Guineas Exacta For Waller

While no doubt still basking in the euphoria of Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) breaking the world record for number of Group 1 wins, it was back to business for Chris Waller in the very next race and the master trainer again pulled off a magnificent feat when saddling a 1-2 in the G1 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas. It was D'Argento (Aus) (So You Think {NZ}) under Hugh Bowman who lead home the Waller exacta when beating Tangled (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) by a length and a quarter in the 10-furlong contest with Furore (NZ) (Pierro {Aus}) a further length back in third. D'Argento capped a banner day for his sire So You Think, who also had a pair of new Group 3 winners.

There was drama in the race, however, as G1 Vodafone NZ Derby winner Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc De Cambes {NZ}) actually passed the post in second but was relegated to fourth after a stewards enquiry deemed he had interfered with Tangled.

While Waller had no pre-race doubts about D'Argento's ability, he did harbour suspicions about what the colt's best trip might be. “I had serious doubts about him getting 2000 metres because I've seen the brilliance that he's got,” the trainer told Racing.com. “You don't usually see such a brilliant sprinter/miler that I thought he was prior to the Randwick Guineas, where he had no luck, come out and be dominant in a Rosehill Guineas after being three-wide. I've got to reassess my thoughts, he obviously can stay and we'll work out from a colt's perspective where is his best value. Is it a Doncaster so he can show off that speed or do we go down the Derby path, which is such a traditional race on the Australian calendar?”

Despite being beaten on his previous two attempts at stakes level, D'Argento went off favourite on Saturday and showed the level of class that his initial starts suggested he could be capable of. Two juvenile wins over six and 7 1/2 furlongs from two starts last year were followed by a smart 2018 reappearance when he won a handicap at Randwick in January over 6 1/2 furlongs. He was doing his best work at the finish when third in the G2 Hobartville S. over seven at Rosehill on Feb. 24 before a tough trip saw him finish mid-division behind Kementari (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) in the G1 Randwick Guineas two weeks ago.

With D'Argento having improved for the step up to 10 furlongs on Saturday, Bowman said he thinks the G1 Australian Derby in two weeks' time would be an ideal target. “I always thought 10 furlongs would be his best trip but I'd be inclined to push Chris [Waller] to take him to the Derby after today's performance. He really relaxed in the run and he was strong late. Whatever he does this time in he'll be a better horse in the spring. He's still immature.”

Pedigree Notes…

D'Argento was bred by Gerry Harvey and is the third Group 1 winner for Coolmore's dual hemisphere champion and 10-time Group 1 winning stallion So You Think (NZ), who enjoyed a banner day with three total stakes winners. Sold at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$135,000, he is out of the stakes winning mare Fullazz (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), who has a perfect record with her starters so far with five winners from five runners, including the stakes-placed Fullazaboot (Aus) (Sepoy {Aus}). Further back the pedigree traces to Group 1 winner and sire Sizzling (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}). Fullazz was barren to Sepoy in 2016 but delivered a half-sister to D'Argent by All Too Hard (Aus) in 2017. Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree.

Saturday, Rosehill, Australia
ROSEHILL GUINEAS-G1, A$607,000, ATC, 3-24, 3yo, Open Set Weight, 2000mT, 2:06.10, Soft.
1–D'ARGENTO, 56.5, c, 3, by So You Think (NZ)
1st Dam: Fullazz (SW-Aus, A$218,750), by
Redoute's Choice
2nd Dam: Battonage, by Kenmare (FR)
3rd Dam: Estate Label, by Without Fear (FR)
1ST STAKES WIN. (A$135,000 Ylg 2016 MM Gold Coast
Yearling Sale) O-Paramount Racing (Mgr: Ms K M Wood), R
Cummins, Mrs H L Cummins, J W Roe, D N Wilson, Mrs G
Robertson, Ms J A Coleman, M Woodcroft, Mrs J Woodcroft,
M Azzopardi, Mrs L Azzopardi, R; B-Mr G Harvey NSW; T-C J
Waller; J-J Bowman; A$351,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-1,
A$569,275. *1/2 to Fullazaboot (Aus) (Sepoy {Aus}), SP-Aus,
A$421,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tangled, 56.5, c, 3, Snitzel–Bramble Rose (NZ), by Shinko King
(IRE). (A$310,000 Ylg 2016 WI Sydney Easter Yearling Sale) O-N
A Greenhalgh, Mrs M T Greenhalgh, R Smith, I Bruce, F W
Mitchell, I M Lilburne, Ms E M Weston, R L McKay, Henry Field
Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: H A Field), Horse Ventures; B-Mr M
Sandblom NSW; T-C J Waller; J-M J Walker; A$114,000.
3–Furore (NZ), 56.5, g, 3, Pierro–Stormy Choice, by Redoute's
Choice. (NZ$210,000 Ylg 2016 NZB National Yearling Sale)
O-Australian Bloodstock (L Murrell), Bromance Racing (Mrs L
Priestley), A Brogan, Mrs M Ronan, J Stumer, Miss E Bale, J
Tassone, B Ronan, L Ronan, D Edmondson, J Rourke, S Riddle,
B-GSA Bloodstock Pty Ltd, NZ; T-K A Lees; J-B Avdulla;
A$58,000.
Margins: 1.3 len, 2.3 len, 2.4 len. Odds: 2.80, 14.00, 80.00.
Also Ran: Vin de Dance (NZ), Cliff's Edge, Ace High, Mission Hill, Mongolianconqueror (NZ), Villermont, Capital Gain, The Lord Mayor (NZ), Main Stage (NZ), Condor, Kaonic (NZ), So You Win, Endowment (NZ), Age of Fire, Terwilliker.
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.