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31.
Something
Old Something New
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23/11/2002 |
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Last
year the outstanding Old Comrade (Old Spice) scored a well deserved win the
Group 1 Railway Stakes at Ascot after finishing runner-up the previous year
behind a promising young galloper named Northerly.
Running into fourth place last year was another “Old”, the Vern
Brockman-trained Old Fashion. The five-year old son of Metal Storm etched his
name on the Railway Stakes honour roll with a hard fought win over the favourite
Hardrada (Marooned (GB)) and the fast finishing veteran Corporate Bruce
(Corporate Raider).
Ridden by Stephen Miller, Old Fashion was winning for the tenth time in 27
starts, which have also yielded 8 placings. With the $329,800 Railway Stakes
winner’s cheque, Old Fashion has bankrolled almost $700,00 for his
connections.
Old Fashion first burst into prominence in the spring of 2000 when he won his
first five starts including the Listed Challenge Stakes and the Listed Fairetha
Stakes at Ascot. He was beaten for the first time when fourth in the West
Australian Guineas (G2). After a spell Old Fashion reappeared on the racetrack
in May of 2001, racking up a frustrating sequence of seven consecutive places,
including a second in the Group 2 Winterbottom Stakes, before winning the Asian
Beau Stakes (G3). He made it two in a row in the R.J. Peters Stakes (G3) before
his fourth place effort behind Old Comrade in last years Railway Stakes (G1).
After finishing fifth in the Listed Channel Nine Stakes at Ascot Old Fashion was
again sent for a spell. Three months later he scored a first up win in the
Bunbury Cup (LR) but that effort was followed by a sixth of 11 in the Easter
Stakes (G3), the first time in 18 starts that Old Fashion failed to earn a
prizemoney for his owners.
After winning the Listed Hyperion Stakes Old Fashion raced outside of W.A. for
the first time when fourth, behind Zip Zip Aray (Bellotto (US)), Libidinious (Jugah
(US)) and The Big Chill (O’Reilly (NZ)) in the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap at
Morphetville. For the first time in his career Old Fashion strung together three
ordinary efforts before returning with a glimpse of form wheb fourth in the
Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes at Ascot before prepping for the Railway Stakes with a
fast finishing second behind Kensyl Bay (Tribu) in the R.J. Peters Stakes (G3).
Old Fashion was a $7,000 bargain buy by Vern Brockman at the 1999 Perth Magic
Millions sale. He is the second live foal and only winner from three to race out
of the unraced Jevington mare Matilda Waltz.
The fourth dam of Matilda Waltz is the Grey Sovereign mare Matatina, a half
sister to one of the most successful stallions to ever stand at stud in
Australia, Showdown (Infatuation).
The win of Old Fashion once again emphasises what an enormous loss the French
bred Kenmare stallion Metal Storm was to the W.A. thoroughbred industry.
The winner of four of his 20 starts including a Group 3 race at Chantilly, Metal
Storm is out of the unraced Habitat mare Porphyrine a half sister to Prix St
Alary (G1) winner Grise Mine (Crystal Palace) and the remarkable mare Kostroma (Caerleon)
which ventured from Ireland to win the Beverley D. Stakes (G1), Yellow Ribbon H.
(G1) and Santa Barbara H. (G1).
Old Fashion comes from the second crop of Metal Storm retired to Mungrup Stud,
W.A. in 1995. To date metal Storm has sired 77 winners from 115 runners (67.0%)
with 8 stakes winners and 10 stakes placed for earnings of over $4.6 million.
His leading runners include Kalatiara 8 wins, $297,650 WATC West Australian
Guineas (G2), Hollywood Park Royal Heroine S. (G3), Tai Shan Glory 3 wins,
$245,178 WATC Karrakatta P. (G2), Perth S. (LR), Dark ‘n’ Dangerous 5 wins,
$132,445 WATC Belmont Sprint (G3), Storm Shot 6 wins, $212,025 WATC Anniversary
Cup (LR), Birthday S. (LR), Oxidation 2 wins, $61,685, WATC Challenge Stakes (LR)
Krystal Storm 2 wins, $63,600 WATC Queen's P. (LR), Paris Moon 2 wins, $52,080
WATC Ngawyni Stakes (LR).
The last crop of foals from the 42 mares served by Metal Storm before his death
last year are being born this spring.
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