Devotees of the Rassmussen Factor (inbreeding to superior females) would have been excited by the wins of Jamaican Rain in Saturday’s Group III Le Pine Funerals Summoned Stakes at Sandown and Flirtini in the Group III South African Air-Colonel Reeves (1100m) at Ascot.
The Richard Laming-trained Jamaican Rain scored a fighting win under Linda Meech when leading every step of the way to hold the challenge of Sweet Scandal (Sepoy) by a short-half-head with One More Try (Dane Shadow) the same margin away third.
It was a consolation for connections of the 7yo daughter of Manhattan Rain after she was scratched from a race on Melbourne Cup day.
"She hurt her knee and it would have been nice to have been there on the day but this is a good consolation," Laming said.
"It's a Group Three, good for everyone involved.
"She obviously missed the run on Melbourne Cup day with injury and that was in the back of my mind today as she'd had only one gallop leading into this.
"But she was very game today going to 1500 metres first time at Sandown on a testing track, it was a very good effort."
It was the third stakes win for the relatively lightly raced mare who advances her record to 8 wins, 1 second and 1 third from 19 starts with earnings of $461,575.
By Manhattan Rain from a daughter of his half-brother Redoute's Choice, Jamaican Rain was bred and sold by Newhaven Park for $90,000 by Homann Bloodstock at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the unraced Redoute's Choice mare Heriz who was bought by Newhaven Park at the 2012 Inglis Broodmare Sale for $52,000 when carrying Jamaican Rain.
From an international family that features Group I winners Asi Siempre and Outstrip, Heriz foaled a Pierro colt on August 13 after not have a live foal in the previous two seasons.
Coming off a win in the Prince Of Wales Stakes, the 4yo Artie Schiller mare Flirtini made it back to back Group III wins in the Colonel Reeves (1100m) at Ascot.
A $150,000 purchase from the Emirates Stud draft at the 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Flirtini advances her record to 5 wins, 2 seconds and 4 thirds from 13 starts with earnings of $413,200.
Flirtini’s dam Ajaweed (Hennessy) is out of a half-sister to Artie Schiller’s dam Hidden Light.
Ajaweed has eight winners from her nine named foals. They include the stakes winner Truson (Al Maher) and the stakes-placed Sunshine Full Life (Al Samer) as well as the popular Dig A Pony (Mutawaajid) who won five races and over $260,000 before being purchased by Spendthrift Australia for $65,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Ajaweed died in March this year. Her final foal is a 2yo Smart Missile filly that was bought by New Breed Racing / M Costa for $100,000 out of the Gainsborough Lodge draft at the 2019 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
