Ozzmosis carries the CHC brand to a dashing victory in the Gr1 Coolmore Stud S 1200m at Flemington.
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THE Chase
e are accustomed to seeing China Horse Club’s distinctive colours at the forefront of Gr1 racing, but what is becoming just as prevalent is the CHC brand on the shoulder of elite Gr1 winners. Randwick Guineas winner Communist is a CHC bred, but the horse that typifies the excellence the Club seeks is the flying Ozzmosis, dominant winner of the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. In January The Chase, the Club owned farm at Sutton Forest, will take their second draft of eleven quality yearlings to the Gold Coast, all bred and prepared to give buyers the opportunity to repeat the dose. Understandably China Horse Club’s Australian representative Michael Smith is delighted with the success of CHC breds over the past year. “It shows the market we can consistently breed and offer for sale top class horses. “We’d been knocking on that Gr1 door with CHC bred Gold Coast graduates Revolutionary Miss Giannis and Meritable being runners up in the Blue Diamond, JJ Atkins & NZ 2000 Guineas respectively, so it was very satisfying to see Ozzmosis go one better and win Australia’s premier 3yo stallion making race down the famed Flemington straight with such conviction.” Given this is just the second draft The Chase will take to Bundall, we asked Michael what progression he had observed from the highly successful 2023 draft? “Every year we endeavour to raise a better athlete through
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improving the genetics we offer and how we raise our young stock. Alex Kingston’s addition as our farm manager 18 months ago has been a big contributor to that. All eleven yearlings we are offering are by proven stallions and eight are out of Stakes producing or Stakes performing mares. They have been raised on good undulating country to be athletes.” With all eleven having the pedigree and upbringing to star on the turf, we asked Michael to give us his opinion on a few he feels the market will clamour for Lot 372: A Zoustar filly out of the Gr3 winner Yattarna by Exceed And Excel. Michael said of her “A lovely athletic filly. She looks like a back end 2yo and Darley Princess Series special for the spring like so many of Zoustar’s good fillies have been. She’s out of a Gr3 winning Exceed and Excel mare to add icing to the cake.” Lot 506: Another Zoustar filly, this time out of Capella, a daughter of Rip Van Winkle. “I think this filly is very special. Very forward and strong, she’s a well-made filly with a great action. She just looks a guaranteed two year-old and one to aim at the top juvenile races including the Magic Millions Classic. Out of the winner of the Gr2 Eight Carat Classic, her dam has already produced a 2yo Stakes performer in Lambda.” Lot 556: A So You Think colt out of Crystal Flute by Encosta De Lago making him a half-brother to New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas runner up Meritable.