Durrant Racing sent three sons of Sessions to Monday’s Northam meeting that was postponed from last Thursday and were rewarded when Silver Eye broke through in the Peter & Kaye Lynch Memorial (1000m).
Silver Eye started an even-money favourite with Willie Pike aboard after an unlucky second on debut last month when caught wide under Zephen Johnston-Porter. Speedy mare Just So Sassy (Maschino) set a quick clip for owner-breeder Wally Daly who had won with Twain’s Angel (Toronado) at Belmont on Saturday but she just failed to hold the Oakland Park homebred.
“Silver Eye was in full flight today,” Durrant Racing reported. “He was given a perfect ride by Pikey to get his head in front where it mattered.”
Oakland Park’s Neville & Susan Duncan had purchased his dam Sisken (Medaglia d’Oro) through Belmont Bloodstock for $160,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. The Darley mare transferred west with a PPT to Epaulette after a 14-start career that included a hat-trick at Newcastle, Canterbury and Scone as an autumn 3yo.
Her first foal Budgerigar (Epaulette) won an Albany maiden earlier this year and next in line are Silver Eye, 2yo gelding Rockin’ Robin (King’s Troop) and a yearling colt by Maschino.
Sisken’s page is dominated by her second dam Blue Note (Habitat) who won the G2 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in 1988 for Sheikh Mohammed, trainer Christiane Head and jockey Gary Moore. There are nine Group winners under Blue Note headed by successful sire Zieten (Danzig) and his full-sister Blue Duster (Danzig) who was Champion European 2YO Filly in 1995.
Sessions (Lonhro) was also raced by Sheikh Mohammed for a Group 2 victory in The Shorts (1000m) at Randwick. His first five crops at Oakland Park have harvested 61 individual winners of 200 races at a 69% strike-rate.
