The purchase of a Johannesburg (USA) filly Meerlust for $22,000 at the 2009 Scone Yearling Sale is the gift that keeps on giving for the Matthew Irwin and the Harris family from Queensland.
It's not that Meerlust proved any great shakes on the racetrack. A debut win at Grafton proved to be the career highlight in a 5-start career.
But she has two stake-winners and a Doomben winner from three of her first four foals.
The first stakes-winner was the charismatic Casino Prince mare Baccarat Baby who won the Group III SunCTC Guineas and Listed SCTC Princess Stakes while banking over $500,000.
On day one of the Championships at Randwick on Saturday, the 3yo Shamus Award filly Duais became the second stakes-winner for Meerlust, and the first for trainer Edward Cummings, when she captured the Group III Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m).
With Hugh Bowman in the saddle, Duais defeated the fast-finishing Bargain (Ocean Park) by a half-length with the favourite Flexible a long-neck back in third.
"It’s a lot of hard work come to fruition, we’ve been working very very hard the last two years,” Cummings said.
“She’s always been earmarked a filly with a bright future.
“It’s really nice that we’ve been able to set a goal, set a plan for her and thus far it’s all come off.”
Bowman said he feels Shamus Award's daughter will have no trouble with the distance in next weeks Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks.
“She put the writing on the wall last start at Warwick Farm,” Bowman said.
“I know it was only midweek company but the feel she gave me, back the three-year-old filly company over this trip, she was going to eat it up.
“She is going to make her presence felt in the Oaks next week if that is where they decide to go.
“She has got staying filly written all over her. She is strong, she can stay, she settled well today, she joined in when I asked her to and she showed a lot of fight when she needed to. And, she has a Cummings training her.
“Congratulations to Edward - he has managed her very well. Full credit to him.”
Duais is a direct decendent of the great racemare and influential producer Fanfreluche (CAN) the dam of L'Enjoleur, La Voyageuse and D'Accord and ancestress of Flying Spur and Encosta de Lago.
Meerlust has an unraced 2yo sister to Dasis named Amity Gal but she has not had a foal since.
Meerlust was covered by All Too Hard last spring.
Duais becomes the 11th stakes-winner for Rosemont Stud's Shamus Award.
