Dundeel kicked off a Group-winning treble for Arrowfield sires on Cup Day at Caulfield when his 3YO son Sunsets put up a great fight to defeat odds-on favourite Riff Rocket in the $200,000 Caulfield Classic 2000m G3.
He becomes Dundeel’s 25th individual stakeswinner and a $5 chance for the $2 million Victoria Derby G1 on 4 November.
Sunsets’ jockey John Allen said, “There was no pressure. He always travelled comfortably. He gave a good kick on the corner.”
Co-trainer Natalie Young added, “He’s just the most relaxed colt you’ll come across, he just goes to sleep in the stalls… gets here on raceday, doesn’t get himself worked up and brings his A game…don’t you love it when you have a live Derby chance!”
Bred by John & Deb Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds, Sunsets is the third foal and first stakeswinner out of Waterloo Sunset (by Fastnet Rock), a Group-placed half-sister of Australasian Oaks G1 winner Invest, both out of of Flight S. G1 winner Unearthly.
He was sold first as a Magic Millions weanling and then purchased for $150,000 by Group 1 Bloodstock & Busuttin Racing from Newhaven Park Stud’s Inglis Melbourne Premier draft. Sunsets races in the familiar colours of leading owner Ozzie Kheir, John O’Neill and partners and will now aim to join their imposing list of Group 1 winners including Arrowfield graduates Hitotsu & Tagaloa.
– Arrowfield Stud
