Track Record For Duporth’s Hey Doc In Manikato Win

Already a three time Gr.1 winner, Duporth’s sensational son Hey Doc added his second Manikato Stakes, and fourth elite level score when breaking the track record to win the 2020 Manikato Stakes for Tony and Calvin McEvoy.

From the third crop of Red Ransom’s Gr.1-winning son Duporth, the Rosemont Stud-bred, Inglis Premier yearling sold graduate captured the Gr.1 Australian Guineas and the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes, both in 2017 before winning the Gr.1 Winterbottom Stakes in 2019, followed by his second Manikato Stakes on Friday night.

“This is very emotional, what a great old horse,” stated co-trainer Calvin McEvoy post race.

“He was dads first Group 1 winner under the McEvoy/Mitchell brand and he was my first Group 1 winner since my partnership with him.

“We targeted this. He needed those couple of runs. He is an older, bigger horse now. On Tuesday morning we brought him here [Moonee Valley] and gave him a good bit of work. He had a bit of a puff, but we knew it would clean him up perfectly.

“This is his fourth Group 1 and not many horses win four and this is a very special moment.”

One of 14 stakes performers for the Aquis Canungra-based Duporth, fellow stakes winning include the Hong Kong based trio of Beauty Spirit, Dashing Fellow and Thanks Forever, in fact his record in Hong Kong is simple outstanding with 13 winners from just 14 runners.

As the only Gr.1-winning sprinting son of Red Ransom to stand in Queensland, the Joint Top Australian 3YO in the Sprint Classification, Duporth’s appeal is extremely wide spread with winners in eight different countries.

Duporth offers immense versatility as a sire with Gr.1 performing 2YOs through to Guineas-winning 3YOs, while his Danehill free pedigree sees him as an in demand stallion at a competitive fee of $4,400 (inc. GST).

To speak to one of the Aquis Sales Team about Duporth, or any of the other 2020 stallion roster, click here.

Man He Was Quick…

With the running of the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes this coming Friday, looking back through the historical records of the race stills sees Brave Smash (Jpn) as the fastest male to ever win the race.

Scoring in a time of 1:09.36 in the 2018 running of the elite level Gr.1 sprint contest, Brave Smash stopped the clock in a quicker time than outstanding sprinters Lankan Rupee, Chautauqua, Redoute’s Choice, Hay List, Buffering and Sepoy.

Not only dis Brave Smash prove his worth in the Manikato Stakes, but also toppled fellow Japanese breeder runner and Victorian-based sire Tosen Stardom in the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes at weight-for-age, while also gaining further Gr.1 placings in the VRC Newmarket Handicap (twice), MVRC AJ Moir Stakes and MRC CF Orr Stakes.

As the fastest son from the Sunday Silence sireline to standing at stud in Australia, Brave Smash was rewarded with a high quality book of mares in his first season, with breeders ecstatic with the resultant foals being born this season.

Take a look at some of the clips below and listen to the leading industry breeders as they discuss their first crop Brave Smash foal

Middlebrook Valley Lodge’s Verna Metcalfe discuss the Brave Smash x Meri Rani filly

Kitchwin Hill’s Mick Malone chats about the Brave Smash x Our Girl Raquie filly

Listen to Gooree Park Stud’s Andrew Baddock as highlights the Brave Smash x Tris colt

To view further first crop foal videos, click HERE, or alternatively to discuss Brave Smash with one of the Aquis Sales Team, click HERE.

Second Crop Sires Offer Wealth of Opportunity

The use of stallions in their second season has led to the conception of some outstanding racetrack performers including Champion 2YO’s, Champion 3YO’s, Champion Stayers, Champion Sprinters and Champion Sires of the future.

Winners of iconic races such as the Golden Slipper, Melbourne Cup, Australian Guineas, Australian Derby, Rosehill Guineas and Doncaster were all bred from the second crop of stallions that have often gone on to achieve greatness.

First foals offer breeders the chance to test the waters and if they like what they see, a stallion often does even better with his second crop as breeders support their intuition of impending success with quality mares.

Aquis have four outstanding young sires that fit the second crop profile in dual Group I winning sprinter Brave Smash (Jpn) as well as Santos (I Am Invincible), Performer (Exceed and Excel) and Lean Mean Machine (Zoustar), the last trio all sons of champion sires.

Early reports on their progeny have been glowing.

Brave Smash in particular has found plenty of favour with the following comments from well satisfied breeders!

“We have switched over a further five mares to Brave Smash.”

“We could not have wished for a better start.”

“Great scope and athleticism.”

“I hope they’re all like this, then you know you’re onto a good thing.”

“The Brave Smash foal from Mead is a good size with plenty of strength and quality about him. He shows great scope and athleticism to develop as he matures,” said Alison Hush of Davali Thoroughbreds.

“He has good bone and conformation, it’s hard to knock him on anything really. We are expecting quite a few Brave Smash foals this season and we will be very happy if they are all as good as this colt”

As a stunning son of I Am Invincible, Santos is producing the goods!

“We’ve had three Santos foals arrive so far this season, and what an impressive group they are! They are strong, correct, lovely bodied foals with great bone under them. They’ll develop into exceptional weanlings, and best of all they’re athletic…Santos has really stamped these foals,” said Verna Metcalfe of Middlebrook Valley Lodge.

“Lovely strong attractive filly with good conformation. She’s a cracker maiden foal. We will definitely be using Santos again in the future,” said David Morrisey of Cannon Hayes Stud.

The only son of champion sire Zoustar at stud in Victoria, Lean Mean Machine has stamped his foals!

“I have had three Lean Mean Machine foals so far this season and they are magnificent. He has stamped his stock and he can throw a type. As good as any other foals on my farm!” said Paul Kelly of Ponderosa Park.

Performer is also hitting the mark with his quality foals.

“We are extremely excited to be a part of Performer’s first crop with this stunning colt out of But Perfect,” said Hopetoun Bloodstock’s Murray Webster.

“Performer is a talented, well put together son of Exceed And Excel and out of a Group 1-producing Snippets mare and he has certainly stamped his foals with his best attributes, speed, precocity and type.

“I expect his first yearlings to sell extremely well and I have no hesitation recommending Performer to my clients as a breeding option in 2020.”

To view more Aquis first crop foal videos, click here.

It’s A Breeze…

Always an exciting source of talent, the upcoming Magic Millions 2YOs In Training Sale contains a host of colts by Aquis’ stallions which are sure to prove popular with discerning buyers.

Consigned through the Gippsland Bloodstock draft, one colt that has already highlighted himself is Lot 215, a son of Gr.1-producing sire Needs Further out of the unraced Bon Hoffa half-sister to the dams of Listed winner Galvanized and the Gr.2 winner La Bella Dame, who is in turn the dam of stakes winners Damselfy and Le Bonsir.

Breezing up in a solid time of 10.66 on October 9 at Seymour, the colt then had a jump out at Pakenham on October 14 (below), and it appeared he was simply too fast for the cameraman, who didn’t appear to notice him all the way in front.

Another to have their breeze up at Seymour was the Nolen Racing-consigned Lot 42, a bay colt from the first crop of Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet.

Out of the four-time-winning Holy Roman Emperor mare Richenza, a half-sister to the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap winner La Montagna and to the dam of Gr.3 Red Anchor Stakes winner Eptimum, the colt is one of three catalogued by Divine Prophet in the sale.

With his first crop building momentum, Divine Prophet has already been represented by some very nice trial performers including the Team Rogerson’s Te Poropiti in New Zealand, as well as Encyclopedia, Mystic Aroma and Ezekeil.

Clare Park Thoroughbreds will consign the remaining two Divine Prophet colts in the sale with Lot 61 being out of a Pins half-sister to stakes winner Kekiva and Rapid Kay, while Lot 163 is out of a half-sister to More Than Ready’s stakes performer Delusion

With the final sets of breeze ups set to be conducted at the Gold Coast Turf Club on November 6 and 10, this is a sale not to be missed, with previous graduates including last season’s Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Tyzone, as well as carnival stakes winners Victorem, The Candy Man and Krone, while the Singapore Derby was taken out by Top Knight, another graduate of the sale.

Champion 2YO Honour For Farnan

Off the back of a sensational campaign that saw Farnan record five wins, four at black type level, highlighted by a dominate display in the G1 Golden Slipper, the outstanding colt has been awarded the Champion 2YO for the 2019/2020 season at the Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards on Monday night.

“This is what dreams are made of and it’s great to share it with such great people,” stated Aquis Managing Director Shane McGrath.

Successful over 1000m last November on debut at Canberra, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt then captured the Restricted Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic.

During the autumn, the colt kicked off his campaign with facile victory in the Gr.2 Silver Slipper Stakes, following that up with Gr.2 Todman Stakes success, before his almost two length win in the Gr.1 Golden Slipper, defeating the Mrs Fung part-owned Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Away Game, the highest rated filly of her generation at 2.

Ridden to success in the Slipper by jockey High Bowman, his praise of the colt clearly highlighted his lofty opinion.

“I haven’t ridden a better two-year-old. Just his mannerisms and his professionalism, that is one thing, but his ability is another.”

Bred, and raced in partnership during his juvenile campaign with Phoenix Thoroughbreds, the Not A Single Doubt colt’s juvenile Timeform Rating of 122 saw him the equal second highest rated 2yo from the past eight racing seasons.

Another great result for partners Phoenix Thoroughbreds, saw their recently retired Loving Gaby awarded the Champion 3YO Filly for the season, and with the mare one a stellar line up covered by Pierata so far this season, it was a sensational result for all concerned.

Kia Ora Stud have since purchased the majority share in Farnan, with the colt being aimed at the 2020 The TAB Everest on October 17, where he will race in the Aquis slot.

Image: Bradley Photos.