Tagaloa Gives Sire First Group 1 Winner Down Under

An on-pace track bias at Caulfield may have corrupted some outcomes, and certainly thwarted the aspirations of many, but history will nonetheless record the winners as they stand and note the Feb. 22 Neds Blue Diamond Stakes (G1) meeting as something of a red-letter day for many others.

Arrowfield Stud was certainly among the beneficiaries as Tagaloa, a son of Lord Kanaloa, became the second Blue Diamond winner bred by the Arrowfield-Northern Farm partnership, following Reaan in 2008. It was the fourth group 1 winner, and first in Australia, for Japanese sprinting sensation Lord Kanaloa.

Likewise, it was momentous for winning trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young as the precocious on-speed running juvenile provided them with their first Australian group 1 winner since relocating from New Zealand to Cranbourne in 2016. Tagaloa, indeed, was their first Australian 2-year-old winner at Moonee Valley in November.

The 25-1 chance was another longshot top-level Caulfield winner for jockey Michael Walker.

It was similarly a noteworthy day for those associated with the two other group 1 winners, who, significantly, each led throughout—Pippie taking the 5 1/2-furlong Neds Oakleigh Plate (G1), and the gritty Streets Of Avalon winning the seven-furlong PFD Food Services Futurity Stakes (G1).

Pippie's win was jockey Linda Meech's second group 1 victory—she became the first woman to win the race. It was the first group 1 win for the father-and-son training team of John and Chris Meagher.

Streets Of Avalon, a homebred for Warren Racing, critically secured his place in the AU$5 million All-Star Mile (1,600 meters, or about one mile) at Caulfield on March 14 for trainer Shane Nichols and jockey Ben Melham.

Those less inclined to rejoice in how the day unfolded certainly included trainer Anthony Freedman, who had two group 1 seconds—Super Seth and Hanseatic—beaten just a head.

In many ways, the day revolved around Tagaloa's Blue Diamond win at six furlongs. He may not be Japanese-bred like last year's Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (G1) and Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1) winners Mer de Glace and Lys Gracieux, but he is by a Japanese stallion from a Japanese mare, and his win—along with the success of Farnan in the Inglis Silver Slipper Stakes (G2)—understandably prompted some Twitter joy from the Arrowfield team.

Tagaloa was Arrowfield's 19th group 1-winning sales graduate since 2013, the operation proudly boasted on social media, and Farnan became Not A Single Doubt's 10th group-winning 2-year-old.

Busuttin Racing bought Tagaloa for AU$300,000 (US$215,100) out of the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Farnan was a AU$550,000 (US$392,700) Magic Millions purchase from the Vinery Stud draft for Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Aquis Farms.

"He's a Lord Kanaloa we bought off Arrowfield, and to win a group 1 in Australia, which has been eluding us for a while, is unbelievable," an emotional Busuttin said.

"I can't believe it. I'm a bit of an emotional wreck, to be honest. To train a group 1 winner in Australia, it's been eluding us for a little while, but it's unbelievable. Thank you to everybody who has supported us."

Nothing went to plan for runner-up Hanseatic. His regular rider, Luke Currie, fell at Moonee Valley on Friday night and was ruled out because of injury. The Street Boss (Street Cry) colt was then delayed en route to the course and had the racing pattern less than in his favor.

Meech made the most of that pattern aboard the free-running Pippie, who recorded the fastest time in the Caulfield sprint, holding off Zoutori and Crystal Dreamer.

Streets Of Avalon, the fourth elite-level winner for Sun Stud's Magnus, similarly made all in the Futurity, staving off a determined 3-year-old Super Seth, who just failed to add to the imposing record of his age group against the older horses this season.

"I thought Super Seth, with less weight than us, stalking him was going to be a problem, but, god, he's tough," Nichols said. "I just assumed Super Seth was going to get us, but I knew he wouldn't wilt.

"Bring on the All-Star Mile. We might change the gear, pull the blinkers off, or tamper with the gear a bit. Might as well have a crack for the big cash as he's smashed through the million-dollar barrier."

Super Seth is also scheduled to be All-Star Mile bound, although the allure of further group 1 success may see him switch course to Sydney.