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34.
Fabulous Win
By Filante Filly
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16/10/2002 |
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Story
By Chris Scholtz
Outstanding filly Macedon Lady provided former top class galloper Filante with
his breakthrough Group One winner in the $500,000 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield
on October 16.
Filante, the Star Way stallion who engaged in a number of epic battles with
former stars Octagonal, Saintly and Nothing Leica Dane as a three-year-old, went
to stud in 1998 but made a slow start with his first crop two-year-olds last
season when they failed to make any notable impact.
He had produced only two individual winners from 16 runners but the expectation
that his progeny would develop with maturity was borne out by Macedon Lady’s
sweeping victory that establishes her as favourite for the VRC Oaks at
Flemington next month.
Macedon Lady is trained by John Symons and takes her name from his lavish
training complex at Mt Macdeon outside Melbourne.
She is a stablemate of Bel Esprit, her victory easing Symons’ disappointment
over the unlucky second by his star colt in last Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas.
The 2001 Classic Yearling Sale in Sydney was a happy hunting ground for Symons
and his Macedon Lodge clients as he purchased Macedon Lady and Bel Esprit at
that sale for a total of only $31,000.
Macedon Lady, who cost $22,000, was bred by Bill and Jenny Stearn at Timor Creek
Stud at Murrurundi.
She is from the winning Cossack Warrior mare Boo Ticket, a half-sister to
prolific Perth stakeswinner Cranky Tikit.
Her family features Balmerino, Taipan and Alcimedes, a pedigree suggesting she
will have no trouble with the Oaks distance of 2500 metres.
Filante’s career highlights included victories in the G1 Epsom Handicap and G1
Caulfield Stakes, the G2 Warwick Stakes twice and the G2 Chelmsford Stakes.
He also set Randwick and Warwick Farm course records, was twice runner-up in the
G1 W.S. Cox Plate.
Those performances came after that vintage three-year-old season of 1995-96 when
he was matched against Octagonal, Saintly and Nothin’ Leica Dane.
His classic efforts that season included placings in the G1 Canterbury Guineas
and G1 AJC Australian Derby.
Widden Stud stands Filante at a fee of $11,000. Widden has had a great start to
the Melbourne spring carnival as last Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas winner
Helenus was the first Group One winner in Australia for the stud’s former
shuttle sire Helissio.
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