An Early Perth Cup Tip

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Alfred Nobel’s Mr Alby gave an incredibly tough performance under 55.5kg to win the Amelia Park Handicap (2200m) at Ascot on Perth Cup day.

Mr Alby raced wide without cover and held on to win by 3/4len. in 2.18.50, with three lengths between nine of the 11 runners.

It was his 13th start since July 25 having also won over 1650m Belmont Park mid-week under 58.5kg, over 1700m Belmont Park mid-week under 58kg and over 1800m at Ascot, also under 55.5kg.

The half-brother to Balmont  Girl, winner of the Group 3 WA Oaks and Asian Beau Stakes and Listed Natasha Stakes and twice placed in the Group 1 Railway Stakes, is raced by his breeder, Mr Cooni Chua, a long-time Lynward Park supporter (Balmont Girl is by Lynward Park’s former stallion, Balmont).

Mr Alby put the writing on the wall with a brave fourth to class performers Mississippi Delta, Action and Cappo D’Oro in the Listed 2200m ATA Stakes a week earlier – and the success drew rave reviews.

Said race caller Darren McCauley: ‘He was turned out in magnificent order and raced accordingly. It was a tough, brave victory.’

Said jockey Shaun O’Donnell: ‘We got no favours early. So I kept him quiet as possible moving forward, moving forward till we got outside the leaders. He relaxed and at the 500m I still had a lot of horse. We all know how tough and tenacious he is.’

And said trainer Paula Wagg: ‘ I’m so proud of him. I couldn’t even look half-way through the race. I thought – what is he doing out there? But he toughed it out. We were headed towards the Perth Cup but I was happy to go into this race where he had a really good chance. He’s a picture of fitness and is thriving. He’s overcome serious injury and come back a much better horse. There’s always next year’s Perth Cup.’

Alfred Nobel’s Winning Supreme also continued his good form taking the Sa Po Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin in Hong Kong the follow day.

Alfred Nobel’s international success continued when Wheao won the Pike Racing Maiden (2000m) at Matamata in New Zealand three days later. Wheao, from the Pricelessly mare Miss Whirl, is a half-brother to the Hong Kong Listed winner Go Baby Go.

Strong Strudel Success

Alfred Nobel’s Orange Strudel began quickly to set the pace and kicked clear in the run home for a brave second-up 1 1/4len. win in the 1200m TABtouch-Better Your Bet Handicap at York on Thursday (November 22) in 1.09.88.

Orange Strudel, ridden by Lucas Camilleri, is trained by Paula Wagg for long-time Lynward Park Stud supporter Mr Cooni Chua.

The 5Y0, from Strudel, a three-time winner by Bel Esprit, has now won four times and placed 12 times in 34 starts.

Tough Win For Alby

Under-rated Alfred Nobel 5Y0 Mr Alby gained the third win from his last six starts with a tough performance in the Scarboro Toyota Handicap (1800m) at Ascot on Saturday.

Mr Alby, jumping from the outside at a difficult starting point, led the chase to a tearaway leader, who was 8len. clear the the 800m, before winning by a half-length in a smart 1.49.33.

Bred and raced by Mr Cooni Chua, a strong supporter of Lynward Park stallions for many years, Mr Alby is trained by Paula Wagg at Ascot and was ridden by Shaun O’Donnell.

“I was worried by the barrier,” said Wagg, a former jockey. “There were concerns that he could be caught wide.

“But he just keep going. He has staying blood and I’m quite happy looking for longer races.”

Said O’Donnell: “He toughed it out. He did it all by himself.”

Wagg is right about the ‘staying blood’.

Though Alfred Nobel was a champion Group 1 winning 2Y0 in Ireland, he comes from one of Europe’s best, and most commercial, Classic winning maternal lines.

His grand-dam, Dazzling Park, was the champion European 3Y0 filly in 1999 and is a half-sister to New Approach and Alluring Park, the dam of Was. New Approach’s eight wins included the Group 1 English Derby, Irish Champion Stakes, English Champion Stakes, Dewhurst Stakes and National Stakes. Was won the Group 1 English Oaks.

And Alfred Nobel’s third dam, Park Express, was the joint champion Irish 2Y0 and champion Irish 3Y0 filly in 1985-86. She won both the Irish Champion Stakes and the Lancashire Oaks.

A Proper Result

Alfred Nobel filly Prim and Proper fought hard to win the Crown Sports Bar Plate (1000m) at Ascot on Saturday when starting the $2.80 favourite.

Prim And Proper, ridden by Jason Whiting for Capel-based trainer Lou Luciani, had finished an eye-catching two length fourth to Amarillo Rose in the Initial Plate at Belmont Park on debut.

The win was expected on both form and pedigree.

Superbly-bred Alfred Nobel won both the Irish Group 1 Phoenix Stakes and Group 2 Railway Stakes as a 2Y0 for champion trainer Aidan O’Brien and Prim And Proper’s dam, Prima Vista, is a winning half-sister to Desert Angel, who won the VRC Listed 900m Debutante Stakes on debut and at her only other start was second to Langoustine in the VRC Group 2 1000m Maribyrnong Plate.

Alfred Nobel’s Pure Dynamite was a long neck third on debut in the Crown Sports Bar Plate and Nobel Impact, another Alfred Nobel filly, was fourth, also on debut.

Trade Fair Tribute

“Trade Fair was the most under-rated stallion in my 50 years in the industry and deserved far more recognition that he was afforded.”

That’s the fitting tribute to Trade Fair from John Chalmers, WA’s leading bloodstock agent, after the 18-year-old stallion was humanely euthanised on Wednesday, February 28, with multiple large cancer tumours.

Chalmers negotiated the shuttle of Trade Fair for David Redvers, of Tweenhills Farm and Stud, Gloucestershire, England, to stand at Evergreen Lodge, Myalup, in 2006 for a syndicate of Rick Hart, Fiona Gerrard (Toreby Park), the late Allan Young (Kintore Stud) and Siobhan Campbell (Bellbridge Park).

He covered 92 mares in his first season and stood a further three years at Evergreen Lodge.

Chalmers then organised the outright purchase of Trade Fair to Ted van Heemst’s Lynward Park Stud in 2010 with the original shareholders remaining in the partnership. Trade Fair was re-located to John Andrew’s Alwyn Park Stud, Serpentine.

In 12 WA seasons Trade Fair covered 811 mares with a 87 per cent fertility rate. His biggest book was 122 mares in 2014.

“Trade Fair was largely supported by owner-breeders as opposed to commercial studs,” said Chalmers. “And he was rarely afforded the best of mares.

“He has a record of 517 named foals for 400 starters and 245 winners at 61.3 per cent. And 6.8 per cent of his runners have been Stakes winners or Stakes placed. His winners have been successful from 1000m to 3800m.

“Trade Fair has sired Group and Listed winners in both hemispheres including the Canadian Group 1 winner Trade Storm, who also gained Group placings in Canada, the USA, UAE and UK.

“His best Perth winners have been Fuschsia Bandana, winner of the Group 3 Hyperion Stakes, Strickland Stakes and Northerly Stakes, and Cool Trade, winner of the Listed Scenic Blast Stakes and placed nine times at Listed level.

“Trade Fair has produced 31 individual winners in the current racing season and there is much more success ahead.

“His progeny have been extremely resilient and very sound with many racing till seven or older.

“His stud performance has been clearly impressive.”

Trade Fair’s sire, Zafonic won at five of seven starts including the Group 1 English Two Thousand Guineas and Dewhurst Stakes and the Group 1 French Prix Morny and Prix de la Salamandre. He was the 1992 2Y0 and 1993 3Y0 European champion.

Trade Fair’s dam, Danefair, by Danehill from Roupala, a daughter of Cairn Rouge, winner of the Group 1 Irish One Thousand Guineas and Group 1 English Champion Stakes, was unbeaten in four French starts taking the Group 3 Prix Minerve and Listed Prix des Tuileries and Prix Melisande.

Trade Fair’s five wins included the Group 3 Irish Minstrel Stakes and English Criterion Stakes and Listed English King Charles 11 Stakes and Dubai Duty Free Cup. He was third in the Group 1 English Dewhurst Stakes, their equivalent to the Golden Slipper Stakes.

Trade Fair was the second top UK miler in 2003, when he was third on the International Classification.

Said John Andrew: “Trade Fair was a terrific horse. Good to handle. An absolute professional. His progeny responded to kindness.”

Trade Fair was cremated and buried near his stall at Alwyn Park Stud.

Happy 31st For Trade Fair

Trade Fair sired his 31st individual winner for the season when Trade Prize won the Glenroy Chaff Maiden (1000m) at Ascot on Wednesday in 59.69sec., 0.78sec. faster than Alcina, by War Chant, recorded winning the following race.

Trade Prize is from Finality, who was retired to stud by Mr Cooni Chua after receiving a strong recommendation from Lynward Park to mate her with Trade Fair.

The mating produced a series of high-class in-breeding matches within the first six generations to Mr Prospector, Mr Prospectors’s sire, Raise A Native, Mr Prospector’s son Fappiano, Northern Dancer and his dam Natalma and to fellow broodmare gems Tamerett and Killaloe.

Finality has an Alfred Nobel yearling colt and died last season after foaling an Alfred Nobel filly.

Trade Fair will have 14 yearlings on offer at the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale on February 19-20.

The Winners Continue

Trade Fair’s winners continue to roll out with consistency.

Dust Me Off (Thank You George And Lorna Saunders Handicap, 1920m) and Scottish Trader (Come To The Tabtouch Rose Of York 5th March Handicap, 1100m) won at York on Friday.

Then Broker (Peel Thunder Rd 1 – Good Friday Maiden, 1500m) was successful at Pinjarra on Saturday.

Trade Fair had winners at Moe in Victoria, Ascot and Bunbury the previous FridaySaturday and Sunday.

The sire of 244 individual winners at 61.3 per cent, Trade Fair has 14 yearlings on offer at the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale on February 19-20.

Trading As Usual

It was trading as usual for the Alwyn Park Stud based stallion Trade Fair on FridaySaturday and Sunday.

Plucky Rita raced outside the pacemaker and drew clear late for a 1 1/2len. win in the Horsepower Handicap (1100m) at Moe in Victoria on Friday.

Pearl Trade dashed home with the race best 34.90sec. final 600m for a striking 2 1/4len. win in the James Boag’s Premium Handicap (1200m) at Ascot on Saturdayin a slick 1.10.98.

And Fair Sonari sat mid-field and finished hard along the inside for a 1 3/4len. win in the Graeme Hurst Memorial Handicap (1705m) at Bunbury on Sunday.

Trade Fair, the sire of 243 winners at an impressive 61.2 per cent, has 14 yearlings on offer at the Perth Magic Millions Sale on February 19-20.

Another Supreme Win

It was a long distance double for Lynward Park’s Alfred Nobel on Wednesday. (Jan 31)

Orange Strudel, jumping from the outside, slotted in one-one and fought hard to win the Perth Racing Club Membership (1200m) at Ascot.

Then Winning Supreme made it two in a row when he raced handy after being hampered at the start and proved too strong to win the Fa Hui Handicap (1000m) at Happy Valley.

Orange Strudel, bred and raced by Cooni Chua, was ridden by Lucas Camilleri for trainer Paula Wagg.

He’s from Strudel, a three-time winner by Bel Esprit. His third dam, Apple Danish, won the Group 3 Swettenham Stud Stakes in Adelaide.

Winning Supreme was ridden by Jack Wong for trainer Me Tsui.

He’s from Matila Grace, by Stravinsky, an un-raced sister to La Italia, winner of the Group 2 Challenge Stakes in New Zealand.

Alfred Nobel, the Group 1 winning Irish juvenile with a world-class pedigree, has 29 lots set to the offered at the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale on February 19-20.

Our Dynamite Explodes

Alfred Nobel 4Y0 Our Dynamite continued his impressive New Zealand form winning the Manely Horse Handicap (1200m) at Wanganui. (yesterday, Jan 11)

Our Dynamite, the 4/1 equal favourite, scored by 1 1/4len. in 1.12.71 for trainer Wayne Marshment and jockey Madan Singh.

He has now won at two of just five runs.

Owned by former WA trainer Kevin Mahoney, he’s an all-WA product being from the Bletchley Park mare Gold Park, a four-time winning half-sister to the 16-time winner Finito (Group 3 Strickland Stakes-twice, R.J. Peters Stakes and Bunbury Cup and Listed Bunbury Stakes-twice and WATC St Leger.

Alfred Nobel, the Group 1 winning Irish juvenile with a world-class pedigree, has sired 75 individual winners with his best crops yet to race.

He has 29 yearlings set to be offered at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale on February 19-20.