Geisel Park and its Group 1 racehorse and sire Manhattan Rain are poised to launch another winning wave in Group company at home and on the road with their fillies and mares in May.
Manhattan Rain’s Melbourne-based 3yo filly Benagil was a consummate winner of the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) in Adelaide last Saturday week and she has opened a $5 favourite for her next Group 1 assignment in the Queensland Oaks (2200m).
Geisel Park mare Laced Up Heels signalled she will be a force this prep when flying home for a close second in The Joey (1200m) at Ascot at the end of April. The 5yo daughter of Toronado (Ire) had visiting jockey Craig Williams singing her praises ahead of a tilt at the G3 Northam Stakes (1300m) this Sunday, May 11.
Not to be outdone, Manhattan Rain’s speedy 5yo mare New York Lustre will follow Benagil from Melbourne to Adelaide after winning at Moonee Valley last Saturday week. Trainer Enver Jusufovic is setting her for the G3 Proud Miss Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville this Saturday.
But the star of the fairer sex was without doubt Benagil. She looked a bit special descending on a top-class field of fillies as the $3.10 favourite in the G1 Australasian Oaks.
Benagil left experienced jockey Mark Zahra searching for superlatives after she waltzed away from Sweltering (Too Darn Hot) and Polymnia (Dundeel). “I was just jogging. I waited until we were balanced in the straight and then let her rip. She flogged them.”
Trainer Glen Thompson was equally impressed with his first Group 1 winner since going solo after the death of Mike Moroney. “She was very unlucky in the (G1) Thousand Guineas at Caulfield in the spring and was runner-up in the (G1) Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill last month. “She’s gone to another level and was spot on for the Australasian Oaks. She’s straightforward with a great attitude and I wish they were all like her.”
Former Blue Gum Farm proprietors Phil and Patti Campbell are also enjoying the ride as managing owner-breeders with a trip to Brisbane booked for the G2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 24 and G1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 7.
Benagil has banked $1,139,000 to date and prizemoney allocated to winners of those two features totals another $600,000. “She’s one tough girl and is thriving,” Phil said on Friday morning. “Glen spaces her runs and, with all the travel, she’s only had four starts this prep.”
Manhattan Rain sired Benagil following a cover over maiden mare Des Moines (War). There’s Listed winners through second-dam Inkster (Umatilla) in the 2008 VRC St Leger Stakes (2800m) and third-dam Delgara (Delgado) in the 1994 SAJC John D Lee Stakes (1800m).
Laced Up Heels had the headlights on full-beam when flashing home in The Joey (1200m) at Ascot. Racing first-up since Boxing Day, she jumped from the outside gate in a capacity 16-horse field and came from last to get with three-quarters of a length of Twain’s Angel.
“Craig (Williams) jumped off and couldn’t have been more positive,” Geisel Park manager Conor Dunlop revealed. “He rated that run one of the best he’s ridden on a beaten horse for a long time,”
Laced Up Heels is best known for ending the unbeaten run of Amelia’s Jewel in the LR Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) in 2022. The Luke Fernie-prepared mare has trained on and did the hard yards while never dodging a soul during the last Ascot summer carnival with midfield finishes in the G3 Eurythmic Stakes, G3 Asian Beau Stakes, LR Jungle Mist Classic and G1 Winterbottom Stakes.
Geisel Park owner Eddie Rigg bought Laced Up Heels for $100,000 at the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and, like Benagil, she will target two feature events this prep in the G3 Northam Stakes (1300m) on May 11 and the G3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Belmont on June 7.
New York Lustre gets her chance for a black-type breakthrough 24 hours before Laced Up Heels heads to the Avon Valley next Sunday. Cranbourne trainer Enver Jusufovic is setting his Manhattan Rain mare for the G3 Proud Miss Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on the back of a winning streak at Seymour (2), Flemington, Sandown and Moonee Valley.
“I don’t know what the ceiling is with this mare,” EJ admitted ahead of next Saturday’s acid test. “She’s taken a long time to string together five in a row and we’re hoping for bigger and better things with her. She’s been in the stable for a few preps and had no idea about the game plan so I’m not sure where that ability will take her.”
Manhattan Rain sired New York Lustre out of Sheikh Mohammed’s Canterbury winner Copper (Shamardal). She’s a half-sister to Viridine (Poet’s Voice) who won six black-type races in Melbourne, Sydney and Scone topped by the G2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
Geisel Park will stand Manhattan Rain (Encosta De Lago) for a $5,500 service fee this year alongside Winning Rupert ($6,600) and Aysar ($8,800). Fees (inc GST). For bookings or further information, contact Conor Dunlop on 0447 434 735.
