There's few more successful breeding and racing operations
than David Moodie's Contract Racing, which looks to be a major player in stakes
races in Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday.
Homebred Hard Stride (Gr III TAB Rewards Stakes) and Flamberge
(Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap) will be favoured in their respective races at
Flemington.
While Golden Slipper hopeful Headwater (Gr II Todman Stakes at Randwick)
does not sport Contract Racing's lime, purple and gold silks, David Moodie still
played his part in the exciting colt's breeding having bred, raced and sold his
Group 1 winning dam, River Dove.
The daughter of another Contract racing success story
Hurricane Sky, River Dove was among the Contract Racing reduction at the 2005
Easter Broodmare Sale.
She was knocked down to Cressfield Stud for $800,000 and what
an investment she has been.
At a cost of $500,000 Headwater is the cheapest of River
Dove's four yearlings sold to date.
The four sold for a total $5,560,000 led by a $4 million
Fastnet Rock colt.
Carrying the Contract Racing colours at Randwick on Saturday
is the 4yo Street Cry (IRE) mare Solicit who will be striving to bounce back into
form in the Group III Aspirations Quality (1600m).
Transferred from the Ellerton-Zahra stable to Gerald Ryan,
Solicit showed a glimpse of her old form when fourth at her most recent start
in the Group III Guy Walter Stakes at Warwick Farm.
Solicit (pictured) was among the best of her generation at three
winning the Group II Kewney Stakes and Group III Vanity Stakes, both at
Flemington and placed in the Group 1 Victorian Oaks, Group 1 Vinery Stud
Stakes, Group II Wakeful Stakes, Group II Edward Manifold Stakes and Listed
Ethereal Stakes.
The gorgeous looking daughter of Street Cry (IRE) is a
half-sister to the top-class Star Of Giselle (Reset) whose four stakes wins
included the Group II Quen Of The South Stakes, and to the stakes-placed Ducal
Castle (Domesday).
They are out of the talented Danehill mare Princesa a dual
Listed stakes winning three-quarter sister to Group III winner and Group 1
placed Kaphero out of the Group 1 Winfield Classic winner Kapchat (Centaine).
The seventh foal of Princesa, a colt by Medaglia D'Oro (USA),
will be offered by Amarina Farm on behalf of Hesket Bloodstock, at the Inglis
Easter Yearling sale beginning on April 7.
