Yarradale Stud wasted no time getting off the mark this season with Little Silver an on-pace winner of the MCA Polytrack Hcp (1400m) at Pinjarra on Saturday.
And in another first for the new season, Copper Bullet broke through at Gawler on Sunday to become the first winner for Shooting To Win since his transfer to Yarradale was announced last week.
Little Silver is a Yarradale-bred graduate whose last three victories have been on wet tracks and Saturday’s win came on the back of a textbook ride by Tash Faithfull on a Heavy 8. He was a last-start winner at Bunbury a fortnight ago on a Soft 7 and that followed a long hiatus since he last saluted the judge on a Soft 7 at Belmont in July 2024.
Little Silver (6g Exosphere – Platinum Power by Commands) sat outside the leader and Faithfull pinched a break at the top of the straight before holding on to deny Autumn Rebel (The Autumn Sun) and Exceltrain (Spirit Of Boom).
“He’s in the zone and full credit to Tash,” trainer Steve Wolfe said. “We go back a long way and I’m probably more proud of her than the horse. She made the decision to go forward and they had the leader covered on the home turn and then the stamina was there at the finish.”
“Tash is riding as good as anyone here except for Willie.”
Little Silver cost $40,000 out of the Yarradale consignment to the 2021 Perth Magic Millions and has now banked $263,000 for a syndicate managed by Wolfe’s wife Maureen. He’s a half-brother to city-winning mare Platinum Shot who was bred by Yarradale using Shooting To Win prior to his move to WA.
Copper Bullet (pictured) gave Shooting To Win a timely welcome to the Yarradale roster with a half-length victory in the Holdfast Insurance Brokers Maiden Plate (1200m) at Gawler on the weekend.
He was racing for the first time since a midfield debut for Adelaide trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly at Murray Bridge in February and was ridden on a long reign to get the better of It’s Only Magic (D’argento) and Nadege (Strasbourg).
“Copper Bullet kicked off this campaign in style delivering a strong first-up performance under a perfect ride by Caitlin Jones,” Chantelle Jolly posted on Facebook. “He’s showing signs of raw talent and there’s plenty of upside proving too good late to run down the opposition.”
It also marked a special milestone for the stable as the first win for Grand Syndicates and its members let everyone know they were on course to cheer him home. Former WA trainer John Price bought him on behalf of Grand Syndicates for $35,000 at the 2023 Adelaide Magic Millions.
Copper Bullet (4g Shooting To Win – Quik Nu Chik by Testa Rossa) is from a winning three-quarter sister to Fontelina (Testa Rossa) who was a dual winner of the G2 Yellowglen Stakes (1200m) at Flemington for trainer Anthony Cummings
Fontelina joined an honour-roll of all-time greats with back-to-back victories in the Yellowglen on the first day of the Melbourne Cup carnival. Champions Amounis, Phar Lap, Chatham, Ajax, Noholme, Vain and WA star Placid Ark all won the Yellowglen when it was known as the Linlithgow Stakes. No horse had score successive victories since Scamanda in 1974-75.
Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor) is a Danehill-free full-brother to Deep Field and will stand for a $5,500 (inc GST) service fee at Yarradale alongside Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) who is also available at $5,500 (inc GST). For bookings or further information, contact Yarradale Stud manager Davy Hanratty on 0429 326 904.
