31st March 2010 - Vol 57

Lanercost lands Derby double

Outstanding Courage Under Fire colt Lanercost was the toast of Tasmania in March.

The star three-year-old captured the Australian-Tasmania Derby double and broke a longstanding track record at Launceston in a brilliant three-week campaign.

Arriving from Queensland in early March, Lanercost soon captured the imagination of Tasmanian trotgoers with a record breaking win in restricted company at Launceston on March 14. He clocked 1:57.3 for the 2200 metres shaving 0.1 off the previous record set by Hexus during the 2006 Inter Dominions.

A week later the colt produced a career-best performance to win the $100,000 Group 1 Australian Derby at Launceston.

Starting from an awkward back row draw, Darrel Graham set the New Zealand-bred colt alight three-wide in the first lap to race upsides with the pacemaking Renaissance Man. Despite his rather torrid passage, Lanercost surged to the front on the home turn and was untroubled to hold his rivals at bay in the straight.

Lanercost completed a hat trick when he scored an effortless win in the $30,000 Group 1 Tasmania Derby at Hobart on March 28.

Beginning smartly from the No. 5 gate, the colt rolled to the front from the outset and was always travelling well within himself. After a leisurely 62.8 seconds first half of the last mile, Lanercost upped the ante in the final two stanzas, sprinting home in 56.4 to leave his opponents gasping in his wake.

It was his seventh win from eight outings this season and vaulted him to the top of the three-year-old stake earner’s list, ahead of another Courage Under Fire colt Courage To Rule.

Lanercost is regarded by most pundits as the favourite for the Australian 3YO of the Year title.

Bred by Mike Stratford, of Classiebawn Stud, Christchurch, Lanercost is a Courage Under Fire colt out of Lanoch 2:01.1, a New York Motoring mare from the Vance Hanover mare Heathland, and tracing eventually to a noted taproot mare in Bright Alice.

Lanoch, the dam of Lanercost, has an unblemished record at stud, having left seven foals for seven winners with two in 2:00 or faster.  Furthermore, she carries the blood of New York Motoring, Vance Hanover, Scottish Hanover, Garrison Hanover, Grattan Loyal and Rey de Oro – all champion sires and broodmare sires.

Lanercost - Dual Derby champion

Mattjesty building fine stud record

Our brilliant, young Matt’s Scooter stallion Royal Mattjesty has been making headlines in both Hemispheres during the past fortnight.

Kim’s Quest, a three-year-old filly, earned a new speed badge of 1:54 winning a leg of the Silver Reign Pacing Series at Woodbine and finished a close second in the $60,000 final.

Closer to home, Reefs Achievement and Blissful Assassin, both members of Royal Mattjesty’s first Australian crop, won at Charlton and Pinjarra respectively.  From 19 foals, Royal Mattjesty has had eight starters for four winners and three placegetters to the half-way stage of their three-year-old year.

More winners for Righteous

The royally bred Righteous Hanover was represented by winners on both sides of the Tasman last week. Good Luck Dollar notched his second win and a new lifetime mark of 1:58 at Bunbury, while Samarias Bromac saluted on the grass at Motukarara on NZ’s North Island.

Pacific Fella mare is Nth America’s richest

Pacific Fella’s daughter Ramona Disomma became the highest stakes winner in North America this year and earned a new speed badge of 1:50.8 when she captured the $115,000 Overbid final for mares at The Meadowlands on March 19.

After settling in third position, driver George Brennan angled Ramona Disomma into the clear to challenge the pacemaking Ginger And Fred down the backstretch. Ramona Disomma easily gained the advantage entering the home straight and held off the late rally of Sportsfancy to win by a length.

In beating the best free-for-all mares in commission, she reeled off halves of 54.6 and 56.5. Ramona Disomma had a fortnight earlier won a $50,000 division of the Overbid in 1:51.8.

Out of an Abercrombie, she has now bankrolled $152,340 from three wins and five placings this year. She boasts lifetime earnings of $511,078.

Ramona Disomma is the second richest female progeny of Pacific Fella behind Pacific Philly ($797,589) and the second fastest behind Digga Digga 1:50.

Meanwhile, Pacific Fella continues to make an impact with his Australian stock. Dougie Ray has won 10 of his 17 starts, Sway To Go took a fresh mark of 1:58.4 at Gold Coast, and Kai Star Fella and Becky Cee both went inside 2:00.

Ramona Disomma wins the $115,000 Overbid final in 1:50.8

Mach Three’s Group 2 quinella

Kotare Mach and Sir Lincoln, a pair of Mach Three three-year-old colts, quinellaed the $40,000 Group 2 NZ Flying Stakes, a major lead-up to the NZ Derby, run at Addington on March 26.

Leaving quickly from the No. 3 gate, Mark Purdon sent Kotare Mach toward the early lead, before Sir Lincoln crossed him to assume control.

Heading for home, Purdon sped Kotare Mach up as they charged through on the passing lane. Sir Lincoln looked to have a hold over the favourite before a surge from Kotare Mach saw him nudge out in front and take over the lead. Kotare Mach crossed the line with one-and-a-quarter lengths to spare over Sir Lincoln.

Kotare Mach mile-rated 1:57.9 for the 1950 metres, with the closing half in a blistering 55.9.

It was Kotare Mach’s second Group victory, with his first being the $100,000 Group 1 NZ Welcome Stakes. In his two seasons of racing, the colt has won eight of his 16 starts and $151,460 in stakes for Kotare Downs Ltd., of Tony Abell.

Mach Three was represented by a second Group winner in March in the Queensland three-year-old Mach Dreamy, who made a clean sweep of the QBred Breeders Classic at Gold Coast.

Driven patiently by Peter Greig in the $35,000 final, Mach Dreamy, after racing midfield on the pegs for most of the trip, was peeled four-wide on the home turn. He staged a barnstorming finish to cut down the highly touted Major Bronski in a career-best 1:58 for the 2100 metres trip.

Mach Three also picked up a two-year-old winner in Lonesome Mach, who completed back-to-back Albion Park wins in 2:00.4 and 2:00.7. He’s out of a Fake left mare.

Race sponsorships

Stallion Station will be the proud sponsor of two important races during the Easter Carnival at Addington, Christchurch.

We are the naming rights sponsor of the $80,000 Group 1 Stallion Station Easter Cup, to be run on Saturday, April 3, and the Group 1 $100,000 NZ Welcome Stakes, for two-year-olds, at the Premier meeting on April 9.

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