MORE Than Ready’s yearling’s prove popular in Keeneland whilst at Rosehill his 6yo mare More Joyous will be a popular favourite when aiming for her 20th race win in the Listed Sheraco Stakes (1200m) this Saturday.
The daughter of Vinery’s super sire More Than Ready is expected to make light work of her rivals and win her second Sheraco Stakes and carry over her incredible autumn form which saw her undefeated in five starts culminating in are rare Doncaster/Queen Elizabeth double.
More Joyous’ tally of 19 wins (from 26 starts) includes 8 at Group 1 level including a Toorak Handicap with 57kg and her famous Doncaster Mile triumph under 58kg.
Randwick trackman Craig ‘Clocker’ Tompson sounded an ominous warning to rival trainers hoping to upset the $1.30 pre-post favourite this weekend.
“More Joyous has strengthened up even more into this campaign and has never looked bigger or stronger,” he wrote in today’s Sportsman.
“She’s lost nothing in her work building up to this race either and given the way she stretched out in her latest barrier trial she’s going to make light work of this field and carry on to more big race wins.”
More Joyous is being aimed the Group 1 MVRC W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on September 27.
KEENELAND DAY TWO:
Meanwhile, More Than Ready was in demand on Day 2 at Keeneland’s September Sale on Tuesday. The Vinery champion had four lots total $910,000 at the world’s biggest yearling auction.
Topping his quartet was the filly from Stormin Fever mare Rough Water purchased for $360,000 by Dr Steven Carr of Centennial Farms. That price put her in the top half-dozen on the fillies leader-board.
Sold on account of Lane’s End Farm, she is a three-quarter sister to More Than Ready colt Last Out of Panama who was runner-up in the LR Jamestown Stakes at Colonial Downs in July.
Leading agent Nick de Meric weighed in with $210,000 for a More Than Ready colt from No Lullaby (Brahms). The dam is a half-sister to Santa Anita G3 winner Elusive Diva (Elusive Quality).
de Meric had targeted Vinery shuttler Congrats at the Ocala yearling sale last month. He paid $120,000 for a Congrats filly that was the second most expensive filly on the Florida leader-board.
The sole Congrats on Day 2 at Keeneland was a filly from Pelicus Affair (Pentelicus) that made $160,000. She is a younger sister to Congrats winner Thankfulness.
