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27.
First Australian Group One For Danewin
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09/06/2002 |
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THE QUEENSLAND DERBY (GROUP 1) - 2400m: $500,000 EAGLE FARM
1 COUNTY TYRONE (b g 3y Danewin - Nice Choice (GB) by Touching Wood (USA)). Trainer: M G Lees 55.5 (C W Brown)
2 GALROOF (b or br f 3y Maroof (USA) – Karman Girl (Ire) by Persian Bold (Ire) 53 (D Oliver)
3 MISS BUSSELL (b f 3y Danzero – Lurestina (NZ) by Sir Tristram (Ire)) 53 (G Schofield)
Margins: sh/neck x half/length. Time: 2:29.00. (Last 600m 36.80).
The Max Lees-trained County Tyrone has made giant strides since running unplaced in a restricted three-year old handicap at Randwick a month ago. Aided by a magic ride by Sydney based jockey Corey Brown, County Tyrone overpowered the game filly Galroof to win by a short neck with another filly, Miss Bussell, who was forced into the pacemaking role from her wide barrier, a half-length away third in the $500,000 Queensland Derby (G1) at Eagle Farm.
DANEWIN
It was the sixth win in 15 starts for County Tyrone, , whose earnings increase to over $388,000. A $70,000 purchase by Lees from the Emirates Park consignment at the 2000 Inglis Classic Yearling sale, County Tyrone is one of 32 foals from the second crop by champion Danehill galloper Danewin.
County Tyrone, the first Australian Group 1 winner for Emirate Park Studs Danewin, is the sixth foal out of the imported mare Nice Choice (GB) a daughter of the stamina influence Touching Wood (Roberto). The best of her two previous winners was Moo La Lah a colt by Northern Fred, which went on to win the Magic Millions Singapore Classic.
Nice Choice is a daughter of Dubai Spring (Broadway Forli) a half-sister to Listed stakes winner and Group 1 placed Band Practice. Fourth dam Countess Fleet (Count Fleet) was a grand racemare in the U.S. where she won 11 races including the Hollywood Vanity Handicap and Vanity Handicap. She was the dam of the minor winner Swiftly Morgan (Nasrullah) a very useful stallion based at the late Ferd Calvin’s Dawson Stud. Countess Fleet also produced the United Nations Handicap winner Flit To (Turn-to) and Grade 2 winner Fleet Victress (King Of The Tudors) the third dam of Champion U.S. Two-Year Old Storm Song (Summer Squall) winner of 4 races including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Frizette Stakes (G1).
Poor fertility in his first couple of seasons at stud has severely hampered the commercial potential of Danewin however his statistics make interesting reading. From his first crop of 32 foals have come the stakes winners Kootamootto and Baby Tycoon (in Malaysia), plus the stakes-placed winners Salgado, Notation, Bushra Gem. Another 14 runners from Danewin’s initial crop have won at least one race. His second crop of 31 live foals, now three-year olds, are well on their way to establishing Danewin as one of the most promising sires in the nation. Besides Derby winner County Tyrone, Danewin’s second crop includes the stakes winners Shouq, the high-class Tony McEvoy trained filly Elegant Fashion, AJC James Carr Stakes (LR) winner Trial Of Gold, and the consistent $300,000 earner Haste Ye Back. Four stakes winners from a crop of only 31 runners is an exceptional performance by any standards.
Only the high-class filly Galfoof, a daughter of the deceased Danzig stallion Maroof, prevented locally bred stallions making a clean sweep of the placings in the two Group One feature races at Eagle Farm.
By: Mark Smith
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