Lynward Park homebred Juniper (Russian Revolution) kicked off a winning treble for Grant and Alana Williams on a Heavy 9 surface in the Avon Valley on Thursday and there was plenty to like about the promising first-timer in the TABtouch Maiden Plate (1000m).
Juniper settled last on the rails behind front-runner Star Seed (Earthlight) before Willie Pike angled out into the better going at the top of the straight. She came down the centre of the track to pull away from Rebels Luck (Rebel Dane) and Keppel Gate (Portland Sky) who skirted the outside fence.
It was a professional performance that wasn’t lost on the Karnup couple. “All three of our winners thrived in the conditions at Northam. Juniper ploughed through the wet to win by almost three lengths on debut.”
Grant and Alana have prepared numerous winners for Lynward Park’s Ted, Marilyn, Troy and Chad van Heemst including Juniper’s dam Fontainebleau (Alfred Nobel) who landed Listed victories in the 2017 Belmont Oaks (2000m) and 2018 Starstruck Classic (1600m). Her younger half-sister Summer’s Legacy (Bondi) doubled up at Belmont and Ascot in their colours last season.
Petrouchka (More Than Ready) also won a LR Belmont Oaks (2000m) for the stable and the Bullsbrook stud in 2024.
The Williams Racing-prepped Wynn Las Vegas (Yes Yes Yes) was a TBWA Winners Of The Week in March for Lynward Park. He followed that Pinjarra breakthrough with a black-type placing in the LR Melvista Stakes (2000m) at Ascot.
Juniper has substantial residual value with a black-type bottom-line going back several generations in Western Australia. She is by Champion 2YO Sire Russian Revolution (Snitzel) and Fontainebleau is one of seven winners from the Fred Kersley-trained Aunt Lydia (Serheed) who was runner-up to stablemate Kelliewood (Woodman) in the LR Natasha Trophy (2200m) of 2005.
Third-dam Summer Silence (Zabaleta) landed Listed victories in the 1993 All Stars Quality and Lindsay Rosenthal Stakes in the Heytesbury Stud colours as did fourth-dam Surfside Lady (Pago Pago) in the G2 Champion Fillies Stakes of 1988.
Fifth-dam Bynsaab (Gay Saba) won the G2 Champion Fillies Stakes in 1976 for John and Doris Gabbedy. She was bred by the Estate of Perth trotting supremo J P Stratton from a family developed at Kentucky Stud in NSW by Racetrack Magazine publisher Arthur Thorn.
