Sunspeed breeder Andy Phelan and trainer Adam Durrant have landed a winning double with Yarradale Stud sires at Belmont.
Phelan’s homebred mares Electric Light (Vital Equine) won the Schweppes Hcp (1200m) on Wednesday and Sense Of Power (Discorsi) the Legrand Galaxy Hcp (1600m) on Saturday.
Electric Light was given the run of the race behind the speed before bursting through a gap to score by three lengths at the midweek meeting. It was her third win in five starts since a Northam maiden in June.
“She’s a little bulldog,” jockey Willie Pike said. “She travelled much better today and felt like the winner a long way from home. She will pick up a Saturday race although we may have to wait for another campaign.”
Phelan bred her from Candle Smoke (Trade Fair) who won twice at the provincials during a brief six-start career. Second-dam Cool Eyed (Red Eye Special) is a half-sister to stakes winning sprinters Cool Business and Hot Shot Brother.
Yarradale Stud stands Vital Equine (Ire) at Rosalee Park in Serpentine for a $4,400 (inc gst) fee. He has Material Man getting ready for the Melbourne spring carnival following a Group 3 hat-trick in the Belmont Sprint, Hyperion Stakes and Strickland Stakes.
Sense Of Power was also winning for the third time in her last five starts since a long spell on Saturday. She led them at an even clip for apprentice Tayla Stone and then kept a wall of horses at bay in the straight.
“Adam rang and booked me for the ride – it was a good win,” Stone said after piloting the mare for the first time. “She’s got high-rolling speed and fought back hard.”
Discorsi sired her from Crow's Nest (GB) in the third of his five crops at Yarradale between 2010-14. The Shirley Heights mare was bred by Lord Halifax and among her earlier foals was Victorian-bred Coalseam (Desert Sun) who won the 2006 Helena Vale – Winter Cups double at Belmont.
A year later, agent John Chalmers (FBAA) bought Crow’s Nest on behalf of Phelan for $24,000 at the 2007 Inglis Great Southern Sale in Melbourne. Sense of Power is her final foal and Phelan’s only link with the family that goes back a generation to G1 Irish St Leger winner Mountain Lodge.
The best of the Discorsi breed has been G2 WA Guineas winner Man Booker. He returns from a break in the LR Idyllic Prince Stakes on September 1 ahead of a Group 1 campaign at the Ascot summer carnival.
War Chant (USA) heads the 2018 Yarradale Stud roster at an $11,000 service fee alongside Bradbury’s Luck, Gingerbread Man, Heritage and Vital Equine (Rosalee Stud) at $4,400. All fees (inc gst).
SENSE OF POWER