Pic: Dan Costello

The 5y.o. gelding Equissential today emphasised the virtue of patience, when he convincingly won the Class 6 Handicap over 1600 metres at Doomben.  His rider Jason Letherby didn’t show as much patience as the gelding’s trainer when he seized the initiative by driving the gelding into a forward position as the early pace was non existent and took Equissential to the lead 800 metres out and then to kick away on turning for home to maintain a healthy lead to win by 2.5 lengths on the line.

On the other hand, Equissential’s trainer, Neville Saunders is a man of great patience.  Nev has believed in this horse since purchased as a yearling from the Glenlogan draft at the 2009 Magic Millions Sales.  By Jetspur from Belle of the Ball he is a ½ brother of another well performed gelding raced by the O’Brien family of Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm. That gelding, Express Ball, (by Success Express), did the owners proud especially when he

raced in their orange and emerald green colours in Macau winning the Gp.3 Macau Galaxy.

But back to Equissential. Today’s win was his fourth from 43 starts and boosted his career earnings to almost $230K and the best may be yet to come.

Neville’s immediate goal for Equissential is to have the gelding contest the Magic Millions Stayers Cup over 1800 metres in a fortnight.

And, if in fact “Patience is a Virtue”, then Neville Saunders and Equissential deserve an opportunity to compete in that race.

Yesterday, at Mornington, the 3y.o. chestnut gelding, Couperin, trained by Doug Harrison broke his maiden status at only his fourth race start.  By Ne Coupez Pas the  name of this horse was selected by part-owner, Carolyn O’Brien, (herself a French lady), in recognition of the great French composer of the 17^th. century, Francois Couperin known in his era as “Couperin the Great”.

So much for the history lesson and the difficulty of naming young horses.

Under Doug Harrison’s tutelage and a great front running ride by Wayne Davis, Couperin jumped well and although challenged for the early lead he crossed to the rail inside the first 250 metres of the 1600 metre race and Wayne then dictated the pace.  Challengers came as the horses turned for home but Wayne clicked Couperin up a gear on straightening and the heavily supported Peter Moody maiden Ysabelle and the pre-post favourite Drive finished hard but on the line Couperin had control to win by ½ length. It was a great

front running ride by Wayne Davis.

The win was especially pleasing for the O’Brien family who race the gelding and bred him from a mating in the EI year of their good race mare Tendue with Ne Coupez Pas.

Couperin was the 57^th. individual winner bred by the O’Brien’s Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm at Corinella and more importantly he is a ½ brother to recent city winner, Alcohol and has another ½ brother by Bianconi being offered at the Adelaide Magic Millions Sale in March.

Lot 43 Bianconi x Tendue

Swipeline as a yearling

Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm bred Swipeline broke his maiden status today at Morphettville. Swipeline by Sequalo from Encapsulate was a standout in session 2 at Melbourne’s Premier Sale in 2011. The chestnut was purchased by Tony McEvoy for $85,000.

He started favourite in his first race – the $250,000 Cox Plate Day Inglis Banner race for 2yos. He was caught up behind a wall of horses before being hooked out five wide and flashed home to finish third.

Today, in the 3yo maiden over 1,200 metres Swipeline began as favourite again. He was clean away from the wide gate but trapped wide. Matthew Neilson was forced to settle the gelding three deep outside the two leaders. Rounding the bend Swipeline worked to the front and managed to fend off the late finishers. The win took his career earnings beyond $40,000.

Swipeline became the 56th individual winner bred at Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm.

Alcohol – Lauriston Thoroughbred Yearling Parade

Richard Jolly doesn’t mind sending a racehorse from Adelaide to Melbourne every now and again – and when he does they generally perform very well.  Last December Richard brought popular gelding Alcohol to Moonee Valley where he was triumphant in a $100,000 mile race for three year olds. Yesterday, almost a year to the day later the same horse returned to Melbourne – this time to Flemington to race over 2,000 metres. He had travelled over that journey once before when he finished runner-up in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes at Morphettville.

Alcohol was clean away from the gates. Dwayne Dunn settled him slightly worse than midfield one off the fence with cover. Dwayne mad his move prior to the turn. It took Alcohol a moment to respond but after straightening he closed on the leaders and was strong on the line to win by 1.5 lengths.

It was the gelding’s third win in his last four outings and fourth in total from just fourteen career starts. It took his career earnings beyond $200,000.

Alcohol’s half brother Couperin finished an admirable runner-up at Cranbourne over a mile later on during the same day in only his third start.

Alcohol was bred and sold by Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm. He is by Bianconi from General Nediym mare Tendue. Alcohol was sold to Richard Jolly at the2010 Magic Millions yearling sale in Adelaide for $25,000.

Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm will be offering a full brother to Alcohol at Magic Million’s Adelaide’s yearling sale in March 2013. He is lot number 43.

Last night at Cranbourne another Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm bred horse saluted.  Race favourite King Of The Cross (by Court of Jewels out of Cica Cica Boom) was ridden by apprentice John Kissick. He looked trapped for a run and too far back but was very strong over the closing stages of the 2,080 metre race to win by nearly a length. The gelding who has won two of his last three is trained by Bill & Symon Wilde.

Gate eleven seemed a big impost from the 1430 metre start at Traralgon yesterday for maiden French Affair stepping out at 0-62 level. Ibrahim Gundogdu was positive at the release and the mare jumped well. It was a small dash to the first turn, but French Affair got there and crossed to the fence to lead with room to spare.

For a short time French Affair overraced, but Ibrahim soon settled the mare and from then on they controlled the race. At

the home turn French Affair stole a margin. Come By Sunday was a late finisher but French Affair managed to hold her out to win by 0.2 length.

Ricky Maund explained after the race: “It was always going to be difficult from the wide alley, but I thought she’d be prominent from the gates so I asked Ibrahim to go forward. I was pleased with that. It was a tough win. She had to do it at both ends.”

French Affair became the 55^th individual winner bred at Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm.

Alcohol stayed in the barriers when the gates opened for the fourth at Adelaide yesterday missing the start by three or four lengths. At the turn Jason Holder steered the gelding around the small field but Verco Road had a head start. Alcohol closed rapidly and needed every bit of the mile trip to win the race. Race replay

It was Alcohol’s third victory for his connections and pushed his career earnings beyond $150,000. Alcohol who had finished runner up at Group 3 level was a $25,000 purchase by trainer Richard Jolly at Adelaide’s Magic Millions yearling sale in 2010.

Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm will be offering a full brother to Alcohol (By Bianconi from Tendue) at Magic Million’s Adelaide 2013 yearling sale.

Earlier in the day another Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm bred horse saluted. King of The Cross for trainers Bill and Simon Wilde broke his maiden status in the first at Avoca winning by three lengths with Jacob Rule on board. In doing so the Court Of Jewels gelding became the 54^th individual winner bred at the farm.

Brad Rawiller retained the ride on Projects at Echuca yesterday after combining to finish an admirable third at Kyneton just two weeks previously. On this occasion trainer Shea Eden decided to send the gelding out over 1400 metres. Jumping from gate eight Brad urged the Show A Heart gelding forward to cross and lead. But he was given no rest. He was challenged almost immediately and the pressure remained down the back straight. At the turn Brad opened up the throttle and Projects responded. He skipped clear and soon had two lengths on the field, then three, then four. Brad eased up on the line and the final margin was three and a half lengths.

“That was a better win than it looked” said Shea after the race, “There was a lot of pressure throughout and he coped with it comfortably. The 1400 was a query, but Brad said he’d probably get a mile.”

Projects was bred by Epic Farm at Lennox Heads near Byron Bay. His half sister Prefect saluted for trainer Neville Saunders just ten days earlier, also in the orange and green.

Five horses wearing the orange and green were first past the post this week.

Coupe Express  won the 5^th at Hamilton last Monday over 1400 metres. It was a masterly ride by Dean Yendall who hugged the rail while the well fancied Chicago Miss sought wider ground. Race favourite Littleriver Ruby was a further length away in third.

Three days later the General (pictured) saluted at Headquarters.

55.0kgs might be as light as Steven Arnold

can ride – but he was happy to accept the ride at that weight on General Truce in the listed Fashions On The Field Stakes over 1000 metres on Oaks day.

General Truce had drawn ideally in the middle of the crack field that were expected to race down the centre of the Flemington straight.

Canali, I Get Around and Zaratone set a strong pace. Arnold was happy to settle General Truce at the rear but in the middle of the field where he had protection from the swirly winds. The others maintained a quick tempo in the early part, causing the commentator to declare “…General Truce looks to be battling only…” On cue General Truce reeled off three sizzling sub eleven sectionals (10.19, 10.23, 10.83) from the eight hundred to burst through a tiring field to win from race favourite Golden Archer by 0.75 length.

Ricky Maund had placed the gelding well. He had been beaten by 0.2 lengths just two weeks earlier at Moonee Valley over 1200 metres after carrying 59.5kgs. Prior to the race Ricky was upbeat advising that General Truce’s track work had been outstanding.

The win pushed the Brief Truce gelding’s earnings beyond $600,000. It was his second win at black type level, and came three years and a day after his Group 3 win in the Maribyrnong Plate – at the same venue and distance.

He has raced consistently winning on six occasions and currently holds the track record at Moonee Valley over 955 metres. He has finished in the top 4 at black type level on twelve occasions including a 3.5 length third behind Black Caviar.

Yesterday over a mile at Balnarring race favourite Civility ridden by Clayton Douglas broke his maiden status for trainer Peter Healey.

Later that day Prefect trained by Neville Saunders was superbly ridden by Lacey Morrison who took the grey to the lead in the first at Toowoomba. She crossed and steadied the tempo. Stamp Of Authority moved up to apply pressure, but  Lacey sat patiently and Prefect proved too strong for her tiring rival. Prefect was first to the line chased by race favourite Spent.

And Gold Copy, in the care of Barry Lockwood broke her maiden status at the Sunshine Coast over 1400 metres today. Jockey Scott Galloway settled the mare in third position a length behind the two race favourites. Then after entering the straight crossed over the back of heels to draw level and away to win by three quarters of a length.

Four of the five winners were bred at Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm, including two first time winners, Civility and Gold Copy who became the 52^nd and 53^rd individual winners bred at the farm.

Alcohol, LTF Yearling Parade – 2010

Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm bred gelding Alcohol made an impressive start to his four year old career at Morphettville yesterday. Trainer Richard Jolly selected the 1400 metre 0-75 rating race as a suitable opener for the Bianconi chestnut. Ridden confidently by Chad Lever the gelding settled in his customary role toward the rear and then worked into the race before the bend. Chad took Alcohol wide into clear galloping room and he maintained his momentum to the winning post. Alcohol won by half a length. Race replay

Alcohol’s previous win was at Moonee Valley in a $100,000 race over a mile defeating subsequent Gp2 Autumn Classic winner Upbeat and Gp3 SA Sires Produce place getter Cash Bound.

Alcohol finished runner up in the Group 3 Chairmen’s Stakes at Morphettville on a path to the SA Derby earlier this year.

From just eleven career starts Alcohol has earned more than $130,000. He was sold by Lauriston Thoroughbred at Magic Millions’ Adelaide 2010 yearling sale to Richard Jolly for $25,000. Alcohol is from General Nediym mare Tendue.