Waroona-based Ridgeport Farm has warmed up for a Flemington feature race this Saturday with another two winners by resident sire Rommel.
Ridgeport principal Santo Guagliardo is standing Rommel this season after his Group 2 winning son of Commands (Danehill) covered six books at Mogumber Park. His strike-rate has soared to 71% and among those Bullsbrook-conceived graduates are last week’s winners Storm Commander (Northam) and Men’s Club (Kalgoorlie)
Storm Commander’s dam Girl In A Storm (Metal Storm) is an Ascot winning half-sister to G3 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic winner Destino and she has also foaled the winners Flash Black (Moonee Valley), Storm God (Ascot), Storm Girl (Sunshine Coast) and Storm Leader (Belmont).
Men’s Club won the Coolgardie Sprint (1300m) at Kalgoorlie on Sunday. His (NZ) dam Matilda Grace (Stravinsky) is a sister to La Italia (G2 Wakefield Challenge) and the best of her foals to date is Winning Supreme (Alfred Nobel) who won four races and the equivalent of AUD 550,000 in Hong Kong.
Guagliardo has close ties with Cranbourne trainer Lloyd Kennewell and they will be seeking more black-type type with Show Royale in the LR Cap d’Antibes Stakes (1100m) at Flemington. The 3yo daughter of Showtime (Snitzel) won the LR Cinderella Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville in March.
Show Royale (pictured) lost her unbeaten record after racing greenly first-up in the LR Quezette Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield last month. “She had worked and trialled well but Mark (Zahra) said she raced as if it was her first start,” Kennewell said.
“We were pretty bullish so that was disappointing. Everything seems in great order now and she will wear blinkers on Saturday in order to keep concentrating. I’m hoping she can handle the straight track and produce a nice turnaround.”
Show Royale was an $85,000 for Kennewell at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. “I loved her as a yearling and so did Santo. He thought she looked just like a Snitzel. She’s obviously worth a few dollars now being a Stakes-winning filly. She’s a natural and will make her own destiny, especially after this Saturday.
Kennewell and Guagliardo go back over a decade with feature winners Conservatorium (Ipswich Eyeliner Stakes), Sunset Rock (Cinderella Stakes at Morphettville), Get The Nod (Vain Stakes at Caulfield) and La Pomme De Pin (Magic Millions 2YO Clockwise Classic at Ballarat).
Ridgeport Farm stands Rommel for a $6,600 service fee (inc GST). For bookings or further information, please call Santo Guagliardo (0419 948 046) or Marge Ojapold (0497 478 231).
