Yarradale Stud’s week-on-week winning run this season went to another level with an interstate double on Wednesday by its resident sires Gingerbread Man (Malkar Pindari) and War Chant (Rockeby Road).
They shared five winners and the highlight was Ginger Baker’s victory in the $100,000 TABtouch Stakes (1600m) on Saturday. “I’m going to nominate him for the (Group 1) Railway Stakes,” Vern Brockman said after an all-the-way victory. “He’s the toughest little horse I’ve trained.”
Ginger Baker is a homebred for Misty Valley Thoroughbreds owner Tony Patrizi from Gold Coast winner Spring Violet (Encosta De Lago). His record now stands at 9 wins from 36 starts for prizemoney over $450,000.
He was the second-leg of a running double by Gingerbread Man following the Robyn Lockwood-trained mare Valency in the Morley Growers Market Hcp (1400m). Starting a short-priced favourite, she was held up for a run before sprinting to the front after a gap appeared half-way down the straight.
Valency was bred in partnership by Dawson Stud with Yarradale and sold for $40,000 at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions. She is another consistent money-spinner for her sire and owner-breeder Bill Godecke banking $224,000.
Her dam Secret Mak (Lonhro) is a daughter of renowned matron Most Secret (Bletchley Park) who foaled four Stakes-winners headed by 2005 Railway Stakes heroine Covertly. Secret Mak’s 2yo Makwell Smart (Nicconi) was a $150,000 buy for Maureen Daly at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in February.
Malkar Pindari (Photo / Western Racepix) completed a double of her own with a quick turnaround at Belmont on Wednesday. She graduated from midweek maiden to a Class 3 in the space of seven days.
The addition of blinkers and concussion plates have made all the difference. The Simon Miller-trained mare had gone nine starts before the breakthrough last Wednesday and yesterday’s last-to-first victory was a promising sign for the future.
“She was just too good coming from the back off a hard tempo,” Chris Parnham said. “It was an easy win although probably not as brilliant as last week. But she was up in grade and is heading in the right direction.”
Malkar Pindari is raced by Shaun Coyne, Garry & Sue Dawe and Yarradale owner Lyn Sayers. She’s the second winner from two to race out of Storm Sense (Street Sense) who had nailed a picket-fence at Belmont for Lex and Shirley Piper in 2014.
War Chant (USA) weighed in with Idle Star at Belmont on Monday and budding stayer Rockeby Road in the Big Screen Company Hcp (2400m) at Bendigo yesterday. The Andrew Noblet-trained gelding had won a Ballarat maiden in July and is closely-related to Peters Investments G1 SAJC Derby winner Delicacy.
Rockeby Road is a younger full-brother to Noblet’s Sandown winner Witchfulthinking (War Chant). “I also trained a Group 1-winning filly by War Chant (Silent Sedition) and I bought him at the Perth Magic Millions. He’s still maturing and Jordie (Childs) got him into a good rhythm today.”
Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) has Phanta entered for the LR Black Heart Bart Stakes (1200m) at Belmont this Saturday. He stands for $5,500 alongside War Chant (Danzig) at $8,250. Both fees (inc GST).
