Curraghmore Stud graduate Sousa proved himself superior to his fellow three-year-olds when successful in the Gr 3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle.
He had been a sound first-up fifth against older opposition when opening a new preparation and was too good for his own age group in the 1600 metre feature.
Sousa was ridden by Corey Brown for Peter Snowden.
Bred by Lars Pearson, Sousa was sold through Curraghmore’s 2006 National Weanling Sale draft at Karaka.
The colt made $150,000 and was bought by Mark and Shelly Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm.
He proved a shrewd investment as the Cambridge couple subsequently sold him for $A420,000 at the Inglis Easter Sale the following year to Woodlands Stud.
Sousa is by Galileo out of the Irish-bred Last Tycoon mare Liberty Song.
She won twice in France and is also the dam of Listed winner Smuggler’s Song (Curragh Silver Stakes), a son of Gr 1 Epsom Derby winner Dr Devious.
Sousa credited sire Galileo with his sixth Australian stakes winner and second in just over a week following his daughter Gallant Tess’ Gr 2 Chelmsford Stakes triumph.

Guillotine stepped out of the shadow of his illustrious half-brother Efficient when he downed a top quality line-up in Saturday’s Gr 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
The Curraghmore Stud graduate is now unbeaten in two starts for trainer David Hayes and dented a number of reputations with his latest success.
The grey son of Montjeu and the Defensive Play mare Refused The Dance accounted for Gr 1 winners Casual Pass, Tears I Cry and Maldivian.
Guillotine was held up at the top of the straight but, once into the clear, charged home under Craig Williams for an impressive victory.
The four-year-old, who was formerly trained in Sydney by David Payne, was a $300,000 Premier Yearling Sale purchase from Curraghmore’s 2006 draft by Les Samba.
Guillotine has 50kg in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and has been slashed from $51 to $15 and $17 respectively after Saturday’s performance.
His five-year-old half-brother Efficient has 58kg in both cups but is only likely to run in the Flemington feature.
The dual Gr 1 winning son of Zabeel is the current favourite to successfully defend his Melbourne Cup title.
Efficient has only raced twice since his defeat of the European’s Purple Moon and Mahler and was a fast-finishing last-start fifth in the Gr 2 Makybe Diva Stakes behind Weekend Hussler.
His dam Refused The Dance is currently in Australia where she has been served by Coolmore Stud’s outstanding resident Encosta De Lago.

Glitter Woman sparkled for Curraghmore when she topped the New Zealand Bloodstock Broodmare Sale at Karaka.
The winning daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus and the Gr 2 Magic Night Stakes winner Precious Glitter, by Danehill, was knocked down to Murray and Margaret Hardy’s Camray Trust for $250,000.
The Hardys are clients and near neighbours of Curraghmore.
Glitter Woman, whose filly by Savabeel sold for $70,000 in the earlier weanling division, was carrying a positive test to champion sire Zabeel.

Curraghmore was again a major player when a buoyant National Weanling Sale drew to a close at Karaka this week.
Its quality draft was in keen demand and ended the two days as the second-leading vendor on both aggregate and average.
Twelve lots were sold for $319,250 at an average of $26,604.
Curraghmore also produced three of the top 10 weanling lots with a top price of $100,000.
“We saw again the impact of the changes to the tax regime in the sale ring with strong demand right across the board,” studmaster Gordon Cunningham said.

Curraghmore highlights included:

• The Savabeel-Glittering Girl sold to Janine Dunlop’s GTS Bloodstock for $100,000
• A daughter of Savabeel and Glitter Woman knocked down for $70,000 to Singapore owner Javen See
• A One Cool Cat-She’s Heaven Cent colt sold to Galaxy Racing of Queensland for $60,000
• The son of Pins and Tin Tan Belle to the bid of Taranaki owner Russell Philp for $47,000
• A Johar colt out of Pichard to New Zealand Bloodstock for $25,000.

Curraghmore Stud will present another quality draft to the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka on May 11, 12 and 13..
Gordon Cunningham’s operation has been a leading vendor at the sale for a number of years and will again offer a selection of well-credentialled weanlings and broodmares.
In the broodmare division, the winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare Glitter Woman (Lot 561) promises to be a star attraction.
She is out of the Gr 2 winning Daneill mare Precious Glitter and is being offered in foal to champion sire Zabeel.
Lot 526 is Diamond Flute, a winning daughter of Clay Hero from the Gr 3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes and Gr 1 NZ Oaks placegetter Majestic Angel.
Diamond Flute is a half-sister to Gr 3 winners Just A Dream and Forfar and is in foal to Kashani.
Lot 731 is the multiple winner Top Cut, a Famous Star mare who is a half-sister to Gr 3 Trentham Stakes winner Whetu.

Curraghmore weanlings on offer include:

Lot 36 Bay filly Keeper-Cat Shmea: Half-sister to dual two-year-old winner Velocitea from the family of Australian stakes winner Orange County.
Lot 43 Bay colt Elusive City-Chantilly Pearl: Out of a half-sister to stakes performer Gem Dancer from the family of Gr 1 winner Young Ida.
Lot 46 Bay colt Handsome Ransom-Chester Square: Half-brother to Being Famous, winner of nine races in Hong Kong.
Lot 117 Bay filly Savabeel-Glittering Girl: Half-sister by Danehill Dancer made $450,000 earlier this year. Dam a multiple winner by Marscay from a prolific black-type Australian family.
Lot 118: Bay filly Savabeel-Glitter Woman: Out of a winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare from the family of Gr 3 winner and Gr 1 placed Beauty Watch.
Lot 261: Bay colt Johar-Pichard: Dam a half-sister to the Gr 1 Epsom Handicap winner Allez Suez.
Lot 279 Bay filly Scaredee Cat-Russian Dancer: Half-sister to four winners, including stakes performer Coup Callum. Dam a multiple winner and Listed placegetter.
Lot 296 Brown colt One Cool Cat-She’s Heaven Cent: Sire has produced seven winners from first Northern Hemisphere crop and dam out of a dual Gr 2 winner in Australia.
Lot 340 Bay colt Pins-Tin Tan Belle: Mother a four-time Australian winner by Jeune from the family of Group performer Enjoy Dancing.
Lot 352 Bay filly O’Reilly-Velvet Coup: Dam won twice and is a half-sister to Cambourne Tim, a Listed winner of six races. and Hong Kong Group performer Silken Wind-Hong Kong Supreme.

Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Efficient is the early favourite for the November defence of his Gr 1 title.
Born, reared and sold by Curraghmore Stud, he currently leads the market with a 15-1 quote from Betstar.
The son of Zabeel and the Defensive Play mare Refused The Dance has only raced once since his Flemington defeat of Europeans Purple Moon and Mahler.
Efficient, who has bankrolled more than $A4.2 million for high-profile owner Lloyd Williams, was unplaced in the Gr 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) in March.
His fleeting return to the racetrack was a planned move with this year’s focus firmly on the spring carnival.
In 2007, Efficient became the first horse since Phar Lap to complete the VRC Derby-Melbourne Cup double in consecutive years.

Gr 1 performed sprinter Any Suggestion has been purchased for stud duty by a syndicate of leading New Zealand farms, including Curraghmore Stud.
The dashing short-course performer will stand his first season this year at Rich Hill Stud at Walton, on the outskirts of Matamata.
“He is a big, strong, fast horse standing at 16.2hh who ran some incredible sectionals in his races,” Rich Hill studmaster John Thompson said.
“He won a 1020 metre race at Doomben in a time of 57.83 with the last 600 in 32.26 – as the commentator said on the day… ‘they don’t run much faster than that.”
Cambridge Stud, Windsor Park Stud, Hallmark Stud, Chandon Stud, Soliloquy Lodge and Monovale Farm are also involved in Any Suggestion’s ownership.
Queenslander Ross Cutts, who raced the stallion, has retained a small interest.
Any Suggestion was the Australian stakes winner of nine races up to 1200 metres and performed in the best of company.
“His best performance was undoubtedly a close second to Miss Andretti in last year’s Gr 1 Australian Stakes over 1200 metres at Moonee Valley, Thompson said.
“In a very strong field, he defeated Gr 1 winners Virage De Fortune, Gee I Jane, Rewaaya, Red Dazzler and Lad Of The Manor.”
The grey was successful as a two and three-year-old and came back from injury at four to post his career-best effort when runner-up to Miss Andretti at Gr 1 level.
Any Suggestion is the fastest son of the dashing but ill-fated Danehill horse Lion Hunter.
He won three of his eight starts, and was runner-up in both the Gr 1 Galaxy Handicap and the Gr 3 Rupert Steele Stakes, before his retirement to stud.
From humble beginnings in Queensland, Lion Hunter developed into one of Danehill’s successful sire sons before his untimely death in 2004.
His leading representatives include the outstanding Gold Edition (Gr 1 Ascot Vale, Manikato Stakes) and Lovely Jubbly (Gr 1 QTC Sires’ Produce, TJ Smith Classic).
Any Suggestion is out of the Regal Advice mare Advisable, herself the winner of six races up to 1400 metres.
She is a sister to Miss Sandman, the dam of one of Australia’s leading young sires in Show A Heart.
Any Suggestion will arrive at Rich Hill in July and will stand at $6500 + GST.

Guillotine finished a highly-respectable fifth in the Gr 1 $A1.8 million AJC Australian Derby on a heavy Randwick track.

The son of Montjeu and the Defensive Play mare Refused The Dance would have appreciated a truer pace but still gave a creditable performance behind Kiwi victor Nom Du Jeu.

Guillotine settled well early in the race but when Dealer Principal went to the front and slowed the tempo he started to pull for his head.

He fought on gamely for his placing without troubling the major players in the finish.

Guillotine has showed enough in a short career to suggest he can develop further in the spring – as did his Gr 1 VRC Derby-Melbourne Cup winning older half-brother Efficient.

Both horses are Curraghmore Stud graduates with Guillotine a $300,000 Premier Yearling Sale purchase in 2006 at Karaka by Les Samba.

He has won two of his nine starts for Randwick trainer David Payne with the prospect of plenty more to come.

Justacross successfully flew the Curraghmore Stud flag at Te Rapa on Saturday when she opened her winning account.

The Cape Cross mare’s maiden success was well-timed as it came in a $30,000 special conditions event.

Justacross was a $15,000 Select Yearling Sale purchase from the Curraghmore draft at Karaka in 2005.

She is out of the unraced American-bred mare Chataigne, a daughter of the Nureyev horse Theatrical.

She is from the family of four-time US Gr 1 winner Open Mind (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Kentucky Oaks, Coaching Club Oaks, Mother Goose Stakes) and champion sire Peaks And Valleys (Gr 1 Meadowlands Cup).

Justacross is trained at Ruakaka by Brent Wells and posted a deserved victory after two runner-up finishes from her previous seven outings.

Curraghmore Stud-bred Dream By Day landed an important black-type placing when she finished third in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Air Freight Stakes at Riccarton.
The Kevin Hughes-trained filly is by City On A Hill out of the Godswalk mare Russian Slice, a sister to the dam of dual Gr 1 winner Moonshine (Ellerslie, Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes).
It is also the family of Gr 1 Chipping Norton Stakes winner Waverley Star.
Dream By Day placed in two of her three juvenile starts last season before winning her three-year-old debut at Riccarton.
She had also run previous fourths in stakes company before finishing third to The Pearler and Belmont Cat at the weekend.

Progressive filly Velocitea gave another fine account of herself when she stepped up in class to earn a black type credit in the Listed Champagne Stakes.

The Volksraad juvenile had won her previous two starts and produced another encouraging performance against a competitive line-up in the Riccarton two-year-old feature.

She beat all but the highly-rated Palmerston North visitor All In Brawl, who had boasted a last-start fourth in the Gr 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Velocitea is raced by the Christchurch mother and daughter combination of Raewyn Ramage and Shelley Frost, whose Braided River Thoroughbreds operation board several mares at Curraghmore Stud.

Among them is the filly’s dam Cat Shmea, a multiple winner and stakes-placed daughter of Felix The Cat, who is currently safely back in foal to Volksraad.

Included in Curraghmore’s draft to next month’s National Weanling Sale at Karaka will be Velocitea’s half-sister by Keeper.

Curraghmore Stud’s star graduate Efficient will return to racing in this Saturday’s Gr 2 Blamey Stakes at Flemington.

It will be the Zabeel gelding’s first appearance since his historic Melbourne Cup victory last November.

Born, raised and sold by Curraghmore, Efficient became the first horse since Phar Lap to complete the VRC Derby-Melbourne Cup double in consecutive years.

The Blamey will be Efficient’s only autumn start before he is spelled and then aimed at the Cox Plate and the defence of his Melbourne Cup title.

Owner Lloyd Williams had previously planned to run Efficient in last weekend’s Gr 1 Newmarket Handicap but has opted to wait for the Blamey.

He will be ridden on Saturday by Steven Arnold, who ironically chose to ride stablemate Gallic in last year’s cup at Flemington.

Arnold was left in the stands to watch Michael Rodd guide Efficient to victory after the late scratching of Gallic on race morning.

Fully Fledged staked his claim for top two-year-old honours with his Gr 1 triumph in Saturday’s Ford Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.

The Align youngster showed no signs of his past wayward tendencies when he ran straight and true to post an impressive win.

Purchased out of Curraghmore Stud’s 2007 Carnival Sale draft for $38,000, he will have the opportunity to guarantee the No. 1 juvenile spot when he makes his next appearance in the Gr 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at Awapuni on March 29.

Fully Fledged is a reformed character after being forced to trial at Paeroa following his erratic performance in the Gr 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham.

He had the race in safe keeping there before he ducked in sharply and crashed through the running rail.

Fully Fledged was on his best behaviour in front of stipendary stewards at the trials and was given the all clear to return to racing at Ellerslie on New Zealand Derby Day.

He finished runner-up and earned a $100,000 bonus payment for owners Alistair Sutherland, Tony Timpson and Peter Walker as the first Carnival Sale graduate home in the New Zealand Bloodstock-sponsored two-year-old event.

Cambridge trainer Murray Baker has done an outstanding job with Fully Fledged who has now joined Efficient (Melbourne Cup, VRC Derby), Sphenophyta (Turnbull Stakes) Willy Smith (Wellington Cup), Fairway (Australian Derby, Canterbury Guineas, Spring Champion Stakes), Winged Foot (Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes) and Iflooxcouldkill (Ellerlie Sires’ Produce Stakes) on Curraghmore’s Gr 1 roll of honour.

The connections of exciting juvenile Fully Fledged had plenty to celebrate after their colt had finished runner-up on Derby Day at Ellerslie.

He has now provided a handsome return on the $38,000 owners Peter Walker, Alistair Sutherland and Tony Timpson outlaid to secure him from Curraghmore Stud’s Carnival Sale draft last year.

Fully Fledged earned a $100,000 bonus payment as the first sale graduate home in the New Zealand Bloodstock-sponsored event on Saturday.

Although unsuited by the rain-affected going, Fully Fledged fought bravely and showed none of the wayward tendencies that had cost him dearly at his two prior appearances.

He had been a certainty beaten at Trentham where he ducked through the running rail when set for victory in the Gr 3 Wakefield Challenge Stakes and had also veered off line at his previous start at Ellerslie.

By Align out of the winning Bluebird mare Fledged, Fully Fledged is now likely to shoot for Gr 1 glory in next weekend’s Ford Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.

Cambridge trainer Murray Baker confirmed the colt needed a firm track to show his true ability.

Curraghmore Stud will offer a half-brother to undefeated juvenile Velocitea at this Friday’s Carnival Sale at Karaka.

By champion sire Kaapstad – the only one in the sale – Lot 13 is out of the stakes-placed Felix The Cat mare Cat Shmea.

The stock of the Sir Tristram stallion were again to the fore at the weekend with crack filly Kaatoon dominant in the Gr 3 Lowland Stakes and Prince Kaapstad finished a game second in the Gr 1 New Zealand Derby.

Cat Shmea’s first foal is Velocitea who took her record to two wins from as many starts when she gave weight and a beating to her Cromwell rivals on Sunday.

The daughter of Volksraad is raced by the Christchurch mother and daughter combination of Raewyn Ramage and Shelley Frost.

Their Braided River Thoroughbreds operation board several mares at Curraghmore.

“Our horses have continued to enjoy a terrific run and it’s very pleasing for the owners,” studmaster Gordon Cunningham said.

Curraghmore will also offer Carnival Sale colts by Spartacus (lots 87 and 88) and Danroad (lot 139) and a filly by No Excuse Needed (lot 113).

Promising three-year-old Target maintained his unbeaten record when he was successful at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

The richly-bred colt is trained by Jason Warren and followed up a debut win with victory in a 1200 metre age-group event under 57.5kg the hands of Danny Brereton.

Target was part of Curraghmore Stud’s 2006 Premier draft at Karaka but was withdrawn after suffering an injury prior to the sale.

He was later purchased privately by Melbourne agent Robert Roulston from Wanganui owners Nigel and Adaire Auret on behalf of Australian clients.

Target is by Tale Of The Cat out of the former high-class racemare Saint Cecile, winner of eight races including the Gr 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha.

Curraghmore Stud’s National Weanling Sale-topping colt Sousa opened his winning account in fine style this week in Melbourne.
Trained by Crown Lodge’s Peter Snowden and ridden by Mark Zahra, the Galileo two-year-old was successful over 1200 metres at Sandown.
He was the star lot of Curraghmore’s weanling draft at Karaka in 2006 when he topped the auction at $150,000.
The successful purchasers were Mark and Shelly Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm and the colt was subsequently sold for $AUD420,000 to Woodlands Stud at last year’s Inglis Easter Sale in Sydney.
Sousa is out of the Irish-bred Last Tycoon mare Liberty Song, herself a two-time winner in France.

Leading Victorian filly Causeway Queen may now step up to Gr 1 company after her dominant win in the Tasmanian Oaks in Lanceston.

The Curraghmore Stud graduate has been in superb form this preparation and is unbeaten in six starts since returning from a spell.

Trainer Tony Vasil said he would monitor Causeway Queen’s progress before deciding on a trip to South Australia for the Gr 1 Australasian Oaks.

Ridden on Sunday by Danny Brereton, she raced on the pace and drove clear in the straight to score by two lengths.

It was her second black-type win in Tasmania having claimed the Listed Strutt Stakes at her previous appearance.

By Giant’s Causeway out of the winning Danehill mare Soul Singer, Causeway Queen was purchased by Harry Lawton Bloodstock for $90,000 during the Premier session of the 2006 National Sale at Karaka.

Efficient is set to make his return to racing in the Gr 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.

Born, raised and sold by Curraghmore Stud, the star stayer will be breaking new ground in the $AUD1 million feature on March 9.

It will be the first time the son of Zabeel has raced over 1200 metres in his 13-start career.

Efficient has not been out since he downed the European hopes Purple Moon and Mahler in last year’s Melbourne Cup.

His memorable Flemington victory put him in esteemed company as he became the first horse since the legendary Phar Lap to complete the Gr 1 VRC Derby-Melbourne Cup double in consecutive years.

Out of the Defensive Play mare Refused The Dance, Efficient was bought from Curraghmore’s 2005 Premier draft at Karaka by trainer Graeme Rogerson for $220,000.

Curraghmore graduate Fully Fledged will be back on track on the opening day of the Auckland Cup carnival.

The Murray-Baker-trained youngster will start in a $40,000 two-year-old event at Ellerslie on March 1 as a lead in to the Gr 1 Diamond Stakes a week later.

The talented but wayward Fully Fledged has been given the green light to resume his career after trialling satisfactorily.

He bolted away with a 1000 metre heat by six lengths at Paeroa earlier this month.

Fully Fledged has not raced since he crashed through the running rail with the Gr 3 Wakefield Stakes at Trentham at his mercy.

The son of Align, who will run in blinkers at Ellerslie, is raced by Alistair Sutherland, Peter Walker and Tony Timpson.

Fully Fledged is out of the Bluebird mare Fledged and was a $38,000 purchase from Curraghmore’s 2007 Carnival Sale draft last March.