Mt Hallowell Stud’s homebred filly Fugaku made an instant impact on debut in the Drummond Golf Maiden (1200m) at Belmont last Wednesday.
Fugaku is by Arrowfield Stud shuttler Maurice (Jpn) and looked one of the better off-peak 2yo winners this season in a race that may rate highly in hindsight. She wrested a narrow lead splitting Force Field (Splintex) and Blue Tang (Blue Point) in the straight and responded in an rousing three-way contest to prevail for Lucy Fiore.
“She’s a cool character and travelled beautifully in running,” Fiore said. “She raced like a winner around the bend although we probably got out too early. She didn’t quite understand what was being asked but then shot away again on the line. She’s a professional with so much more improvement.”
Mt Hallowell Stud owner Craig Thompson bred her from Biarchi (Free Eagle) who scored a running double as a spring 3yo at Murray Bridge and Morphettville for trainer David Jolly. She returned for an autumn prep that produced a black-type placing in the G3 SA Classic (2500m) back at Morphettville.
Fugaku is the first foal from Biarchi and the second is a colt by Brave Smash (Jpn). It’s a pedigree dominated down the page by Memories Of Silver (Silver Hawk) who was a USA-bred Group 1 winner of a Beverly D. Stakes and Diana Handicap.
Maurice (Jpn) made a Group 1 impact in Perth earlier this season when his Peters Investments homebred Cosmic Crusader (NZ) won the weight-for-age Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot. Bob and Sandra Peters were also in the market for more by Maurice at the recent Inglis Yearling and Weanling Sales.
Byerley Bloodstock’s Liam Peters, as agent for Peters Investments, paid $360,000 for the Maurice – Re Edit (Camelot) yearling filly at Riverside Stables. She’s a half-sister to NZ G3 War Decree Stakes winner Origin Of Love (Snitzel). The top-priced foal among WA buyers at the Inglis Weanling Sale last month was the $260,000 colt by Maurice from Lankan Gold (Dundeel) purchased by Byerley Bloodstock from Noorilim Park. It’s the family of Australian Horse Of The Year Lankan Rupee (Redoute’s Choice).
