Home Affairs Cements Place on Coolmore Stud Roster

Ultra-talented colt Home Affairs cemented his place on Coolmore Stud's future stallion roster Oct. 30 when he produced a breathtaking display to land the Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale Stakes) (G1) at Flemington Racecourse.

In winning the contest, the Coolmore-raced colt became the tenth top-flight winner for Yarraman Park's superstar stallion I Am Invincible  and second in the race following up the victory of the now Darley Stud-based sire Brazen Beau  in 2014. Like Home Affairs, Brazen Beau was also saddled by Chris Waller and the duo make up an illustrious quintet of winners for the Sydney-based trainer in the time-honored Flemington race.

A winner of the Iron Jack Silver Slipper Stakes (G2) as a juvenile, Home Affairs opened his account as a 3-year-old with a triumphant return first-up in the Petaluma Heritage Stakes, a victory which earned the colt a shot at The Tab Everest Stakes a fortnight ago.

However, the 3-year-old's hopes of landing the AUS$15 million contest were dashed before the gates even opened, with rain in Sydney leading to a soft track and, as a result, he came home a disappointing ninth in the Everest.

With track conditions rated a good 3, the stage was set for a big performance from the colt and, after breaking impressively from barrier 13, he never looked in any danger of letting his connections down.

As the field approached the 200-meter mark, McDonald pushed the button on Home Affairs, unleashing his explosive turn of foot and quickly put daylight between him and his rivals to post an emphatic three-length victory over the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Bruckner. Last season's Neds Blue Diamond Stakes (G1) winner Artorius finished a further half a length away in third.

McDonald said that, although he had always rated the colt highly, the manner of yesterday's victory even surprised him.

"This is what we came for," winning jockey James McDonald said. "To ride such a special colt like this; he was electric today. I couldn't believe at the furlong that I was so far in front.

"He's an absolute beauty. The temperament and mind, that is what makes these good horses. To do it for these connections, who are great supporters of mine, and Sir Peter Vela is in as well, they put a lot of money in and these are the results we are after."

Waller was not at Flemington to watch the colt's heroics, but McDonald was quick to applaud the trainer's excellent skills in his absence.

"(Waller) is such a good trainer," McDonald told Racing.com.

Home Affair's triumph was certainly a case of mission accomplished for owners Coolmore and the first year of their colt's syndicate, where they made the conscious choice to target future stallion prospects at the yearling sales to race.  

Given how much stallion's sell for after their careers on the track, the AUS$875,000 Coolmore paid Torryburn Stud for Home Affairs at last year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale looks good business and Coolmore's Tom Magnier told ANZ Bloodstock News Oct. 29 he was excited at the prospect of the colt joining the operation's Jerrys Plains base, where he will stand alongside so many talented stallion's including fellow Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Merchant Navy.

"What an incredible performance from an outstanding colt who has been managed perfectly by Chris Waller and his team. Congratulations to all of our partners in this incredibly exciting stallion prospect and to the Cornish family for breeding such a talented horse," said Magnier.  

"From the first day we inspected Home Affairs at Torryburn in the lead up to the Easter Sale he has been an absolute professional. We're delighted for the entire team at Yarraman Park and all the connections of I Am Invincible. We have been searching for one of his sons to stand at Coolmore, and in Home Affairs we have a very exciting prospect.

Of the 1200-meter contest, Magnier continued: "The Coolmore has developed into one of the great sire-making races in Australia and, today, Home Affairs has won in incredibly fast time, defeating a particularly high-class field.

"He joins the likes of successful sires Encosta De Lago , Northern Meteor , Zoustar, Brazen Beau , Star Witness , and Flying Artie as a winner of this prestigious race and he's won it in a faster time than all of them. It's such a thrill, and we're absolutely delighted."

Home Affairs is out of three-time winning Flying Spur mare Miss Interiors, a half sister to dual group 1 winner and now Newgate Stud-based first-season sire Russian Revolution and group 3 scorer Turbo Miss.

The colt's unraced Capitalist half brother—now named Wilbury—was purchased by James Harron Bloodstock for AUS$1.05 million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale earlier this year. She has most recently produced a colt by Arrowfield Stud-based sire Dundeel and was covered by the same stallion last season.

Hitotsu Hands Maurice His First Australian Group 1 Winner

John Messara's belief that Japanese bloodlines can play an integral role in the future of the Australian breeding industry was repaid yesterday as the Arrowfield-bred colt Hitotsu produced a dominant performance to win the Penfolds VRC Derby (G1) at Flemington and, in doing so, handed Maurice  his first Australian group 1 winner and second overall.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt had chartered an unconventional path into the group 1, having only broken his maiden at Donald Sept. 12 and came into the race having finished an eye-catching fifth in the Caulfield Guineas (G1), making him one of the few runners yet to be tested over further than a mile.

Maher said he decided to target the Derby after watching the colt hit the line strongly in the Guineas.

"He's very clean-winded," Maher told Racing.com. "With his run in the Guineas, we were happy to go to the Guineas off a maiden and (he) was probably the strongest on the line in the Guineas.

"We didn't want to over-race him on the line because he is immature. We were happy with his fitness and here we are—fantastic."

The 3-year-old was purchased by his former trainer Wendy Kelly for AUS$100,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year and he ran three times as a juvenile for Kelly, including a tenth-placed finish in the Blue Diamond Stakes (G1), before being acquired by prominent owner Ozzie Kheir and other clients and sent to Maher and Eustace for his 3-year-old career.

Maher said a lot of the credit had to be paid to his bloodstock manager Will Bourne, who identified the colt as an exciting prospect from early on.

"We went down to have a look at him," Maher said.

"He was fairly immature and that is probably why his program has developed the way it has."

After breaking smartly from barrier six, John Allen tucked the colt away in 13th place and began to make his move in between runners nearing the turn. After finding daylight up the straight, the colt was able to let down impressively, sweeping past his rivals to post a length-and-three-quarter win over Alegron. Teewaters ran another solid race to finish a further two lengths away in third.

Fresh from steering State of Rest  to victory in last weekend's Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1), Allen was celebrating yet another top-flight victory yesterday and he was full of praise for the colt after his Derby effort and is also confident he has the cruising speed to be effective over a mile.

"We got into a nice position coming out of the straight, but the tempo just came back out of the race," Allen said.

"There was a three-wide line which I was trying to get to because all the fancied ones seemed to be out there, but they came around me and kept me in, so I just had to ride for good luck around the corner.

"He was traveling that well, I just needed a gap, and once he got out the rest is history. He is a pretty talented horse. I have no doubt he is good enough to win a group 1 over a mile"

Meanwhile, Maher was also quick to heap praise on the jockey, who is quickly becoming an impenetrable force in the Australian riding ranks.

"Johnny Allen, he does a lot for us at the stable and there's no better man to have around," Maher said.

"To get a victory like this in the VRC Derby on what is arguably the biggest day of racing, it's fantastic."

"This is such a significant win for Arrowfield and for Maurice, and a wonderful sight to see," Messara told ANZ Bloodstock News. "Hitotsu is the third group 1 winner this month from our yearling Class of 2020 after Profondo and Yearning, and he's Maurice's first Australian group 1 winner. It's the kind of result we dream of every day at Arrowfield, and I'm thrilled for my whole team."

The colt is out of the unraced mare Redoute's Choice  mare Love Is Fickle, who in turn is a daughter of group 1 winner and top producer She's A Meanie.

Love Is Fickle's unraced 2-year-old filly by Shalaa —named Twelfth Night—was purchased by Mystery Downs and Valiant Stud for AUS$150,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale earlier in the year and last season she produced another filly by the Arrowfield Stud shuttle sire and is due to foal to Castelvecchio.

Second Elite Level Win for Colette

Twelve months on from her impressive victory in the Jack Golden Eagle at Rosehill, the James Cummings-trained Colette secured her second win at the highest level when she took out the Tab Empire Rose Stakes (G1) at Flemington after being given an inspired ride by Damien Oliver.

The Godolphin-owned 5-year-old signaled she was back to something like her best when taking out the Tristarc Stakes (G2) Oct. 16 and, after settling the mare at the rear of the field, Oliver weaved Colette through runners to beat group 1 winner Mystic Journey by a quarter of a length. Fellow top-flight winner Hungry Heart was a further neck away in third.

A winner of last year's Star ​​Australian Oaks (G1), Colette performed consistently well at the top level, including being narrowly beaten by Verry Elleegant in last season's Chipping Norton Stakes (G1).

"That's just about the ride of the season for mine," Cummings said. "She's a proper racehorse, isn't she?"

"She had 'follow me over a mile' written all over her and a good track was no problem for her today and she weaved through them beautifully. (She) let down like a serious group 1 horse and I think she deserves all the accolades she gets."

Originally on a Caulfield Cup (G1) path, the diversion away from the staying feature has reaped dividends with the potential of more to come this spring.

"She got herself back together when it didn't all work out for her after the Caulfield Cup and the guys had her in great shape a fortnight ago for the Tristarc," Cummings said.

"She's been an absolutely beautiful mare for the stable and she's well-loved. We'll consider, it must be said, the seven-day back-up in the Mackinnon."

The filly is out of the unraced Singspiel  mare Libretto , who retired from broodmare duties last year—making her a three-quarter sister to listed winner Metastasio, while Libretto also produced Librettista  (Elusive Quality )—the dam of listed winner Frenzified .

I'm Thunderstruck Flies in Golden Eagle

Following his last-start victory in the Hyland Race Colours Toorak Handicap (G1), there had been hype surrounding I'm Thunderstruck 's bid to snare victory in the lucrative Golden Eagle at Rosehill and yesterday he showed he deserved every bit of the fanfare when swooping late to narrowly clinch a win in the AUS$7.5 million contest.

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr-trained 4-year-old had to dig deep under Hugh Bowman, eventually grabbing the lead in the shadow of the winning post to beat Count De Rupee by a neck. Vangelic finished third, a further length and a half adrift.

Yesterday's victory was the son of Shocking 's sixth from nine starts, which has seen him accrue AUS$5,005,150 in career prize money.

This latest win comes less than 15 months after the gelding broke his maiden at Caulfield Jan. 13 at the beginning of the year and Bowman said the 4-year-old possessed all the traits which could see him establish himself among the best milers in the country.  

"I balanced him up and when I went for him, he found," Bowman said."Honestly, I was a passenger. He just took me to the line and I just made a point of not getting in his way and he delivered in spades."

Mick Price—who was watching the win from Melbourne—said he was not surprised to see the gelding keep finding more under pressure in the closing stages of the contest.

"He always has to fight, doesn't he? He would have won by further and cleaner and easier if he had had a nice run in the race, but always he's had to fight his way out and then finish off," Price said.

Raced by Terry Henderson's OTI Racing, I'm Thunderstruck is one of two winners out of Primadonna Girl and he is the only stakes winner in three generations of his family.

In 2019 Primadonna Girl produced a full brother to I'm Thunderstruck, before producing a colt by Windsor Park shuttler Charm Spirit  the following season and she has most recently been covered by Ocean Park.