A Randwick double and a winning turn at Caulfield completed a rewarding weekend for Cambridge Stud.
The Waikato nursery celebrated the successes of homebreds Defining and War Eternal in Sydney while the colours of farm principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay were carried to victory in Melbourne by Lovazou.
“Obviously, a big focus of our business is to be successful in Australia at a metropolitan level, so it was nice to see that happen,” said Scott Calder, Head of Sales and Nominations at Cambridge Stud.
“It’s been a really successful season and hopefully we can continue that momentum into the new season and spring racing.”
Defining was sold for $225,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale in 2020 with Mitchell Bloodstock and G1 Goldmine signing the ticket for the daughter of Not A Single Doubt.
She won twice and finished runner-up in the Listed Nitschke Stakes (1400m) from Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s stable before she was offered at the 2023 Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
Defining resold to Mitchell Bloodstock and Yes Bloodstock for $280,000 and relocated to Annabel Neasham’s yard and now has four wins and nine placings from her 19 starts.
She is out of the Encosta De Lago’s Group performed daughter Seduced, whose dam Dama De Noche won the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
“She’s been a somewhat frustrating mare and had a few years when she was empty,” Calder said.
“For a mare of her age she hasn’t had as many foals on the ground as we would have liked, but she has a nice Hello Youmzain filly in the paddock, which is quite exciting given the way the stallion has started off in Europe.”
War Eternal was a $160,000 Karaka purchase for trainer Bjorn Baker and Clarke Bloodstock and is the first foal of the Fastnet Rock mare Aleria.
The son of Pierro has won three races and during his three-year-old season ran second in the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m), third in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) and finished fourth in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).
His dam is out of the multiple black-type winner Impressive Eagle whose half-brother Eagle Way won the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) and the Group 2 HKJC Cup (2400m).
“Aleria has been a good mare for us with a black-type performer and we’ve had some nice results in the sale ring with her,” Calder said.
“Her Almanzor filly Undaunting has been a winner after selling well (A$250,000, Inglis Premier Sale).
“She has a Per Incanto colt on the ground who will hopefully be another good prospect at the sales next year.”
Meanwhile, the Danny O’Brien-trained Lovazou has won three of her seven starts and finished runner-up on debut in last season’s Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
She was purchased out of Kia Ora Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $400,000 and is a daughter of the Lonhro mare Lovani.
“It was great to get a metropolitan win to go with that black type and we’ve had a bit of luck with the Zoustars that we have raced,” Calder said.
Notable among them is the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) winner Joliestar and the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) winner Habana.
The Chris Waller-trained Joliestar could resume next month in either the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) or the Group 3 Show County Stakes (1200m) while Habana, prepared by Lance Noble, may target the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m).
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