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4.
Yell Continues
Widden’s Outstanding Season
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01/03/2003 |
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The
Thompson family’s Widden Stud will look back on the 2002/2003 racing season
with justifiable pride. When the rising sprint star Yell (Anabaa (USA)-Vocalist,
by Bluebird (USA)) won his second consecutive Group 1 race in the $402,000
Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield today, it was the seventh Group 1 race won
by Widden sired runners from the 28 Group 1 races run in Australia so far this
season.
Judging by the manner of Yell’s 3 ¼-length win over the top-class filly
Innovation Girl (Rubiton) and Roman Arch (Archway (Ire) in the race record time
of 1.21.94, on a track that was a long way off being fast, there are more Group
1 races left in the progressive son of Anabaa (USA) this season.
Lightning Stakes (G1) winner Choisir (Danehill Dancer (Ire)) made full use of
his barrier one, kicking up to hold the fence as Yell cruised over from his wide
barrier to race on the outside of Choisir with Innovation Girl getting the run
of the race, third on the fence. When Darren Gauci on Yell applied the pressure
to Choisir coming around the home turn the favourite folded tamely and it was
left to Innovation Girl to chase in vain as Yell cruised home under hands and
heels.
It was the fourth consecutive win for the Woodland’s Stud-bred Yell whose
record now stands at 13 starts for 6 wins, 4 seconds and 2 thirds for earnings
of $831,550. At his previous start Yell accounted for Fields of Omagh,
Innovation Girl and Northerly in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m), which
followed victories in the Group 2 Carlyon Stakes, and Group 3 C.S. Hayes Stakes
(1200m) both at Moonee Valley.
Wayne Hawkes, Melbourne foremen for John Hawkes would not be drawn into whether
Yell will back up in next Saturday’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at
Flemington, preferring to leave that decision to his father.
“He was cruising coming to the corner” said Hawkes. “The last 100 was
super, he really extended and hit the line enormous”. “He has always been a
bit underrated, never really mentioned with the likes of Lonhro, but he must be
up there now”
Widden stud’s tremendous season is made more remarkable considering that no
less than five individual stallions have shared the Group 1 spoils. Three of
those stallions, Helissio (Fairy King (USA)), sire of champion 3yo elect Helenus
winner of the Victoria Derby and Caulfield Guineas: Filante (Star Way (GB)),
sire of Caulfield 1000 Guineas winner Macedon Lady: and Belong To Me (USA) (Danzig
(USA)), sire of Victorian Oaks winner Bulla Borghese, all had their Group 1
winners come from their first crop.
Yell comes from Anabaa’s second Australian born crop while the Epsom Handicap
(G1) winner Excellerator comes from the fifteenth and third last crop by
Widden’s sadly departed champion stallion Marscay.
It is also noteworthy that these Group 1 winners did not come from a massive
number of foals.
Yell came in a crop of just 42 live foals by Anabaa, Helenus came from a crop of
20 live foals by Helissio, Macedon Lady was one of 61 live foals by Filante,
Excellerator one of 49 live foals by Marscay while Bulla Borghese was one of 74
live foals from the first crop by Belong to Me.
The Champion European Sprinter of 1996 with wins in the July Cup (G1) and Prix
Maurice de Gheest (G1), Anabaa shuttles to Widden from Alec Head’s Haras du
Quesnay. The son of Danzig has been represented by 14 stakes winners including 5
Group 1 winners for earnings of more than $13.5 million.
By: Mark Smith
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