Australian-bred gallopers completed a winning double on the back of wins by Flying Tristram (Flying Spur) and Bellotto Flash (Bellotto) at Turffontein on Friday night.  Mr Hurricane was another winner with an Aussie connection in South Africa.

Mr Hurricane (3g Lecture – Hurricane Queen by Hurricane Sky) was a $41 long-shot but literally looked a new horse winning the PSL Soccer 6 Hcp down the straight-course.

Mr Hurricane had been very impressive winning on debut at Turffontein in August and, after a 10 week break, was lifted straight into the Listed Falcon Stakes.  The colt didn’t figure at that level and he failed again in a Progressive Plate a fortnight later.

Trainer Robbie Sage had him gelded and, after a further 17 week break, Mr Hurricane was switched on to score by two lengths on Friday night.  The drop back from 1450m to 1160m also helped as did Sage’s decision to remove blinkers.

Winning sire Lecture stands at Ascot Stud in the Eastern Cape and is a member of the Mr Prospector sireline through Seeking The Gold.  He won four minor races in the US mid-west and got a chance at stud because he’s out of a sister to the dam of Tale Of The Cat (Storm Cat) and Minardi (Boundary).

Mr Hurricane is the first foal of Australian bred filly Hurricane Queen who was sold for $40,000 at the 2001 Gold Coast Magic Millions.  She was offered by Wakefield Stud and sold to South African agency World Wide Bloodstock.

Hurricane Queen went on to win 5 races, including the G3 Acacia Hcp at Turffontein, and her value continued to rise when younger brother Able Prince developed into a leading Hong Kong sprinter winning 8 races including the G2 HKJC Cathay Pacific International Sprint Trial Hcp.

Second dam Queen’s Choir is still active and the off-shore form is music to the ears of Western Australian based breeder Eddie Rigg.  The Geisel Park owner took a punt on the 18 year-old mare at the 2008 Magic Millions National Sale.  She was carrying a PPT to Fusaichi Pegasus and was a snip at $70,000.

Rigg got that back when the Fusaichi Pegasus – Queen’s Choir colt sold for $105,000 at the Perth Magic Millions last month.  He bred the mare back to Hurricane Sky at Durham Lodge and she has a PPT to him on an October 28 cover.