Saturday 29 Feb was a sweet day for Vinery Champion sire More Than Ready (USA). He had two victorious runners who brought his tally from 136 to 138 stakes winners.
Always Allison became the 137th stakes winner by More Than Ready in the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm and a few hours later Haybah became the 138th in the LR Cinderella Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.
The Always Allison qualified for the G1 Golden Slipper on another ground-breaking afternoon for the Vinery shuttler at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
A Golden Slipper campaign for Always Allison depends on whether owner-breeders Paul and Allison Fleming part with a $150,000 late entry fee. “It’s not my money so it is a pretty easy decision for me,” trainer Chris Waller said. “We will put some thought into it over the next few days. It is a good problem to have.”
Always Allison (2f x Rhema by Fusaichi Pegasus) is unbeaten in two starts at Warwick Farm and she has been elevated to $15 in the TAB’s Golden Slipper market. Exciting Vinery part-owned colt Headwater is the early favourite at $4.60.
A blueblood in every sense, Always Allison is from a daughter of Mannington (Danehill) and third-dam Bint Marscay (Marscay) won the 1993 Golden Slipper.
Haybah completed the second leg of the More Than Ready double for Sheikh Hamdan in Adelaide. She had been runner-up to Fontiton and Thurlow in Group company in Melbourne and started a short priced favourite across the border in the Cinderella Stakes.
“She crept up on me a bit in Melbourne,” trainer David Hayes said. “I thought she was a bit off the good ones but then she stretched Fontiton and Thurlow at Sandown.”
Haybah (2f x Sultah by Exceed and Excel) took the lead at the 200m mark in the Cinderella Stakes (LR, 1051m) and won well by just under a length. She is from a younger half-sister to Group 1 Victoria Derby winner Rebel Raider and stakes winners Shamoline Warrior and Cadillac Mountain.
More Than Ready colt Daredevil was due to add more black-type in the G2 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park later on Saturday before torrential rain hit Florida. Last year’s G1 Champagne Stakes winner has been firing bullets on the track for trainer Todd Pletcher on the road to the Kentucky Derby.
