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A rush of three-year-old winners by Dundeel augers well for their summer and autumn carnival prospects in Australia and New Zealand.
Dundeel sired three 3YO winners in three days and has six for the month of November, pointing to a strong showing by the six-time G1 winner’s progeny at the coming carnivals.
In the last week the Anthony Freedman-trained Shake On It won at Moe and the Maher/Eustace-trained The Closer scored at Ballarat before the NZ win by Cutadeel at Te Rapa on Sunday.Cutadeel is part-owned by Dundeel’s co-owners Mike and Sharyn Craig and is trained by Murray Baker, who guided the spectacular racing career of the Arrowfield sire.
Cutadeel lined up as the only 3YO in the Stayers Championship Qualifier over 1600 metres where he sped away to score by 1.25 lengths in 1:36.7 on the Dead 6 track.Jockey Opie Bosson said: “He’s not big, but he has a great turn of foot.” It was a comment equally descriptive of Dundeel during his own 3YO career.
Baker indicated that Cutadeel will appreciate 2400 metres, so the New Zealand Derby and perhaps the Australian Derby his sire won brilliantly in 2013 loom as obvious targets.Like another seven of Dundeel’s 18 first crop winners, Cutadeel is out of a Danehill-line mare.
His dam Dineeta (Dylan Thomas) descends from the Aga Khan-bred stakeswinner Kermiya.Cutadeel’s 2YO brother was a $90,000 buy for Lloyd Kennewell from Grenville Stud at the 2018 Magic Millions Tasmanian Sale.
The Closer was an eye-catching winner on the Ballarat Cup card on Saturday.The daughter of Dundeel won her debut at Geelong as a late 2YO before finishing unplaced over an unsuitable 1100 metres in Group company at Flemington on Oaks Day.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly took on a strong field in Saturday’s $150,000 VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade but she raced away for a 2.75 length victory.The Closer is out of Miss Evasive (Elusive Quality), a city-winning daughter of dual classic winner Magical Miss.
The filly was a $70,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher and Wes and Sally Ballantine from the draft of her breeder Gilgai Farm at the 2017 Melbourne Premier Sale.Miss Evasive has since delivered two colts by Olympic Glory, the first bought by trainer Paul Perry from this year’s Premier Sale for $140,000.
The second Olympic Glory colt will be offered at next year’s Melbourne Premier Sale while Miss Evasive is again in foal to Dundeel.Dundeel’s other 3YO winners in November have Nordicus, Malfoy, Total Power.
The champion son of High Chaparral has been represented by two Group performers this spring Irukandji and Dealmaker.