Yarradale Stud unveiled Hostile Talk at Ascot last Wednesday week and returned with another talented 3yo winner named Stormchaser in the opening event on Damien Oliver Gold Rush Day.

Hostile Talk cruised home by three lengths on debut for Yarradale sire War Chant (USA) whereas Yarradale graduate Stormchaser had to knuckle down to grind out a tough win in the TABtouch Plate (1400m) on Saturday.

Like everyone else who arrived early to back Stormchaser into a short-priced favourite, trainer Luke Fernie was confident seeing him cruise to the lead on the home-turn while acknowledging he would be suspect at 1400m.

“He’s been working with Ripcord and Damian (Lane) rated him perfectly,” Fernie said.  “He’s a good mate and is a world-class jockey.”

Stormchaser (3g Impending – Chantski by War Chant) was a $50,000 buy for Fernie and his father Peter from Yarradale’s consignment at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions.  He was denied a winning hat-trick when placed in the LR Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic (1400m) a fortnight ago and the latest result sent his earnings through $145,000 after a half-dozen outings.

“That’s my first win at Ascot for at least a couple of years and it feels good to be back,” Lane said after the narrow victory over Blue Lagoon (Supido).  “He made it easy for me and was up for the challenge and fought it out.”

His dam Chantski had won the G3 Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) at Ascot in 2015.  She was also runner-up in that year’s LR Supremacy Stakes and, in her only other loss at two, was run over by Lucky Street (Oratorio) in the RL Perth Magic Millions Classic (1200m).

Chantski’s final foal is a filly by Earthlight (Ire) that has been catalogued as Lot 35 among two dozen yearlings entered by the Gidgegannup stud for the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale in February.

STORMCHASER / Photo: Western Racepix