Casino Prince and All Too Hard gave Vinery Stud a great start to the Group 1 season in Sydney when they topped and tailed the Randwick card on Saturday.
Goulburn-based Pokerjack continued Casino Prince’s remarkable record in recent Highway and Midway races despite being steadied off heels twice in the $100,000 TAB Highway Hcp (1100m). It was also a ground-breaking first city win for his trainer (Tash Burleigh) and jockey (Amy McLucas).
“That’s a perfect result and another reason to love Highway Handicaps,” Burleigh beamed after the opener. “Jack and Amy are a dynamic duo!”
Burleigh has a Vinery connection going back to her own days as an apprentice jockey. Her first winner as a 4kg claimer was at Berrigan in August 2011 on Tamland who was a son of Vinery legend More Than Ready (USA).
Pokerjack, like a lot of Casino Prince winners, is a homebred and a good one at that for Lakis Polyviou and David Smith. His dam Princess Ailani (Myboycharlie) had speed to burn completing a hat-trick at Hawkesbury in April 2015 in a lightly-raced career compromised by an injured fetlock.
The Casino Prince strike-rate in Highways prior to Pokerjack included Casino Kid and Sunrise Ruby while his Midway winners are headed by Sunborn, Casino Mondial and Our Bellagio Miss.
Casino Prince is the go-to stallion for anyone who breeds to race in the $5,500 (inc GST) service fee bracket. His average progeny earnings are just shy of $92,000 per starter.
Pizarro and jockey Hugh Bowman threaded the needle to get favourite punters out of gaol in the lucky last at Randwick. The All Too Hard gelding improved into a narrow opening passing the furlong and made contact with Arbitration before accelerating to a clear-cut victory in the Darwin Turf Club Hcp (1200m).
The John O’Shea-trained gelding signed off last season winning a BM72 (1300m) at Rosehill before graduating to a BM78 (1200m) on Saturday. “He’s a horse that likes to relax and the pace in a 1200m race is more to his liking,” Bowman said. “If you switch him on too early, he’s just not as dynamic.”
Pizarro was given time to mature by trainer John O’Shea and hasn’t been out of a place in eight starts for Champion Thoroughbreds syndicate that includes his breeder Greg Perry.
Champion Thoroughbreds director Jason Abrahams bought Pizarro for $150,000 from Vinery (as agent) at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. He’s a younger half-brother to Perry’s VRC The Vanity (Gr.3, 1400m) winner Bonvicini (Myboycharlie).
Vinery stands All Too Hard for a $38,500 (inc GST) service fee. For bookings or further information regarding all Vinery stallions, please contact Adam White (0414 800 918) or Harry Roach (0401 970 006)
All Too Hard and Casino Prince will parade at Vinery Stud’s Open Days this Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28 starting at 8.30am.
RSVP is essential. Email: mckoy@vinery.com.au
