Some things are just meant to be together - strawberries and cream, rosemary and thyme, sugar and spice, and ….. according to Forest Gump ….. peas and carrots. 

However, that same affinity of one thing fitting so perfectly with another can sometimes also be applied to certain stallions and their effectiveness with a particular female family. One such love affair that continues to blossom is that of Show A Heart when matched with the “Polly Soleil” line – this is the same female family that includes stakes winners such as She Will Be Loved, All Thrills Too and Dao Dao (with the latter two being conceived at Show A Heart’s home, Glenlogan Park).

 Show A Heart has covered mares from this family just the four times, but has already left an incredible three stakes winners, and that number can grow to a perfect four from four tomorrow if the Mick Price trained 3YO filly Showmya Miss is successful in the $220,000 G2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1610m) at Flemington.

The first time Show A Heart was put to this family was way back in 2003 – with that mating resulting in the G3 winner of over $310,000 in Gotta Have Heart.

Just 12 months later, another Show A Heart from this female line was conceived, this time it left New Zealand’s Top 2YO Filly of her year in the outstandingly talented Crossyourheart, also a winner of over $310,000.

Fast forward some four years to 2008 before any other members of this family were sent to Show A Heart. That season saw Rob Ferguson breed his Redoute’s Choice mare Red Queen to Glenlogan’s Champion Stallion whilst Peter Moody also sent his Desert King mare, Mya all the way up from Victoria.

The resultant foal from Red Queen, Luke’s Luck, went through the 2011 Magic Millions yearling sales and was knocked down for $150,000. As a 2YO last season he took all before him to become Western Australia’s Champion 2YO and, after going back to back in Perth’s premier juvenile events, (The G2 Karrakatta Plate and the G3 Sires Produce Stakes), the son of Show A Heart finished his first year of racing within a whisker of reaching half a million dollars in prizemoney as well as having earned the title of being the very best performed offspring of any daughter of Redoute’s Choice.

Meanwhile, Peter Moody had sold Mya in foal – where she later went on to find her way to New Zealand. There, she produced an outstanding Show A Heart filly and the youngster was subsequently presented at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale - where she was sold to Peter’s good friend Mick Price for $190,000. That filly now races as Showmya Miss and tomorrow she will be out to emulate the victorious black type feats of her close relations when she lines up in this year’s running of the Edward Manifold.

“I am sure she has the ability to put herself right in the picture,” Mick said. “She has only had the three starts, for a win and two pretty luckless runs, but she has done everything right in the lead up to Saturday.”

Showmya Miss debuted at Geelong back in early August, where she found herself buried in the ruck as heads were turned for home. However, she eventually found clear galloping room as they entered the straight and charged through the field to win quite convincingly. Taken straight to Saturday city grade from there, the daughter of Show A Heart drew awkwardly at her next start (Moonee Valley) where she was dragged back to the tail of the field in the race won by Commanding Jewel. That day, she again swooped late to deliver a real eye-catching performance and finish a rapidly closing fourth – indicating a step up in distance would really suit. At her third start she was slowly away, was trapped wide without cover for the entire trip, made a long run from home but still registered terrific final sectionals behind Lady Of Harrods in the Guineas Prelude in an effort that saw bookmakers slash her Thousand Guineas odds from $100 into $15.

“I would think the step up to the mile tomorrow will be right up her alley,” Mick added. “We have drawn a barrier (7) that should see us be able to position up a little closer than we have recently and she has been ticking over nicely in the last fortnight.

“The plan will be to head towards the (G1) Thousand Guineas in ten days time providing we get through Saturday in good order and run as expected.

“It looks a pretty open race and, if she has no bad luck in transit, I think she represents a genuine top three hope.”

Glenlogan's Spring Assault!

Glenlogan Park will have plenty of “irons in the fire” during the big spring carnival racing program – sharing ownership in some of the really big names being set for the major staying events over the coming months.

Horses such as Manighar, Voila Ici, (My) Quest For Peace, Gatewood, Ibicenco and Prairie Star will head their team targeted towards The Cox Plate and Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

This weekend sees the very much in-form Voila Ici have his final lead-up run for the Caulfield Cup when he takes his place for Peter Moody and Vlad Duric in the $500,000 G1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).

VOILA ICI (far right in the Glenlogan colours) – will be one of the major fancies for Saturday’s G1 Turnbull Stakes.

A fortnight ago the flying grey was exceptionally gallant when finishing a game runner-up behind Ocean Park in the G1 Underwood Stakes and Moody reports that all has progressed well since that outing.

“We really couldn’t be happier him,” Peter said earlier this week. “He galloped here on Tuesday morning with Manighar and there wasn’t a struck match between them – and we all know how good Manighar is.

“It was the type of work that suggested he had taken another step since his last start and he continues to do everything we ask of him.

“Vlad (Duric) got off after the Underwood and was in raptures with his run. He said the horse felt enormous underneath him, he has a terrific motor and a heart just as big.

“His main target is the Caulfield Cup in a fortnight and, even though we think he will be better suited there then he will tomorrow at Flemington, if he runs up to his work I think he will be in this race for a long way and should give us something to cheer about.”

Excellantes Resumes

Falvelon’s highly talented gelding Excellantes will make his Melbourne debut tomorrow in the $220,000 G2 Gilgai Stakes (1200) at Flemington after a three and a half month layoff for trainer Rob Heathcote.

The smahing looking 5YO has been turning heads in trackwork down in Victoria all week, however Heathcote acknowledges he will need to rise to a new level if he is going to trouble the scoreboard tomorrow.

EXCELLANTES – Falvelon 5YO making Victorian debut. Photo Courtesy – Trackside Photography

“It really looks a tough race and, to be honest, he needs to find two or three lengths on his very best form to be competitive against this lot,” Rob said. “However, in saying that I do feel that he is as good as I have ever had him and he has been doing everything we have asked of him.

“He is as forward as he can be for a first up run but, considering he is meeting horses of the quality of Spirit Of Boom, Bel Sprinter and co. and it is his first time up straight six, all we are hoping for is a good showing with the indication he is on track for his next few assignments.

“There is a Listed 1200m race on Melbourne Cup Day that we are targeting as his grand final and, even though it will be a capacity field I would think that will be his best chance this campaign.

“However, with $400,000 in the bank he has earned the right to be pitted against this type of opposition and I am sure he will run well.”

Saturday Racing!

This weekend sees the first metropolitan races for the new season for juveniles around the country and Glenlogan Park has a number of newcomers scattered in amongst them.

Set to line up in Race 1 from Brisbane tomorrow is the Bradbury’s Luck filly Grandkid Rocks and the Jet Spur youngster Nivali.

Trained by Scott Morrissey and Pat Duff respectivley, both mentors are keen on their prospects future as racehorses, however warn that Saturday will be very much a “wait and see” type of experience for the pair of them.

“We certainly haven’t hammered her in the lead up to this,” Scott said of Grandkid Rocks. “We have just poked along with the view that if we got to the first race of the season that would be good, but it has certainly not been a priority.

“As most youngsters do at this stage of their careers, she gives the impression she will be much better next time in.

“She is a naturally fast filly and, even though she was still very green, she did trial quite well for us and has seemingly come through that in good order.

“We haven’t done a lot with her since then but, if she copes with the pressures of her first day at the races and jumps cleanly, I anticipate she will be in the leading bunch during the run.

“She will obviously take plenty of improvement from the outing and it will be good just to get through the weekend and seee where she wants to lead us after that.”

Pat Duff has similarly not pressed the button on his filly either.

“As most of the Jet Spur’s do, she has always shown that she wants to be a racehorse and has good natural ability.

“Saturday will be all about learning for her and she will take a heap of benefit from having this run under her belt.

“There will defintiely be a few more wound-up fillies in the race then she is – but I am sure she is going to give the owners plenty of joy in the years to come. She is a lovely mover and will mature into a beautiful 3YO.”

Another 2YO Jet Spur set to debut tomorrow is the Adelaide colt Son Of Leto for trainer Len Smith in the Sportingbet 2YO Plate (Race 3 from Morphetville).

“He is still very new, and we have not officially trialed him, but everything we have asked of him so far he has delivered,” Len said. “He has had the one jumpout and he settled well and then attacked the line over the last furlong just as we had hoped.

“He will take a stack of improvement from tomorrow but hopefully he is not overawed by the experience and can reproduce his good trackwork on raceday.”

A couple of other races in Brisbane worth mentioning for the Glenlogan Park sired runners are Races 4 and 8.

In the first of those, the 3YO QTIS event over 1400m, the Bryan Guy trained Platinum State will be on the seven day back up after an impressive victory over the mile last weekend.

The Falvelon gelding was originally scheduled to head towards the paddock for a well-deserved spell earlier this week, however Bryan had a re-think when he saw the nominated field for Saturday.

“Our bloke is in terrific form and really came through the run last week in super order,” Bryan said. “He had them covered a long way from home and has now won two and placed once from his last three starts.

“He will definteily go for a spell after this weekend and then we will give him his chance in the $1million 3YO Magic Millions race. He has earned nearly $150,000 and has won, or placed, in 50% of his starts.”

In the last race on the card, Show A Heart’s 5YO gelding Bribie and Jet Spur’s 4YO mare Empress Me are capable of fighting out the finish if luck runs their way.

Bribie has placed in his last five starts and is well overdue for a change of fortune, whilst Empress Me resumed with a real eye-catching performance a fortnight ago when she never got clear at any stage. They are potentially the two best horses in the field and it would not surprise to see them battling it out over the final furlong.

BRIBIE – Show A Heart 5YO looking to go one better tomorrow. Photo Courtesy – Trackside Photography