Vinery Stud graduate Wizards didn’t waste any time weaving his magic second time out in the Hawkesbury Super Maiden Plate (1500m) on Thursday.
Wizards (3g Fastnet Rock – Dreams And Wishes by Galileo) powered home on the back of a classic pedigree to win like a potential A-Team galloper for trainer Ciaron Maher. He’s been handled patiently and had finished midfield on debut after a checkered passage at Hawkesbury on March 9.
With room to move on Easter-eve, he had the field covered with Tyler Schiller requiring just the one tap down the off-flank to keep a straight line. He won running away from Taipan Legend (Written Tycoon) and even-money favourite Jawharat Dubai (Lonhro).
“He was very strong through the line and will keep stepping up over longer trips,” Ciaron Maher Racing’s bloodstock manager Will Bourne said. “He will go to the Carbine Club ahead of the Brisbane winter carnival.”
All going well, the $250,000 Carbine Club Stakes (Gr.3, 1600m) at Randwick on April 6 will lead into a northern campaign for the $1million Queensland Derby (Gr.1, 2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 1. Maher won the 2017 Queensland Derby with Ruthven (Domesday).
“He will stay,” Bourne declared. “It’s the Galileo influence coming through and his mares are a deadly cross with Fastnet Rock. You saw that last week with Via Sistena in the Ranvet.”
Vinery sold Wizards for $300,000 (as agent) for Scott Delzoppo and Mimi Kleber at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. His dam Dreams And Wishes won her maiden over a mile at Eagle Farm and the Queensland couple bought her from John Singleton for $400,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. She was offered in foal to Fastnet Rock.
Dreams and Wishes is one of 12 winners from prolific black-type producer Procrastinate (Jade Hunter). She’s a half-sister to Champion South African sprinter Laisserfaire (Danehill) and a full-sister to Adelaide Stakes winner Personify (Galileo) who foaled VRC Victorian Oaks (Gr.1, 2500m) winner Personal (Fastnet Rock).
The Fastnet Rock – Galileo cross has a 76% winning strike-rate and among the five at Group 1 level is Mark Kavanagh’s 2015 Queensland Derby winner Magicool.
Vinery (as agent) has entered a Bivouac – Femme Fireball filly (Lot 26) at next week’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale on behalf of Delzoppo and Kleber who operate under Aralet P/L.
Their Dundeel filly from Femme Fireball (Pierro) cost $150,000 at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. She’s the mare’s first foal and has been named Femminile by clients of trainer Phillip Stokes. The unraced 2yo is a described as a ‘quality, strong-moving filly’ by Stokes.
Another Vinery – Aralet graduate from last year’s Easter Sale was the chestnut Exceed and Excel colt from Josdesanimaux (Lot 184) that was pin-hooked by Woburn Farm for $220,000. “He was purchased for the NZ 2YO Sale but we decided to keep him,” Woburn owner Adrian Stanley said from Ohaupo last week.
“The dam was USA Stakes winner and he has shown speed in jump-outs for Tony Pike. He will be named soon and then we can hopefully tap into that ability at the races.”
Vinery has 18 yearlings catalogued for the 2024 Inglis Easter Sale including a first-crop colt and two fillies by its Group 1 stallion Ole Kirk. Vinery partner Steve McCann bred the filly from Mousai (Lot 168) and she’s a half-sister to Easy Dun (Dundeel) who flashed ability on debut last month.
Easy Dun won a Bendigo maiden and then backed up for a black-type placing in the Morphettville Guineas (LR, 1600m) at his most recent start on March 11. He’s another promising 3yo with Andrew Noblet