For the first time in six years, Sydney faces a Winx-less Chipping Norton Stakes day after the then 3-year-old filly finished fifth in the 2015 Group II Surround Stakes on the Chipping Norton Stakes undercard before the great daughter of Street Cry (IRE) won the feature for four consecutive years.
The Chipping Norton now shares top billing with the Surround Stakes, which was upgraded to Group 1 status in 2018.
There are also two important lead-ups to the Golden Slipper at Randwick on Saturday with fillies in the $200,000 Group II Sweet Embrace Stakes and the colts and geldings in the $200,000 Group II Skyline Stakes.
Aquis Farm went on an unprecedented blitz at the yearling sales in 2019. On their own or in partnership, Aquis splashed out on 72 yearlings for a spend of over $28 million.
It was a long way from quantity over quality.
The top-price of $2.3 million was paid for the Fastnet Rock x Legally Bay colt Setanta who is out spelling after a career debut third at Canterbury behind Star Thoroughbreds promising Press Statement colt Spokesman.
At his first start, Spokesman was third to another expensive Aquis purchase, Prague, who then went on to defeat Aquis Farm’s Breeders’ Plate winner Global Quest in the Group III Canonbury Stakes at Randwick.
A $1.6 million purchase out of the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Prague puts his undefeated record on the line in the Skyline Stakes.
But he is not the most expensive colt in the race. He is not even the most expensive Aquis purchase. That honour belongs to the Exceed And Excel x Written Dash colt Osamu who was plucked out of the Tyreel Stud draft for $1.7 million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Osamu will be out to break his maiden on Saturday after two starts.
Prague was purchased in association with Phoenix Thoroughbreds.
Bred by Jonathon Munz’s G S A Bloodstock, Prague has plenty riding on his next few starts as he is an exciting stallion prospect.
The son of Redoute’s Choice is a half-brother to dual Group 1 winner and young Widden Stud stallion Stratum Star, out of the lightly raced Pins mare Purely Spectacular who was purchased by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for $300,000 on behalf of Munz at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Also the dam of the multiple stakes-placed winner Serenade (Star Witness), Purely Spectacular is a sister to the Group 1 ARC Diamond Stakes runner-up Raid and is a great granddaughter of the champion Emancipation who won a Chipping Norton Stakes in 1984 when it carried Group II status.
By champion sire Bletchingly out of the Gunsynd mare Ammo Girl, Emancipation won 19 races from 1000 to 1750 metres including six at Group I level.
Purely Spectacular slipped in two seasons following Prague and was covered by Snitzel last spring.
The Skyline shapes as a fascinating race.
The Star Witness colt Aim looked something out of the box at his first two starts but seems to have lost some gloss with his midfield finish in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
Postcode looks a very progressive son of Vancouver, Sun Stud’s royally-bred, Redoute’s Choice x Yosei colt Mission River, like Postcode, has been runner-up at his first two starts, while the first starters are represented by the $900,000 Written Tycoon colt Argenteus and the Wandjina colt Mamaragan who have both trialled impressively.
