winners at a 64% strike-rate.
Universal Ruler doubled up on Good Friday with Ruler Rocket and Here For Cheques at Ascot. And for good measure Wicked Fox (Foxwedge), a Scenic Lodge-bred graduate and Gold Friars, a son of Scenic Lodge legend Blackfriars bred by David Gatti, made it another four-timer for the Muchea stud.
Rusty Dreams (3f Universal Ruler – She Done Him Wrong by Oratorio) completed a hat-trick to remain unbeaten in the Pepsi Max Hcp (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday.
The emerging Michael Lane-trained filly had won at Northam and Pinjarra before notching an equally impressive victory in town. She’s a homebred for Canal Enterprises part-owner Peter Capararo and also descends from a Heytesbury mare – her third dam Mercurial Madam (Is It True) won the G2 Champion Fillies Stakes in 1996.
Lane admitted he’s been surprised with Rusty Dreams. “She was headstrong and I had my doubts early on. I trained the dam and she wasn’t much of a racehorse but I also had her half-brother (Rusty Peaches) and he was pretty good.”
Universal Ruler had two yearlings find new homes in WA after being offered as part of the Scenic Lodge draft catalogued for the Inglis April Online Sale last week. His filly from Fast as the Wind (Lot 207) was purchased by Geoff Durrant for $22,500 and the colt out of Dynamite Dream (Lot 264) made $20,000 to the bid of Pearce Racing.