First Stakes Winner for Lucas Cranach

Mark Smith - Saturday March 13

By the time Flash Aah came to the stable of Mitchell Fry he had double the number of trainers than he had starts.

The son of the ill-fated Lucas Cranach (GER) honoured his sire with his first stakes-winner on Saturday when ploughing through the mud in the Listed Australian Turf Club Trophy at the Gold Coast.

Ridden by Madeleine Wishart, the 30/1 outsider of the field was the last horse standing over a brutal final 100 metres. The 5yo gelding defeated the Kris Lees-trained Top Prospect (Swiss Ass) by three-quarters of a length with the Tony Gollan-trained favourite Socialising (Bel Esprit) one and a quarter lengths back in third.

It would have been a bitter-sweet result for Australian Bloodstock who owned the runner-up Top Prospect. One of the much-loved horses to carry the Australian Bloodstock silks was the Melbourne Cup placegetter Lucas Cranach (GER).

The German-bred son of Mamool bowed out of racing after winning the Group II Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield. He stood at Bullarook Stud before transferring to Leneva Park where he met his untimely death in September last year.

Advertisement

Mitchell Fry was the fourth trainer of Flash Aah despite coming to the stable off just two starts.

The 5yo gelding has a decent strike rate with five wins from his ten starts with earnings of $141,650.

Bred by Clear Mountain Fairview, Flash Aah is the first foal of the Brisbane winning Hotel Grand mare Never Despair whose dam Sweet Venture (Quest For Fame) I a three-quarter sister to the Group 1 AJC Flight Stakes heroine Unworldly.

Never Despair has a 2yo colt by Worthy Cause, a yearling colt by Tycoon Ruler, a weanling colt by Worthy Cause and was covered last spring by Love Conquers All.

Advertisment

Race Result - Australian Turf Club Trophy LR 1400m

Gold Coast Track: Heavy(9) Time: 1:28.05
1
Flash Aah
- 5g Lucas Cranach (GER) x Never Despair (AUS) (Hotel Grand (AUS))
Tnr: M J Fry Rdr: Madeleine Wishart 54
2
0.8
Top Prospect
- 7g Swiss Ace (AUS) x Princess Carolina (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: A Mallyon 55.5
NZB Karaka Book 1 $150,000
Seller: Westbury Stud
Buyer: John Foote Bloodstock
3
2.1
Socialising
- 5m Bel Esprit (AUS) x Costa Mesa (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: J Byrne 54
Bel Esprit
4
3.1
The Candy Man
- 7g Casino Prince (AUS) x Melody (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: B S Baldwin Rdr: M Cahill 60.5
5
3.3
Victory Eight
- 7g Nadeem (AUS) x Queen's Colours (GB) (Rainbow Quest (USA))
Tnr: T N Miller Rdr: Ms S Thornton 54
6
3.6
Macewen
- 5g Rothesay (AUS) x Gogoreilly (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: M R Du Plessis 54
7
3.9
Junction
- 6g Real Saga (AUS) x Ends Meet (NZ) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: M A Currie Rdr: B El-Issa 54
8
7.7
Take Tea
- 4m Testa Rossa (AUS) x Tramontana Lass (AUS) (Xaar (GB))
Tnr: L D Kelly Rdr: R Fradd 54
More Reading...
Aussie Bred Voyage Bubble Goes Back to Back in G1 HK International Mile
Torryburn Stud have bred and sold some great horses, but none better than Deep Field gelding Voyage Bubble, who scored a tenacious victory in the Group I HK International Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday for the second year in a row.
Ka Ying Rising Leads Kiwi Bred Domination of G1 HK International Sprint
It was a Kiwi bred first four in the G1 Hong Kong International Sprint (1200m) on Sunday with raging hot favourite Ka Ying Rising extending his unbeaten sequence to 16 wins as fans and punters expected.
New SW Maschino - Smooth Chino Makes it Six Straight
Prominent WA sire Maschino has got another good one!
Second Time Lucky As Flash Ahh Wins Ipswich Cup
Having finished third in the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) back in 2021, rising 10yo Lucas Cranach (GER) gelding Flash Aah was back for another attempt on Saturday, winning the staying feature as part of the Troy Pascoe yard.
Extreme Choice Colt wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
What began as a bold new initiative in August 2024, the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series has rapidly grown into one of the most lucrative racehorse ownership incentive schemes in Australian racing history.
Four G1 HK International Cups in a Row for Romantic Warrior
Irish bred Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior produced a crowd pleasing victory in the Group I HK International Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, capturing this iconic race for a history making fourth time in a row.
French Trained Sea the Stars Stallion Wins G1 HK Vase
The big ones at Sha Tin kicked off on International Day with the Group I HK International Vase (2400m) for the stayers and in a year when the French have been on fire all around the world it was French trained Sea the Stars stallion Sosie that took the prize.
More Stakes Success for Storyville
The Grant and Alana Williams bred and trained Storyville led all the way in a bold change of tactics from champion hoop Willie Pike, which paid off brilliantly when the classy daughter of Overshare was able to hold off all challengers and post the fourth stakes win of her career in the Listed Starstruck Classic.
Zoustar 4YO Secures Stradbroke Start
There were three stakes races at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but strangely, the richest race on the card carries no Black Type, but offers something far more valuable as the winner of the $300,000 The Gateway (1400m) earns a golden ticket into the $3million Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap in 2026.
Australia Has Changed and It’s Time to Stand Up
I am someone that lives their life in a horse obsessed bubble. I can tell you anything you want to know about racing and thoroughbreds, but as to what happens in the wider world, I’m happy to leave others to commentate on that, but not in this case.