Blue Sky's Caulfield Contenders

As we head into what is the best day of racing we have seen so far this year, Blue Sky Bloodstock will be represented by three-year-old Manhattan Rain filly BOUNDARY in the Group Two Angus Armanasco Stakes and two-year-old BENETEAU colt PROMPT RETURN in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes.

The third race on the card will see the Blue Sky Bloodstock purchased BOUNDARY (pictured below) jump away from barrier three, with leading jockey Craig Williams in the saddle.

A winner of two of her six starts to date, as well as never finishing out of the top five, the Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate is raced by Newhaven Park, V O C Racing, Mr R K Hamer, Blue Sky Bloodstock, Mr N A Mukhi, Mr M Rava, Mr J A Lee and Mr S C Waugh.

A winner two stars back over the distance of Saturday’s race, the Heath Conners-trained does actually have good form over the 1400m, with a win and a solid third, so a forward showing is not out of the question.

The main race of the day for the juveniles, the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes over 1200m, sees the Blue Sky Bloodstock purchased PROMPT RETURN (pictured above) look to avenge the defeat of his sire Beneteau who finished a narrow third in the 2010 running of the race behind Star Witness.

Prompt Return was slightly disappointing last time out when he finished fifth behind Thurlow in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes, but every horses is allowed an off day, and fingers cross that was his and we will see the best of the colt on Saturday.

Set to jump away from barrier 7 with James Winks in the saddle, the Danny O'Brien-trained colt has been somewhat the forgotten horse in the field, but with his natural speed to put himself into a winning position during the run we wish his connections Mr Mark Sowerby and Mr Ron K Hamer the best of luck!

Boundary Takes Aim At Kevin Hayes Stakes

While it may be a step up in class, three-year-old Manhattan Rain filly BOUNDARY deserves her chance in Saturday’s Group Three Kevin Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Secured at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in 2013 from the draft of Millbrook by Blue Sky Bloodstock, Boundary has been a model of consistency for trainer Heath Conners.

An impressive winner at her racetrack debut in November, the filly has since had another four starts where she has finished in the top five on all occassions. Last time out she recorded a brave win over the Godolphin-trained Wedding, scoring by 0.2 of a length over 1400m at Flemington.

Raced by Newhaven Park Syndicate (Mgr: R J Kelly, Mrs S Kelly, J W Kelly, R C Kelly, Mrs N Agostini, Mrs G Walker) V O C Racing Syndicate (Mgr: G Pignatelli), R K Hamer, Blue Sky Thoroughbreds Syndicate (Mgr: J Blaxland), N A Mukhi, M Rava, J A Lee and S C Waugh, the filly is having her first start at stakes grade, and while taking on the likes of Group One winner Amicus as well as the Group 2 winners Fontein Ruby and Afleet Affair, Boundary clearly has fitness on her side with six of her seven competitors starting first-up this time in.

With the race having been won in the past by the likes of Hollow Bullet, Absolut Glam, Typhoon Tracy and Set For Fame, all Group One performers, any black type Boundary can add to her pedigree will be a considerable boost  for when she retires down the track to become a broodmare.

Danny O’Brien backs colt to make Prompt return to top billing for Blue Diamond

The futures markets suggest much water has flown under the bridge since Prompt Return proved himself the best performed of the spring two-year-olds.   

Prompt Return won twice in the spring, including a $21 win in the Maribyrnong Plate, before a shock defeat in the reverse-way Magic Millions race at Ballarat.

Prompt Return is the $3 favourite for his return race at Sandown on Saturday yet is a $15 chance in markets for the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Thurlow, the second favourite at Sandown, is a $51 chance for the Diamond.

This all suggests that whatever grip Prompt Return had on his top two-year-old rating has been loosened by youngsters that have shone in his absence, including Blue Diamond favourites Fontiton and Secret Agenda.

Trainer Danny O’Brien says monitoring the form isn’t really his strength, but monitoring his horses is. O’Brien said his measure of Prompt Return was not the betting markets but what he sees on the track.

O’Brien has trained a handful of top two-year-olds in recent years, including Diamond winner Star Witness, Shamus Award — fifth in the Diamond, second in the Sires, and later won a Cox Plate — and Shamexpress, who ran fifth in the Sires before winning a Newmarket Handicap.

“At the same stage of his career I’d say he’s better than all three of those colts — he’s certainly done more at the same stage,’’ O’Brien said.

O’Brien said he was confident his private “measures’’ accurately had Prompt Return as a leading contender for the Diamond.

“I guess because I’ve had some really nice colts I’ve got an idea about how to rate them,’’ he said.

“And the same track riders have been on most of them, both at Flemington and Barwon Heads, and the message I’m getting from them is that he is absolutely top class.’’

O’Brien said Prompt Return was a better horse now than when he dashed clear of Old Trieste and Sailing By in the Maribyrnong.

Old Trieste went on to run fourth in the Millions race at Ballarat before two unplaced runs in Queensland, and Sailing By has not raced since.

“I was really happy with what he did in the spring but everything since has been fantastic,’’ he said. “He had a brilliant summer, his two jumpouts have been excellent, he’s really grown and strengthened — I’d say he’s 20 kilograms heavier.’’

O’Brien said Prompt Return had not been fully tested in his build-up to the Chairman’s Stakes.

“He’s not had an extended gallop, nothing more than 85 or 90 per cent — we save that for race day,’’ he said.

News by Matt Stewart Herald Sun.

BETTER THAN READY - ANOTHER BLUE SKY PURCHASE TO STUD

News this week from Queensland where it was announced that four time stakes winning son of More Than Ready - BETTER THAN READY was retired to take up stud duties at the famous Lyndhurst Stud for 2015. BETTER THAN READY was trained by Kelly Schweida and won 8 races (from just 16 starts), 4 at stakes level and placed 3rd in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 with earnings of $484,000 during his career. An awesome racehorse in full flight, Lyndhurst Stud's new sire broke Northern Meteor's Randwick track record for 1200m when winning the Listed Brian Crowley in a crack field at just his sixth career start.

Blue Sky's Julian Blaxland selected and purchased BETTER THAN READY for majority owner Dan Hayes as a weanling at the Magic Millions National Sale in 2010 and recently brokered the deal between the Dan and the ownership group and the standing partnership of Lyndhurst Stud and Yarramalong Stud. It's very satisfying to see another one of our colt purchases perform at the top level on the track and now retire as a commercial sire prospect to stud. This exciting sire prospect joins current leading Australian Freshman Sire BENETEAU (sadly deceased), SHRAPNEL, INSTINCTION, SUPER EASY and RED HOT CHOICE as colts purchased by Blue Sky Bloodstock that have gone onto commercial stud duties in recent years. We strongly encourage Australian breeders to look at BETTER THAN READY shares and nominations for 2015. He's a colonial sire that possessed incredible speed, good looks, a fabulous pedigree and importantly is an ideal outcross for Danehill line mares - much like More Than Ready's highly other successful son Sebring. The horse has already acquired support of a high number of quality mares, ensuring his progeny will get every chance when first sold as yearlings at the January 2018 Magic Millions Sale. Get you're 2015 bookings in while you still can! 

Prompt Return Tests Diamond Credentials

Jockey James Winks is hopeful Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Prompt Return (Beneteau) can confirm himself a leading Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) contender with victory in the Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at Sandown Hillside on Saturday.

Winks has partnered the Danny O’Brien-trained colt on all three of his starts to date, the Group Three victory sandwiched between a winning debut at Bendigo in October and a second placed finish behind Carriages (Hinchinbrook) in the Magic Millions Clockwise 2YO Classic (1000m) at Ballarat in November.

To read the complete article that appear in ANZ Bloodstock News, February 5, click the below image.

Woodbine A Different Horse

The pedigree has always been there to suggest Woodbine could be a top-line galloper and now leading jockey Tommy Berry believes the valuable Entire can live up to his potential.

Berry rode Woodbine, by Hussonet out of Miss Finland, to an eye-catching win in a 1200m trial at Randwick on Thursday morning, storming from the back of the field to defeat stablemate Queenstown.

The four-year-old finished eighth in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap behind He's Your Man before travelling to Melbourne and finishing a close sixth to Hucklebuck in the Group 3 Yellowglen Stakes last campaign.

While there hasn't been much rest for Woodbine, Berry believes the trip south of the border has really helped his maturity process.

"He is so much more switched on now, I think the trip to Melbourne could be the making of this horse," Berry said.

"On the track at home he has always worked very strongly but he probably hasn't lived up to the expectation on race day.

"I was very impressed with the way he trilled today and I'd say he could go to the next level."

Racing Manager Adrian Bott also had plenty of positives about the trial performance.

"Gai was absolutely delighted with the trial performance of Woodbine this morning and it confirmed her opinion that he had returned a much stronger and more mature colt this preparation."

"He will resume in benchmark 90 over 1200m on the 7th February at Rosehill which should have him right on target for an exciting Autumn campaign."

Triple Treat For Blue Sky Bloodstock

With Blue Sky Bloodstock playing a strong part in the action of the recent Magic Millions Yearling Sale securing ten yearlings in total, three outstanding colts still have shares available in them.

Mid-way through the second day of selling, Blue Sky went to $310,000 with trainer Danny O’Brien to purchase Lot 471, a colt from the Kelly’s Newhaven Park, the vendor of not only last year’s top lot, but they also sold Unencumbered, the winner of the 2014 Magic Millions 2YO Classic the year prior.

Newhaven Park Lot 471: Snitzel x Movie, by Red Ransom colt - $310,000 Blue Sky Bloodstock/Danny O'Brien Racing

By Arrowfield Stud’s Group One-winning and producing son of Redoute’s Choice in Snitzel, the bay colt is the first live foal from the stakes-placed Red Ransom mare Movie, herself a daughter of the Listed winner Strawberry Storm.

With mares by Red Ransom producing over 90 stakes winners highlighted by seven Group One winners including Devil May Care, Mahbooba and War Command, the Danehill-line stallion x Red Ransom Cross has produced Group One winners Rollout The Carpet, Temida and Red Ruler as well as the speedy juvenile Group Two winner Chance Bye.

Keen on another lot from the draft of Newhaven Park, Blue Sky Bloodstock teamed up with leading Gold Coast-based trainer Toby Edmonds to purchase Lot 502 for $140,000.

Newhaven Park Lot 502: I Am Invincible x Pacific Dreams, by Desert Prince - $140,000 Blue Sky Bloodstock/Toby Edmonds

By the Champion first season sire I Am Invincible; a colt Edmonds trained early in his career, the racy looking yearling is out of the Desert Prince mare Pacific Dreams, interestingly a half-sister to the dam of I Am Invincible.

From the family of Group One winner Diamond Drille, Group Two winners Mamzelle Pedrille and O’Lonhro as well as the Listed pair of Madame Pedrille and M’Lady Pedrille, we are really excited to have our first horse in the stable of Edmonds.

The final colt we currently have shares available in was purchased from the draft of Queensland-based Rosari Farm.

Knocked down to Blue Sky Bloodstock and Gai Waterhouse Racing for $380,000, Lot 536 is by Exceed And Excel, the sire of this year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Le Chef, is out of the well-related Ustinov mare Quack It.

Rosari Farm Lot 536: Exceed And Excel x Quack It, by Ustinov - $380,000 Blue Sky Bloodstock/Gai Waterhouse Racing

The first foal of Quack It, who is herself a half-sister to Anatina (Fastnet Rock), a Listed-winning, Group One placegetter as well as the Listed winner Pricked – Albatross (HK), there are no fewer than four stakes performers in the first three generations by Danehill-line stallions, just like our colt, showing that that cross works.

With each of our colts more than capable of being part of the 2016 Magic Millions Race Day, with prizemoney of $10 million on offer, we look forward to welcoming new owners to the Blue Sky Bloodstock team and if you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to call Julian Blaxland on 0431 746 803.

Blaxland Secures More Beneteau’s for Blue Sky Bloodstock

With the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate winner PROMPT RETURN secured from the sale 12 months prior, it was always the intention of Blue Sky Bloodstock to make sure that the seven yearlings catalogued by Beneteau were inspected.

It wasn’t until the fifth day of selling that Blue Sky’s Julian Blaxland made his first purchase of a Beneteau yearling, in the shape of Lot 788 from the draft of Arrowfield Stud. A filly out of the imported Green Dancer mare Growing Market, herself a half-sister to the grand-dam of the recent Group One Longines Hong Kong Cup winner Designs On Rome, as well as a half-sister to the dam of the Group One Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow, it was a pedigree known all too well to Blaxland as it contained the highly talented, but ill-fated Rekindled Alliance (Redoute’s Choice), a colt that he had purchased a few years prior.

Tow view the pedigree of the filly (pictured below), click here, or to view the parade footage of the filly via Sirecam you can click here.

Arrowfield Stud Lot 788: Beneteau x Growing Market, by Green Dancer  filly - $70,000

Securing the filly for $70,000 on behalf of Mark Sowerby and Ron Hamer, the owners of Prompt Return, the very same connections would secure a further two yearlings by Beneteau before the day was out.

The next secured, also from the draft of Arrowfield Stud was Lot 860, a bay colt out of the winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare Sassy Peg.

Arrowfield Stud Lot 860: Beneteau x Sassy Peg, by Fusaichi Pegasus colt - $220,000

Knocked down for $220,000, an eventual session topper, the colt is out of a daughter of Saucy Nell, herself a half-sister to the Champion Two-year-old and Three-year-old Encounter, from the family of Group One winner Atomic Force.

To view the pedigree of this colt, click here, while you can view his Sirecam footage here.

“I thought the Sassy Peg was an outstanding individual and he happened to be by Beneteau so we had to have him,” stated Blaxland post sale.

A handful of lots later, Blue Sky purchased their third and final Beneteau yearling of the sale, this time from the draft of Newhaven Park.

Catalogued as Lot 867, the bay filly is out of the Siphon mare Shadow Memory, a Japanese winning half-sister to the triple Group One winner and Champion Sprinter Artax - pedigree.

“We’re obviously very interested in his progeny after buying Beneteau as a yearling and the early success with Prompt Return,” Blue Sky Bloodstock’s Julian Blaxland reported.

“We purchased three of his stock today and they will be raced by Mark and Ron.”

With Prompt Return being set for the Group One Blue Diamond, all at Blue Sky Bloodstock wish his connections the best of luck with not only him, but the yearlings purchased from the sale.

Boundary has a bright future

Trainer Heath Conners predicts Black Type for filly Boundary following her win in the Nouvelle Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.

The three-year-old ($8.50) by Manhattan Rain put in a brave run to stave off the fast-finishing Wedding ($6.50) and Mossbeat ($8), who were split in a photo-finish.

Conners said the filly was well overdue for another win and was pleased with Boundary’s run.

“I’ve got to put it all down to (jockey) Brad (Rawiller), he rode the filly tremendous today,” Conners said.

Brad Rawiller urges Boundary to victory (photo courtesy of Slickpix)

“She tends to comes out a little ‘dawdley’ and she was still a bit ‘dawdley’ out of the gates today but Brad just give her a little bit of a squeeze and she was able to get into a nice position.

“Those last couple of runs in town have been really good and she’s a good mare; she hit the front at the top of the straight and she’s had to hold them all off, so it was a really good effort.”

Conners said the filly would get over further and felt she was capable of running out a strong 2000-metres.

“We’re going to sit back and wait [now], we’ll give her a little bit of a freshen-up and look for a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger next time,” Conners said.

“We will look and try and get a nice stakes race with her but it is a big jump from today… we’ll look for something in the autumn for her that will be ideal.”

Purchased from the 2013 Magic Millions Yearling Sale by Blue Sky Bloodstock for $38,000 from the draft of Millbrook, Boundary has now recorded two wins and two placed efforts from five starts to date; earning connections more than double her purchase price.

News from Racing.com

Blue Sky Produce Another Smart Two-year-old

Lightning Rock (Fastent Rock) pictured at trackwork recently.

With Tuesday’s Rosehill barrier trials transferred to Warwick Farm, the Blue Sky Bloodstock purchased LIGHTNING ROCK recorded a strong win in his heat, defeating the Godolphin runner Unbreakable by nose over the 740m.

Having his first public trial, the two-year-old had impressed all at the stable to date and although jumping away slightly slowly from his inside barrier, followed the rail to gather in the leaders and rounding the home turn it was evident he would be in the finish.

Under hands and heels ridding for jockey Brenton Avdulla, the Blue Sky Bloodstock, B2B Bloodstock, Celest Holdings, Mr P Webster, Mr S Wilson, Mr B D Anderson, J W Kelly Suffolk Vale & Co, Mr M A Mcpherson, Mr B Guth, Mr R S Inglis, Mr B Entwistle and Mr G A Ryan-owned colt was too strong, producing a quality effort.

Lightning Rock was purchased from the draft of Coolmore at the 2014 Magic Millions Yearling Sale

Secured from the Magic Millions Yearling Sale by Blue Sky Bloodstock, just like Spring Carnival Group Three Maribyrnong Plate winner PROMPT RETURN (Beneteau), Lightning Rock is by Champion sire Fastnet Rock, out of the American mare Livealifeoflove, herself a half-sister to the triple stakes winner Srumdiddlyumptious and comes from the family of Group One winners Vicar, Astronomer Royal and Itsmyluckday.

With trainer Gerald Ryan considering numerous options that could see the colt head towards the 2015 Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast in January, Lightning Rock could head to the Magic Millions Slipper at Wyong, Rosehill or even head a trip to Brisbane on Saturday December 20.

Aegean Sea To Reinforce Slipper Hopes

Monday 01 December, 2014 - AAP

Caryl Williamson

Aegean Sea's debut win was overshadowed by three late scratchings including the favourite, but her trainer thinks she would have won anyway. Aegean Sea is four-time Golden Slipper winner Clarry Conners big hope four months out from the world's richest race for two-year-olds.

After the delay when Aspen Star, Not A Cherry and pre-race favourite Italy were scratched after a disturbance in the stalls at Randwick last Saturday week, Aegean Sea flew the gates and was never headed. She is from the first of two crops left by Beneteau who died prematurely from a neurological condition in January last year.

The winner of the 2010 Group Three Blue Diamond Prelude, Beneteau finished fifth in that year's Golden Slipper. Aegean Sea is one of nine entries for the 2YO Plate (1100m) at Rosehill which is hosting Saturday's meeting originally scheduled for the problem-plagued Kensington track.

"I wish they had transferred the meeting to Warwick Farm, Conners said. A thousand metres around her home track and they would have been flat-out catching her."

"Having it at Rosehill means it's 1100 metres but that's OK. She has done super since she won but win, lose or draw she will go to the paddock for a break. It won't be for long, only three or four weeks. That's enough for her because she does too well and I don't want her getting too fat. Of the two-year-olds in the stable, she is the one who has shown the most early and is a lovely and sound filly." 

Conners' Warwick Farm neighbour Gary Nickson has entered Voilier, a gelded son of Beneteau. Voilier was a five length winner of a barrier trial over 8008 metres at Warwick Farm on November 20. The Bart and James Cummings-trained Aspen Star is also nominated for Saturday's race. The colt passed a compulsory barrier test on Monday, finishing a close second to the Gai Waterhouse-trained Prince Morpheus.

Beneteau Blow

The Sportsman's Shayne O'Cass looks at Leading First-Season Sire Beneteau.

"I'll-fated former Arrowfield Stud resident Beneteau has added his name to a list no one would have ever wished he would; great sires gone too soon.

Over the last 30 years, the industry has endured some major losses in respect to young sires that died well before their time...."

To read the complete article, click the below image.

Blue Sky Dreaming

Racing a horse called Bless Me Pat with the local priest in central New South Wales and planning Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper campaigns might seem worlds apart, but actually, they're the same story, linked by Mark Sowerby.

In partnership with Ron Hamer, Mark races last Saturday's debut Randwick winner Aegean Sea and Maribyrnong Plate G3 winner Prompt Return. Both 2YOs are by Australia's leading first season sire Beneteau and both wear the same Blue Sky logo silks that Beneteau carried in his brilliant Sydney debut victory almost five years ago. 

Prompt Return, trained by Danny O'Brien, won his first start at Bendigo in October, and stepped up to a fine Group 3 victory at Flemington on 8 November. The colt ended his first campaign with a good second to Carriages in Saturday's Magic Millions Clockwise Classic at Ballarat where he was unsuited by the tight track.

Mark says of Prompt Return, "He's done very well, he's been in work since the end of July and is now having a nice break at Barwon Heads. All going well, he'll head to the Blue Diamond and possibly the Golden Slipper, with the Coolmore Stud Stakes a likely target next season, given how well he handled the Flemington straight."

The Clarry Conners-trained Aegean Sea will probably be seen out again before Christmas. "We'd like her to have another run, it will season her for her second prep and take the pressure off having to qualify for the Slipper in the New Year. "

Mark also explains the subtle thinking behind the filly's name. Her dam Tyche (by Woodman's son Saltgrass) is named for the Greek goddess of good luck and fortune, and Beneteau is the famous French firm of luxury yacht designers and builders. The Aegean Sea, between Greece and Turkey, is where the two might naturally meet.

Mark's interest in horse-racing began 33 years ago with his family's first racehorse Bless Me Pat in Warren, Australia's "Cotton & Wool Capital", on the banks of the Macquarie River, more than 500 km north-west of Sydney.

These days he's based in Brisbane as the Managing Director of the Blue Sky Group, a private equity house Mark founded in 2006 to invest expansion capital into Australian small and medium-sized businesses.

It was Julian Blaxland's independent company Blue Sky Bloodstock which purchased the Arrowfield-bred colt Beneteau and gave its Stallion Fund concept a notable early success when the charismatic Redoute's Choice colt became one of the country's best juveniles in 2009/10.

Trained by Paul Messara, Beneteau brilliantly won his first start at Randwick in January 2010, and progressed immediately to victory in the MRC Blue Diamond Prelude G3. He started favourite in the Blue Diamond S. G1 and finished a close-up third to Star Witness and Shaaheq after a rough passage during the race.

Bad luck dogged Beneteau's final three starts at two and a spelling paddock injury prevented his return at three, so he joined the Arrowfield  roster in 2011 at a fee of $11,000 inc. GST. Beneteau died in January 2013 after serving two books of mares that have produced a total of 135 live foals, five of which are owned by Ron and Mark.

Mark bred Aegean Sea while Ron bred Prompt Return (ex Prompt by Exceed and Excel), with each taking an ownership share of the other's foal at yearling stage.

Mark has a yearling full brother to Aegean Sea; Ron, also a part-owner of recently retired colt Dissident and promising Manhattan Rain filly Boundary, owns a yearling sister to Prompt Return; and together they own the 2YO Beneteau-Rocketing colt, who returned to work this week with trainer Mick Price.

Mark explains, "Ron was one of the first guys to back our Blue Sky investment business, he was a shareholder in Beneteau, and now he's either my good luck charm or I'm his!

"We never had any doubts about Beneteau as a sire, especially when we saw that his progeny look so much like him. They're very sound, with brilliant temperaments and scope for development at three."

Beneteau's too-early death inevitably shadows the performances of his sons and daughters. However, with first-crop contenders for two races that eluded him, the Blue Diamond and the Golden Slipper, Mark Sowerby and Ron Hamer have their sights fixed on a fairytale finish to the story of a very special colt.

News from Arrowfield

Diamond now the focus for Prompt Return

January’s $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic is off the agenda for Maribyrnong Plate winner PROMPT RETURN.

Danny O’Brien this morning revealed that plans had been scrapped to take the classy colt to the Gold Coast, instead setting their sights on the Blue Diamond series in Melbourne.

The Flemington trainer was satisfied with his second placing to the Gai Waterhouse-trained Carriages in Saturday’s Clockwise Classic at Ballarat, but thinks he is better suited staying in Victoria.

“We didn’t think he was as well suited there at Ballarat on that turning track,” O’Brien said.

“Gai’s horse was obviously just too sharp for him around the corners there and with that in mind, with the Gold Coast also being a tight-turning track we’ve made the decision to bypass the Magic Millions and give him a couple of weeks in the paddock and run him in the Diamond.

“He’s had a busy enough spring already and by not pushing on to early January we can now give him a little bit of a break and have him spot on too run in the Blue Diamond.”

Prompt Return has been one of the early stars of the juvenile season, winning on debut at Bendigo before his dominant two-length Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) success.

Although beaten on Saturday, O’Brien was satisfied with the son of Beneteau’s effort and said he had come through the race well.

“He had a tough enough run, obviously he was chasing Gai’s horse for the whole race, and James (Winks, jockey) did comment coming back that he felt like he’d had a tough run,” O’Brien said on Monday morning.

“But he was good as gold here Sunday morning, he’s very bright this morning and he’ll go down to our Barwon Heads property now for the next six to eight weeks and come back to get ready to run in the Prelude and the Diamond.”

The $1 million Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) will be run at Caulfield on Saturday 28 February.

News from Racing.com

Another Slick Winner for Beneteau

Ill-fated Beneteau added as second winner to his tally on Saturday when the Clarry Conners trained filly AEGEAN SEA kicked off her career with a debut win at Randwick on the Kensington track.

In a race marred by several late scratchings following some fractious behaviour at the barriers, Aegean Sea kept her cool to lead throughout and win the 1000 metre scamper by half a length.

 "We’ll set for the Golden Slipper now,” Conners said.

"She’s a natural runner, she’s done everything right since day one.

 "I think she’s top grade and I thought she would win today, I was pretty keen on her

"If she wins another race this time that would be nice.”

The speedy filly runs in the colours of BLUE SKY BLOODSTOCK and is raced by Mark Sowerby and Ron Hamer, who also race brilliant Beneteau colt PROMPT RETURN, winner of the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate.

The filly was not offered at auction and is the third winner for stakes-placed Tyche, who has a Beneteau yearling colt to follow.

A Group III winning son of Redoute’s Choice, Beneteau has made an encouraging start to his stud career which was tragically cut short after just two seasons at Arrowfield Stud.

News from Breednet

Blue Sky Bloodstock Runners Are Ballarat Bound

With racing this Saturday in Victoria headed to Ballarat for their meeting Cup meeting, Blue Sky Bloodstock will be represented by two runners on the ten race card highlighted by the unbeaten, Group Three winner PROMPT RETURN.

Set to start a short-priced favourite in the juvenile feature race of the day, the $200,000 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic (1000m), two-year-old Beneteau colt Prompt Return has been to the races on two occasions, winning impressively both times for trainer Danny O’Brien and jockey James Winks.

Recording a length victory on debut at Bendigo, the Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate from the draft of Newgate Farm, headed to the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) next time out and produced an outstanding effort to defeat Old Trieste by two lengths with a further half-length back to Sailing By, pictured above.

Secured for $60,000, the colt is out of the Exceed And Excel mare Prompt, the dam of not only Prompt Return, but the stakes placed filly Diamond Glow.

Raced by long term Blue Sky Bloodstock clients Mark Sowerby and Ron Hamer, a decision on a start in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast in January for Prompt Return will be based on Saturday’s performance, with the colt having also been a late entry for the Group One Blue Diamond during the week.

The other runner for the Blue Sky Bloodstock team on at Ballarat is three-year-old filly BOUNDARY (pictured below), who will contest the Magic Millions 3YO Classic (1100m).

By Manhattan Rain, the well-bred filly produced a very good effort on debut a few weeks back, winning by over a length at Geelong with Linda Meech in the saddle, who will stick with the filly on Saturday.

Although dropping back in trip from the 1318m of her debut win to the 1100m of Saturday’s contest, the filly has is in great order and her connections; Newhaven Park Syndicate (Mgr: R J Kelly, Mrs S Kelly, J W Kelly, R C Kelly, Mrs N Agostini, Mrs G Walker), V O C Racing Syndicate (Mgr: G Pignatelli), R K Hamer, N A Mukhi, M Rava, J A Lee and S C Waugh, should look forward to an encouraging effort.

Out of the Danehill mare One Dream from a pedigree which includes Group One winners Sydney’s Dream and Charge Forward as well as fellow stakes winners Diamond Cove, Donna Natalia, Georgette Silk, Kidman’s Cove and Settlers Cove, Boundary was secured from the draft of Millbrook from the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.

While the main focus will be at Ballarat on Saturday, the Blue Sky Bloodstock silks will also be seen in action on Randwick’s Kensington track in the shape of two-year-old filly AEGEAN SEA.

Trained by Clarry Conners, Aegean Sea like Prompt Return is raced by Mark Sowerby and Ron Hamer and is by Blue Sky Bloodstock yearling sale purchase BENETEAU, the Group Three-winning, Group One placed son of Redoute’s Choice.

Currently well in the market for her debut performance on Saturday, the filly heads to the races off the back off two barrier trials, most recently winning by a length and a quarter.

Currently the Leading First Season Sire in Australia, Beneteau highlights the ethos behind the Blue Sky Bloodstock Stallion Funds; where the aim is to purchase well-bred yearling colts, earn black type with them on the track before embarking on successful stallion careers.

For more information on how you can be involved in any of the yearling purchases that Blue Sky Bloodstock will make at January’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale, please click here to email Julian Blaxland.

Triple Treat For Blue Sky Bloodstock

From Saturday until Monday, BLUE SKY BLOODSTOCK were represented by three exciting winners on the track; Prompt Return, Boundary and General James.

Having his second career start after a debut win at Bendigo over the 900m three weeks prior, the Danny O’Brien-trained PROMPT RETURN headed to Flemington to contest the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate over the 1000m straight course.

Ridden by James Wink, the colt bounded out of the gates and headed towards the inside rail, travelling in to the lead with the inside division, the colt skipped clear with 400m to go, recording an extremely impressive two length victory over the debutant Old Trieste in a time of 57.5, equal to that of previous winners Nadeem and Exceedingly Good.

Interestingly, during the week leading into the race, Prompt Return and Old Trieste had finished one-two in a barrier trial at Ballarat, qualifying themselves for the $200,000 Magic Millions 2YO Clockwise Classic (1000m) on November 22.

Prompt Return (Beneteau) on the inside rail shows his rivals a clean pair of heels as he skips clear.

A look through the previous winners of the race reveals some exciting stallions highlighted by Bel Esprit, Testa Rossa and Canny Lad and going further back to the likes of Baguette, Vain and Biscay.

By Redoute’s Choice’s ill-fatted BENETEAU, himself a yearling purchase by Blue Sky Bloodstock, it was exciting to not only supply the stallion with his first winner, but also his first stakes winner!

James Winks returns to scale aboard Prompt Return

Blue Sky Bloodstock’s association with the pedigree of the colt doesn’t stop there with Julian Blaxland securing PROMPT, the dam of Prompt Return at the 2011 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale before Diamond Glow, the first foal of the mare came out and won on debut before then finishing second to Miracles Of Life in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview at her second start.

Blue Sky Bloodstock would like to congratulate Prompt Return’s owners and long-time Blue Sky Bloodstock clients Mark Sowerby and Ron Hamer on the win, and all being well, the colt will head to the Clockwise Magic Millions race before being aimed at the $2 million Magic Million Classic on the Gold Coast in January.

Described by trainer Danny O’Brien as “bombproof”, the trainer was very taken by the colt when he first laid eyes on him, “When he walked off the float I thought, if this colt was by Redoute’s Choice he would be a $1 million colt.”

Less than two hours after Prompt Return had crossed the line in front, another Blue Sky Bloodstock yearling purchase in the shape of Manhattan Rain filly BOUNDARY was also impressive having her first start, strolling away with a length and a quarter victory at Geelong over 1318m.

Trained by Heath Conners, the Magic Millions purchase initially started her career with Heath’s father Clarry in Sydney before being transferred to the Melbourne stable of Heath as it was felt she handled the Melbourne way of going better.

Boundary and Linda Meech return to scale

Raced in partnership with Newhaven Park Syndicate (Mgr: R J Kelly, Mrs S Kelly, J W Kelly, R C Kelly, Mrs N Agostini, Mrs G Walker), V O C Racing Syndicate (Mgr: G Pignatelli), R K Hamer, N A Mukhi, M Rava, J A Lee and S C Waugh, the three-year-old filly is out of the Danehill mare One Dream, an impressive black type pedigree that includes Group One winners Sydney’s Dream and Charge Forward as well as fellow stakes winners Diamond Cove, Donna Natalia, Georgette Silk, Kidman’s Cove and Settlers Cove.

While Blue Sky Bloodstock didn’t have a runner on the Sunday, it was back into the winner’s stall on Monday when the New Zealand Bloodstock purchase GENERAL JAMES saluted the judge at his second start.

A short head second on his debut three weeks earlier, the Savabeel gelding stepped up in trip to the 1612m and after jumping away awkwardly, jockey James Winks took him forward to sit in second position.

With the race leader Anonymiss racing ungenerously in the lead, General James was able to real her in as they went for home, winning the race by a short neck, holding off the late charge of the second placed Brown Bombshell.

General James (Savabeel) simply too strong

Bred to appreciate a trip, General James is out of the O’Reilly mare Splendid, a sister to the HK-Group Two Hong Kong Derby Trial winner Unique Jewellery, as well as to the dam of the Listed-winning, Group One placed Kingdoms, and also is a half-sister to the Group One Australasian Oaks winner Marju Snip.

It would be no surprise to see this gelding headed to the Classic races during his Autumn season and all at Blue Sky Bloodstock wish his large group of owners; Lucky Stew Racing (Mgr: M Harrington), Mrs L F Ashton, M L Duncan, C D Mathieson, P J Prendergast, S Wilson, B K Cameron, Cazjohn Racing (Mgr: J M Edwards), A W Bruhn, S D J Daniels, S J Giles, W Wilson, W Wessels, C J Meadmore, W K Thomas, J Steenhuisen, H W O'Meara and Ms V J Thomas the best of luck.

With all three winners purchased as yearlings and having either their first or second starts, it further highlights the success that Blue Sky Bloodstock have with their yearling purchases and with the Magic Millions Yearling Sale only a few months away, if you are interested in being kept up to date with our purchases, please contact Julian Blaxland via email by clicking here.

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Blue Sky's Prompt Return First Stakes Winner For Beneteau

Breednet - Mark Smith - Saturday, 8 November 2014

The Danny O'Brien-trained colt Prompt Return became the first winner for Beneteau when he scored at Bendigo on October 18 and he can now credit the deceased son of Redoute’s Choice with his first stakes-winner following a dominant performance in Saturday’s Racing.Com Maribyrnong Plate (1000m). Looking every bit the true professional Prompt Return was first to leave the barrier and was never headed in a two length win over win over Old Trieste (Hinchinbrook), giving the first season stallions a 1-2, Fastnet Rock filly Sailing By a half-length back in third. 

"He’s a very nice colt. He went to Bendigo for what was a barrier trial really that day and he came home and he has improved a lot in the three weeks since then,” O’Brien said. "He’s been very dominant today in what historically is a very good guide for the two-year-old season. "He is a Magic Millions horse so I’ll have a chat with Mark Sowerby and Ron Hamer who own the horse and we’ll work out where we go in the autumn.”

Winning rider James Winks said the son of Beneteau had brilliant natural speed. "He jumped that quick I nearly fell off the back of him,” Winks said. "He got into a good rhythm and I think it is important to find the rail with these horses. He did a good job, he hit the front a long way out by himself and that was a really strong gallop, good for the future.” 

Bred by Ron Hamer, Prompt Return was sold from the Newgate Farm draft for $60,000 to Blue Sky Bloodstock at the 2014 Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale. A half-brother to Diamond Glow, who was second to Miracles Of Life in the 2013 Listed Blue Diamond Preview, Prompt Return is the  third foal of the Exceed and Excel mare Prompt, a daughter of Group II placed Amnesia (Desert Sun). Prompt has a yearling sister to Prompt return from the second and final crop of foals by Beneteau (Redoute's Choice-Slice of Paradise by Encosta de Lago) who left a total of 135 foals. 

Blue Sky Continue Buying At Keeneland November Sale

ANZ Bloodstock News, November 8th