Snitzel’s success has been more plural than singular this Spring, with three double and two trebles accounting for 12 of his progeny’s 20 stakes victories – two-thirds of his total Australian haul in 2016/17.
The latest contributors to that record are 3YO gelding Eptimum and 4YO mare Lubiton who delivered a Group 3 double at Moonee Valley on a day made unforgettable by Winx’s dramatic third consecutive victory in the Cox Plate G1.
Toby Edmonds brought Eptimum, fifth in Brisbane at his only juvenile start, to Melbourne as a travelling companion for class sprinting filly Houtzen and he easily paid his way with wins at Ballarat and Bendigo.
Winning the $150,000 MVRC Red Anchor S. 1200m G3 by three lengths from Single Bullet (by Not A Single Doubt) clearly exceeds his brief! It has also tripled his prizemoney and confirmed plans to start him in January’s $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
Eptimum was bred and sold by the O’Brien family’s Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm from the Monashee Mountain mare Paramount, a winning sister to Stradbroke H. G1 winner La Montagna, and bought for $200,000 from the 2016 Magic Millions Sale.
Paramount also has an unraced 2YO filly, Of Importance (by Not A Single Doubt) in training with Mick Price, and a yearling colt by So You Think.
Eptimum takes Snitzel’s number of stakeswinners this season to 16 – he’s also the 16th stakeswinner to emerge so far from Snitzel’s stunning 2014 crop.
Snitzel has been represented by 27 new stakeswinners since 1 January, and his lifetime total now stands at 74.
The $150,000 MVRC Tesio S. 1600m G3 is Lubiton’s second black type success this Spring, and she completed her task in convincing fashion, leading all the way to score by 1.25 lengths from Savapinski and favourite Invincibella.
Even better, she set a new track record of 1:34.42.
Lubiton was bred by Bell View Park Stud & Foote Street Investments from the Zabeel mare Rosa Stellata, and offered by Newgate Farm at the 2015 Inglis Easter Sale, where she was bought for $250,000 by Sam Kavanagh.
Lubiton is trained by Bjorn Baker for Steve and Louise Gillard, who also raced Snitzel’s Group 3-winning daughter Oakleigh Girl. The Baker stable also prepares Snitzel’s 3YO son Goodfella, winner of last Saturday’s ATC Brian Crowley S. LR.
– Arrowfield Stud
