Vinery stallions dominated the first day of the Scone carnival with four winners at White Park on Friday.

Southern Girl (4m More Than Ready – Emaurismo by Redoute’s Choice) opened proceedings with an eye-catching four length victory for trainer Darren Smith and owner-breeders Jaime and Jennifer Mackay.

The Mackays operate Cangon Stud in the Lower Hunter at Dungog and they bred the winner from an unraced daughter of G2 AJC Silver Shadow Stakes winner Katima.

Vinery champion More Than Ready is level-pegging with Fastnet Rock on the Australian winners’ premiership this season.  They’re in third spot on 116 winners behind Bel Esprit (134) and Exceed and Excel (122).

Excites debutant Sweet Serendipity was equally impressive in the $100,000 Inglis 2YO Challenge at Scone.  He won by three lengths for trainer Jason Coyle and part-owner Tania Rouse.

Sweet Serendipity (2g Excites – Sweet Rory by Rory’s Jester) cost just $9,000 at last year’s Scone yearling sale and connections are already fielding offers from Hong Kong.  He’s a younger half-brother to Sweet Chloe who won the 2001 Inglis 2YO Challenge at Scone.

Excites stands for a $5,500 (inc gst) fee at Vinery.  He has now sired five juveniles winners this season headed by G3 Adelaide flyer Excites Zelady.

Vinery’s ever-reliable Testa Rossa sired promising Bart Cummings trained filly Rosalie to win Race 4 and then chimed in with Victorian visitor Speediness to claim the $200,000 LR Scone Cup.

Speediness (5g Testa Rossa – Fine Glass by Flying Spur) raced three-wide with cover before sprinting to a winning lead in the straight.  “We came here two years ago but got beat by Sincero in the Scone Guineas,” Caulfield trainer Colin Scott recalled.  “He’s a very, very good horse and has earned a crack at the spring carnivals.”

Testa Rossa mare Ortensia is a $6 favourite to win a race named in her honour at Scone on Saturday.  The champion sprinter will have to shoulder 62kg in the $140,000 LR Ortensia Stakes (1100m) but trainer Paul Messara is confident of a forward showing first-up after a 10 week spell.

“The weight makes it a big ask but Scone should suit her,” Messara said.  “She’s healthy and fit and her trackwork has been pleasing.”

Testa Rossa stands at Vinery this year for a value-plus service fee of $27,500 (inc gst).

– Karl Patterson