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Second stakes win for Hinchinbrook filly
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Chica Fuerte (3 f Hinchinbrook - Guapa by Rock Hard Ten) added a valuable second stakes victory to her record when she landed the Alexandra Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
A winner of the Ethereal Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) at Caulfield last October, the filly was unlucky on her previous start when she was narrowly edged out in the AV Kewney Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m), but she got her head back in front when beating Love Sensation (Night Of Thunder) by three-quarters of a length. Wanalirri (Wandjina) was a further length and a quarter away in third.
The filly was alert out of the barriers and sent straight to the front of affairs by Mark Zahra. As the field approached the 300 metre mark, Love Sensation loomed as the main threat to the daughter of Hinchinbrook (Fastnet Rock), but she was able to find another level to post an impressive victory.
Freedman’s stable foreman Steve Adams said the filly would now likely head to South Australia, with the Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) on May 1 the most likely target.
"We were really keen to lead tonight because she tends to want to lay in a bit when she gets in behind other horses," Adams said.
"We thought there might be a bit of pressure early but Mark really pushed the button and when she got to the front, she was going to be hard to beat.
"She'll probably go to Adelaide, she'll either run in the Port Adelaide Guineas on April 10 or the Auraria Stakes on April 17, both over 1800 metres as her lead up to the Oaks."
Purchased by Justin Bahen for $300,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Rosemont Stud draft, the three-year-old filly is one of two winners out of Guapa (Rock Hard Ten).
Guapa was purchased by Rosemont Stud for $150,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when carrying the filly in utero and she was then snapped up by Dream Thoroughbreds for $17,000 when offered on the Magic Millions Rosemont Stud Exclusive Online Sale last year.
Guapa is a daughter of Grade 2 winner Last Approach (Far Out East) who is a half-sister Grade 1 winner First Approach (Northern Fling) - the dam of dual Grade 2 winner Alice Springs (Val de l'Orne), who in turn produced Grade 1 winner Spring Quality (Quality Road).
Last Approach is also a half-sister to Sommes Sound (Assert), the dam of dual Group 1 winners Assertive Lad (Zeditave) and Assertive Lass (Zeditave), who in turn is the dam of fellow dual Group 1 winner and sire Reset (Zabeel).
Guapa’s colt by Exceed And Excel (Danehill) was purchased by Moorillah Pastoral at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $130,000 and he was subsequently purchased by Darby Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock for $250,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale last year. The colt is named Hombre and has raced once.
The mare produced a colt by Hellbent (I Am Invincible) in 2019 and he was purchased by Peter Moody via the 2020 Magic Millions Rosemont Stud Exclusive Online for $28,500 last year, while this year she foaled a filly by Sun Stud-based stallion Magnus (Flying Spur) and she was covered by Swettenham Stud’s new stallion I Am Immortal (I Am Invincible) in October.
Guapa is among the lots catalogued at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, which will take place at Riverside Stables on May 7.
Hinchinbrook died in 2018 and his progeny is headed by Group 1 winners; Beat The Clock, Seabrook, Spright and Press Statement, who now stands at Vinery Stud in the Hunter Valley.
