Darley stalwart Commands equalled the feat of his former
barn-mate Dubawi (IRE) by siring a stakes double at Doomben on Saturday.
The Kelly Schweida-trained Cape Kidnappers started the ball
rolling in the $80,000 Listed SITA Australia Chief De Beers Stakes (1110m).
It was the first stakes success for injury plagued
six-year-old gelding whose career has been restricted to just 12 starts to
date.
Sent out a short-priced favourite under Damien Browne, Cape
Kidnappers defeated Adebesi (Shovhog) by 2-1/4 lengths with Excellantes
(Falvelon) a short neck away in third.
It takes his overall record to eight wins from 12 starts for
earnings of $254,700.
"It was good, the other day it was my fault he got beat
I think his condition gave out, he doesn't get much work because of his
injuries " Schweida told Sky Racing World. "He got the gun run today.
"He is my favourite horse and we always knew we were
going to settle about fourth, but he looked hard to beat a long way from home."
Cape Kidnappers is the third foal of the Red Ransom (USA)
mare Kidnapper a 4-time winner in Brisbane.
Kidnapper's dam Lora's Plan (Ankara) is a half-sister to
Marlin a 4-time Grade 1 winner of the Anita San Juan Capistrano H., Hollywood
Derby, Arlington Million and Arlington Park Secretariat Stakes.
Kidnapper has a yearling filly and a weanling colt by Turffontein
and was bred back to Rothsay last spring.
The second stakes winner for Commands came when the enigmatic
Vilanova spreadeagled the field in the $150,000 Group III Mullins Lawyers Grand
Prix Stakes (2200m).
The 3yo gelding was restrained near the back of the field by
Nash Rawiller before coming with a barnstorming finish to defeat Pinstripe Lane
(Pins) by 3 ½ lengths with Rudy (Red Dazzler) a nose back in third.
"He's just hitting his straps at the right time this
fella," Rawiller told Sky Racing World.
"I think Chris (Waller) has always felt he is a genuine
stayer and when they come to this carnival and win like that they normally hold
their form in this good weather."
A Listed level in New Zealand as a two-year-old when named
Catolina, Vilanova had failed to win in his first 12 starts for Chris Waller
before breaking through in the Group II Autumn Classic at Caulfield in
February.
Waller's stable foreman Peter Muscutt said Vilanova would
have his next start in the $500,000 Group I Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle
Farm in a fortnight.
"The way he finished off today the Derby is well within
his scope," Muscutt told Sky Racing World.
"He was pretty immature early on and he has
strengthened up the last three or four months which has helped him put it
altogether now. It's all very exciting."
Interestingly, Vilanova is bred on the same cross as Cape
Kidnappers.
He is out of the Group III winning Red Ransom mare (Our)
Valpolicella, a granddaughter of Group II winner Dopff.
Valpolicella has a 2yo filly by Redoute's Choice, a yearling
filly by Thorn Park and a weanling filly by Commands. She was bred back to
Ocean Park last spring.