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Filly provides Snitzel with 102st stakes winner
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Macroura (2 f ex Zenaida by Zabeel) produced an impressive performance to win the Woodlands Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday and in the process became Snitzel's (Redoute's Choice) 102st stakes winner.
Unbeaten in her previous two starts, Macroura scooted clear to beat Marboosha (Dream Ahead) by a length and a half with Panna Cotta (Fastnet Rock) a further three quarters of a length back in third.
Annabel Neasham - who runs Maher and Eustace's Warwick Farm stable - said the co-trainers are now considering a tilt at the JJ Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
"It's a shame today wasn't 1200 and then your natural progression could have been to go to the JJ Atkins," Nesham said.
"That's going to be a bit of a jump to go from 11 to 14 but we will see how she comes through and consider it. She does switch off so she may well get that trip.
"We will just let the dust settle. She is an out-and-out two-year-old so we would probably like to get one more win on the board before putting her out for a spring campaign."
Bred by Aquis Farm, the filly is the first foal out of the winning Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare Zenaida, who is herself a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Vosne Romanee (Electric Zone) and Listed-placed Meursault (Ekraar).
Further back this is the family of prolific Group 1 scorer Allegro (Red Tempo) and Group 2 winner Hear That Bell (Ring That Bell).
Zenaida's colt by Exceed And Excel (Danehill) was purchased as a weanling by Ampulla Lodge for $240,000 at the 2019 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale before being snapped up at this year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $380,000. In 2019 the mare produced a filly by Snitzel's young sire son Invader and missed to the same stallion last season.
The filly becomes the fifth stakes winner bred on the Snitzel / Zabeel cross, headed by Group 2 winner Time For War.
Snitzel - who will stand at Arrowfield Stud for a fee of $165,000 (inc GST) in 2020 - is on the cusp of landing his fourth champion stallion title. He sired a stakes double at Rosehill yesterday with the Bjorn Baker-trained Irithea (6 m ex Kirovskaya) taking out the Dark Jewel Classic (Gr 3, 1400m), her second Group 3 stakes victory having captured the Hawkesbury Crown (Gr 3, 1300m) last season.
