3 minute read
Splintex just holds on in Arrowfield Sprint.
Arrowfield Stud's three-time champion stallion Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) was handed a landmark victory in the Arrowfield Sprint (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on Saturday as his son Splintex (3 c ex Acquired by O'Reilly) provided him with his 100th stakes winner.
Having led inside the final 100 metres, the Mark Newnham-trained Splintex looked to have just been denied in the shadow the winning post as Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Flit (Medaglia d'Oro) flew up the rail and looked to have nailed the colt on the line. However the photo-finish showed the son of Snitzel had just managed to narrowly hold onto the race by a nose.
"That was terrific," Newnham said.
"He hadn't been and won at the 1200 yet so I had my heart in my mouth the last few strides, but he's just a really good genuine horse and I think he has been a bit underestimated.
"Now he is a Group Two winner and he's still a colt."
Bred by Geoff Grimish, the colt is out of Group 2-placed O'Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Acquired and he is one of three winners for the mare who has also produced the stakes placed pair Invictus Salute (Exceed And Excel) and Acqume (Sepoy).
Acquired herself is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Hips Don't Lie (Stravinsky) - the dam of Group 3 winner Ennis Hill (Fastnet Rock) and Listed scorer Lady Geneva (Fastnet Rock), while she is also a half-sister to the dams of Group 3 winner No More Tears (Darci Brahma) and Listed winner Weatherly (Beneteau).
In 2017 Acquired foaled a brother to Splintex - who is now named Sixgun and is unraced. The following season the mare missed to Counterattack (Redoute's Choice) and in 2019 she produced a filly by Not A Single Doubt (Redoute's Choice) and was covered by The Autumn Sun (Redoute's Choice) last November.
Acquired was bought for $450,000 by Ron Gilbert's Highgrove Stud for $450,000 at last year's Inglis Chairman's Sale from the draft of Kitchwin Hills as agent.
Sntizel's century of stakes winners are headed by 14 Group 1 winners and he was responsible for the most expensive yearling sold at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale earlier in the week when Tom Magnier went to $1.8 million for a colt by the stallion out of Group 1-winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare First Seal.
The late Waikato Stud-based O'Reilly has now sired 79 stakes winners as a broodmare sire headed by 15 Group 1 winners that include recent Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt).
