Heytesbury Stud gave trainer Adam Durrant a consolation double at Ascot on Saturday after an ordinary afternoon with Mr Moet at Flemington.
Mr Moet (Mosatyer) was the star of Perth’s summer carnival and had been knocking on the door after close-ups in the G1 C F Orr Stakes and G2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield. He was fancied at $7 for the G1 Australian Cup but was never in the call behind star three year-olds Super Cool and Fiveandahalfstar.
Earlier, Heytesbury graduate Beach Express launched a winning day back home for Durrant in the Budget Rent A Truck Hcp (1000m). He made $30,000 at the 2009 Perth Magic Millions and has now banked $234,750 from 7 wins in 31 starts.
Beach Express (5g Success Express – Sengiggi Beach by Acecay) was well over the odds at $9 according to stable foreman Jason Miller. “He deserved to be half that price. There were some form horses in the race but we freshened him up and he loves 1000 metres.”
Success Express won the 1987 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and was imported to Australia by Heytesbury owner Robert Holmes a Court. He was initially based in Victoria, however, after the Perth tycoon died in 1991, he moved to Trelawney Stud in NZ then back to Australia for a further stints at Widden Stud and Noble Park in Queensland.
Noble Park owner Peter Moran pensioned Success Express after fertility problems in 2006. He covered 25 mares in that, his final year, when the only live foal was Beach Express. He is from 1997 Wellington Boot winner Sengiggi Beach.
After Mr Moet closed too late for a midfield finish at Flemington, the stable was back on the front foot with Jim ‘N’ Jim in the Budget Car & Truck Rentals Hcp (2100m).
Jim ‘N’ Jim (4m Saxon – Run Ronnie Run by Ron Bon) is by a sire who earned a start at Heytesbury after wins in the 2005 Queensland Guineas and Doomben Classic. “We’re not looking too far ahead with her,” Miller continued. “Jim ‘N’ Jim was well in at the weights. She isn’t a big mare and we have to be wise picking her races.”
Saxon was Champion WA freshman sire in 2010-11. He was runner-up in the WA second-season premiership in 2011-12 and currently leads the third-season competition with $513,169 ahead of Flying Pegasus ($472,559) and Due Sasso ($396,965).
A son of Danehill, Saxon arrived in the same southern crop as Fastnet Rock, Dane Shadow, Foreplay, Al Maher and Danehill Express.
– Karl Patterson