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Letzbeglam hands Snitzel his 97th stakes win.
Arrowfield's Snitzel's (Redoute's Choice) red-hot two-year-old form continued on Saturday when Letzbeglam (2 f ex Miss Charming, by Forestry) showed her class in the Blue Diamond Prelude (f) (Gr 2, 1100m) at Caulfield and in the process became the stallion's 97th stakes winner and third juvenile stakes winner of the season.
Later in the day he was represented with his 98th stakes winner later in the day when his daughter Sylvia's Mother (4 m ex Found The One by Bel Esprit) won the Bellmaine Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), also at Caulfield.
Co-trainer Natalie Young was nervous heading into the race after the filly drew barrier ten, but she had no issues, racing three wide with cover to scoot home to beat Muntaseera (I Am Invincible) by two and a quarter lengths with a further nose back to Geist (Medaglia d'Oro) in third.
"He (Prebble) pressed forward and did the right thing because they seem to be running on speed today - it was a great effort," Young said.
"We thought she might hit the line and run a place but yeah, she outclassed them."
Winning jockey Brett Prebble was equally impressed with the filly's win on Saturday.
"Whether she can take that performance to a high-pressure race like the Blue Diamond… she took great benefit out of Werribee on debut today so whether she may take that next step, who knows," Prebble said.
"She's shown from an early age that she had plenty of promise, not really a precocious two-year-old but just really good engine with good ability.
"She's got a big cruising speed but a lot of nervous energy and is a bit goofy out there.
"She just showed today what she's got under the bonnet and just floated up the straight."
Purchased by Cambridge Stud for $280,000 at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Vinery Stud draft, Letzbeglam is out of the winning Forestry (Storm Cat) mare Miss Charming, who was purchased by Julian Blaxland's Blue Sky Bloodstock for US$140,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Sale in 2014 in foal to Eskendereya (Giant's Causeway).
The filly is a sister to Listed-placed Snazz 'n' Charm and six-time winner Belle Danseuse (Eskendereya).
Miss Charming is herself out of Grade 3 winner Charm A Gendarme (Batonnier), making her a sister to Grade 3 winner Forest Grove and a half-sister to dual Grade 1 scorer Tout Charmant (Slewvescent), who in turn produced Grade 2 scorer Dancing House (Tapit) and Listed winner Too Charming (Bernardini).
Charm A Gendarme is also the grandam of Grade 2 winner New And Improved (Cairo Prince) and Grade 3-placed All Star Bub (Midshipman).
In 2019 Miss Charming produced a filly by Yarraman Park Stud's stallion Hellbent (I Am Invincible) and has she has most recently been covered by Aquis stallion Invader (Snitzel).
Snitzel's seven individual juvenile winners this season include two further stakes winners; Away Game and Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) winner Wild Ruler and he has three lots catalogued at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, which gets underway on Sunday, while the stallion has nine lots catalogued at the upcoming Inglis Premier Sale and 67 lots set to go under the hammer at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, which begins its two-day run on April 7.
Following the victory the Letzbeglam's odds for the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) were slashed from $51 to $11.
Meanwhile, the Anthony Freedman-trained Hanseatic (2 c Street Boss - Itameri by Exceed And Excel) firmed in at the top of the market for the Blue Diamond as the colt came from the clouds, producing an extraordinary performance to win the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Godolphin-owned colt ran down from an unlikely position beyond midfield in a thrilling finish to beat Rulership (I Am Invincible) by a long-neck.
"His behavior around the back (parade ring) was ten times better than last time so he's going the right way," said assistant trainer Sam Freedman.
"He obviously had to be very good to win from where he was. He's got that instant turn of foot.
"We had Lyre last year, but I think he's got a little bit more brilliance."
Bred by Godolphin, Hanseatic is the third foal out of the Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare Itameri who has a yearling filly by Frosted (Tapit) and slipped to Exosphere (Lonhro). His sire Street Boss (Street Cry) stood the 2019 season for a fee of $27,500 (inc GST) at Darley's Northwood Park.
Hanseatic's third dam is Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed mare Scandinavia (Snippets), who produced eight winners, including Group 1 winner and now sire Magnus (Flying Spur), Group 2 winners Wilander (Exceed And Excel) and Scandiva (Fastnet Rock) and Listed winner Arctic Flight (Flying Spur).
Further afield this is the family of unbeaten champion mare Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and All Too Hard (Casino Prince).
Street Boss (Street Cry) has three lots catalogued at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and 13 yearlings set to go through the ring at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Exceed And Excel is making a name for himself as a leading broodmare sire and is represented by 41 stakes winners in this category including seven Group 1 winners. There are 22 yearlings out of daughters of Exceed And Excel catalogued at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Anthony Freedman will be looking to land a second Blue Diamond in as many years having taken Victoria's premier two-year-old race in 2019 with fellow Godolphin-owned Lyre (Lonhro).
