Shuttle Offspring Run Well in Australia

Shuttle and former shuttle stallions achieved a 75% success rate in group I races in Australia April 16, accounting for three of the four winners.

The haul included the biggest prize of all, the Australian Derby (Aust-I), which fell to gelded Anabaa son Headturner. Brief Truce captured one of the supports to the $2 million (Australian funds) Derby, the T.J. Smith Stakes (Aust-I) with veteran sprinter Red Oog. The 6-year-old gelding was a 17-1 outsider in strong field of six to contest the $600,000 weight-for-age event.

However, he recaptured the form which enabled him to win last year's Doomben 10,000 (Aust-I) in diving between Tale of the Cat distaffer Glamour Puss and Snitzel (by Redoute's Choice) to manufacture an upset by a head in 1:09.72 for the six furlongs.

Brief Truce commuted south for eight years, the first five from Coolmore's Irish empire-base to Woodlands in New South Wales, then from Switzerland to his current home, Independent Stallions in Victoria.

The other group I on the Derby undercard went to Excites, a Danehill grandson. Excites rushed home to win the Australian Jockey Club Sires' Produce for 2-year-olds by a half-neck from Down the Wicket (by Over). Belong To me son My Middi arrived another short neck back in third of the 14.

Danewin is a first crop son of Danehill and runner-up in the Victoria and Australian Derbies and a winner of five group Is before entering Emirates Park Stud.

In Auckland, failed shuttler Entrepreneur gained a belated group I success when Rags To Riches landed the $150,000 (New Zealand funds) Easter Handicap (NZ-I) ay Ellerslie by a length from 4-year-olds Korau Road (by Cape Cross) and Stravinsky filly La Sizeranne.

Entrepreneur (by Sadler's Wells) worked the 1998-99 seasons at Coolmore Ireland and The Oaks in New Zealand's Waikato region. The 1997 Two Thousand Guineas (Eng.I) winner went to Japan in 2002 after his sale by Coolmore and last year, as an 11 year-old, was sold to stand at Voskhod Stud in Russia's Krasnodar region.