Penfolds Victoria Derby pedigree profiles

Below is a brief look into the pedigrees of this year’s field for Saturday’s 2500-metre Group 1 at Flemington.

1 – El Castello (Castelvecchio x Word Games)
Trainer: Anthony Cummings, Jockey: Josh Parr

Last week’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) winner – who became the first Group 1 winner for Dundeel’s son Castelvecchio – is trained by Anthony Cummings, who won the 2013 Victoria Derby with Fiveandahalfstar. El Castello, a $200,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling, is out Fiveandahalfstar’s half-sister Word Games, who is a daughter of Cryptic Miss. Although by Snippets, Cryptic Miss is out of a Grosvenor mare who was a sister to 1994 G1 Sydney Cup (3200m) winner Cross Swords.

2 – Red Aces (Dundeel x Cardiac)
T: Nick Ryan, J: Jamie Mott

One of three Derby runners for Dundeel, who was unplaced as favourite in the Victoria Derby but spanked his rivals in the Sydney version and has thrown a Group 1 Derby winner in Dunkel. Red Aces is also out of a mare from a family of Classic winners with his dam a half-sister to G1 VRC Oaks (2500m) winner Arapaho Miss (Danehill Dancer), who in turn produced another VRC Oaks winner, Miami Bound (Reliable Man). Red Aces, a $380,000 Inglis Premier yearling, is the fourth foal from Cardiac, a daughter of Encosta De Lago, whose first foal was Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) winner and Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) runner-up Declarationofheart (Declaration Of War).

3 – Keeneland (Almanzor x Savabeel Star)
T: T Busuttin & N Young, J: Hugh Bowman

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained gelding is by the Kiwi-based stallion who produced the Victoria Derby winner two years ago, Manzoice, being out of a Savabeel mare who was a winner out to 2200m. A NZ$80,000 buy at Karaka, Keeneland is one of nine to race for Savabeel Star, seven of whom have won, but none beyond 1800m.

4 – Goldrush Guru (American Pharoah x Glam Guru)
T: Andrew Gluyas, J: Jamie Kah

The South Australian homebred is by the sire of last year’s winner Riff Rocket and from a high-performing family. Goldrush Guru is coming off a win in the Listed Hill Smith Stakes (1800m), which is a race his mother, who is by Medaglia d’Oro, ran second in before repeating that placing in the G2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m). Glam Guru is a half-sister to G3 Chairman’s Stakes winner Gamblin’ Guru, being out of Fusaichi Pegasus mare Glory Guru, who is a three-quarter-sister to G1 ATC Derby (2400m) winner Gold Guru (Geiger Counter) and G2 Zipping Classic (2400m) winner Gallant Guru (Montjeu).

5 – Saint Emilion (Snitzel x Kylikwong)
T: Ciaron Maher, J: Tim Clark

Snitzel is more renowned for throwing sprinters than Derby winners, but Red Ransom mare Kylikwong was second in the VRC Oaks and 2000m Australasian Oaks at Group 1 level and was third in the South Australian Oaks when that 2500m was a Group 2. Saint Emilion, a $200,000 Gold Coast yearling, is her 13^th named-foal and she did produce Chateau Margaux, a daughter of Redoute’s Choice, who ran second in a Geelong Cup (2400m). Kylikwong’s first foal was Lake Superior, who is the dam of 2000m Group 1 winner and Cox Plate placegetter Alligator Blood, while she is also a sister to former Australian Horse Of The Year Typhoon Tracy.

6 – Kingofwallstreet (Dundeel x Our Girl Racquie)
T: Matt Cumani, J: Michael Dee

Another by the son of High Chaparral out of a Fastnet Rock mare who is a ¾ sister to triple Group 1 winner Shoals and G1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) placegetter Groundswell and the $120,000 Adelaide Magic Millions yearling counts Redoute’s Choice, Platinum Scissors, Manahattan Rain and SA Derby runner-up Echoes Of Heaven as relations.

7 – Politely Dun (Dundeel x Politeness)
T: Danny O’Brien, J: Damian Lane

The deeds of this $150,000 Magic Millions yearling’s sire have been outlined above and the Danny O’Brien-trained gelding is from a mare who experienced success on Derby Day at the highest level, albeit over a much shorter trip. Politeness, a daughter of Street Sense, won the 1600m Empire Rose Stakes in 2015. She is out of A Commands mare whose family have been at their best up to a mile and includes G1 Blue Diamond (1200m) winner Daumier, Kiwi Group 1 winner On The Bubbles, G2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) winner Thackeray and G2 Surround Stakes (1400m) winner Parables.

8 – King Of Thunder (Tivaci x Sheezababe)
T: J O’Shea & T Charlton, J: James McDonald

The NZ$50,000 buy from the New Zealand Ready To Run Sale is by Tivaci, whose biggest win came in the 1400m Group 1 All Aged Stakes, but he is a son of great staying sire High Chaparral. King Of Thunder’s damside possesses some staying power, though, with his dam a daughter of legendary stallion Zabeel and Honor Grades mare Honor Babe, who won the Sydney Cup in 2003.

9 – Tenbury Wells (Fastnet Rock x Dowager Queen)
T: Brad Widdup, J: Blake Shinn

Fastnet Rock is yet to produce a Victoria Derby winner, but he has thrown a couple of NZ Derby (2400m) winners and VRC Oaks winners. The dam of Tenbury Wells, a $250,000 Magic Millions yearling, is by Savabeel and ran second in the VRC Oaks that Fastnet Rock’s daughter Mosheen won by nine lengths, but there is not a lot of stoutness on the pedigree page with former top sprinter Swick the page’s standout Group 1 performer.

10 – Peru (Brazen Beau x Salamati)
T: M Moroney & G Thompson, J: Declan Bates

The gelding, a $180,000 Inglis Premier purchase, might be by a son of I Am Invincible who won a Coolmore Stud Stakes and Newmarket Handicap, but traces back to a German family that one of his co-trainers had success with in Australia over staying trips. Salamati is a daughter of Dubawi who is out of the Danehill Dancer mare Sexy Lady, who is a half-sister to Sound (Lando). He was Germany’s champion older stayer in 2018, after which he joined Mike Moroney and was twice a winner of the G2 Zipping Classic (2400m) and placed in a G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) and G2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m).

11 – China Sea (Fastnet Rock x Rippled)
T: John Sargent, J: Mark Zahra

Another runner for Fastnet Rock out of a Dalakhani mare from Europe whose first to race was Greysful Glamour, who won a G2 Villiers (1600m) and G3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) and ran second in a VRC Oaks. That daughter of Stratum also won a VRC Oaks Trial over 1800m, as did her second foal Celestial Falls, who was by Hinchinbrook.

12 – Hot Too Go (Too Darn Hot x Gogo Grace)
T: Danny O’Brien, J: Jordan Childs

The $75,000 Adelaide Magic Millions yearling is a member of the first Australian crop of Too Darn Hot, a son of Dubawi who has also produced the likes of Broadsiding and Too Darn Discreet from his time in Australia. Gogo Grace is a daughter of New Approach who counts Verry Elleegant as a relative. Gogo Grace’s fourth dam Chalet Girl is the third dam of the 2021 Melbourne Cup winner, meaning Hot Too Go is a descendant of the legendary Eight Carat.

13 – Scary (Shocking x Never Ever)
T: D&E Browne, J: Luke Nolen

The second of the runners who were not offered for sale as either a weanling or yearling is a son of a Melbourne Cup winner out of a daughter of Reliable Man whose dam, Anne Boleyn, is a product of Victoria Derby winner Grosvenor and counts Sir Vigilant, who was a winner of the 2800m NZ St Leger back when it carried Group 1 status as a high-performing member of the family.

14 – Oxford Blue (Fiorente x Stockpin)
T: Julius Sandhu, J: Ethan Browne

A $160,000 Great Southern weanling who was passed in the Premier Sale as a yearling who won’t be lacking for stamina on the paternal side, being by a Melbourne Cup winner, and there are strong connections to Classics on the dam side. Stockpin is a half-sister to ATC Derby placegetter Surely Sacred with the Pins mare also a half to the dam of VRC Oaks winner El Patroness and G1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) winner Provocative.

15 – West Indies (Fasnet Rock x Anchovy)
T: Mark Walker, J: Craig Newitt

At $525,000, the Magic Millions Gold Coast graduate is comfortably the most expensive yearling purchase in the field. He started his Derby campaign with Ciaron Maher but was last week transferred to Mark Walker after being purchased by Fortuna Racing. The gelding is by Fastnet Rock but from a Galileo mare, a cross that has produced 10 individual Group 1 winners, including Via Sistina and Buckaroo. Anchovy started just once, for an 8-1/4-length eighth in a 1408m Dundalk 2YO Fillies Maiden, but is closely-related to some out-and-out stars in Europe with her dam Countess Lemonade a three-quarter-sister to Epsom Derby winner Ruler Of The World (Galileo), which in turn makes her a half-sister to many-time Group 1 winner Duke Of Marmalade.

16 – Autumnheat (Too Darn Hot x Autumn)
T: Matt Cumani, J: E Walsh

By the same sire as Hot Too Go out of a daughter renowned broodmare sire O’Reilly. A $40,000 Inglis Classic buy, Autumnheat is a half-brother to seven-time Queensland winner Arentee, who is a son of Territories and is at his best over trips much shorter than the Derby distance, but their dam Autumn is a half-sister to G3 Newcastle Cup (2300m) winner Stratofortress (Stravinsky).

17em – War Ribbon (Calyx x Motion Of Power)
T: David Payne, J: John Allen

Boasts a strong European pedigree, being by a son of Kingman out of Montjeu mare who is from a predominantly German family who have won race sup to 4800m. Was a $35,000 purchase out of Book 2 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions sale.

18em – Cecchetti (Fiorente x Vandancer)
T: Matt Cumani, J: Daniel Stackhouse

At $15,000, the Inglis Premier graduate is the cheapest horse in the field of those who went through a sale ring as a yearling and is another by the 2013 Melbourne Cup winner from a Savabeel mare who was a four-time winner up to 2100m and was placed at Group 3 level. Vandancer’s dam Vanessatheundressa (Carnegie) also won out to 2100m and a distant relative is the great Vo Rogue, whose dam Vow was a half-sister to Cecchetti’s fourth dam Roguessa.