Some strong  female families are behind this field of juveniles, including the first foal to race from Karuta Queen! Interestingly, five of the nine runners are out of stakes winning mares.

All Too Hard has two runners, while Dawn Approach has first crop runner Gongs, who is already a winner and fellow first crop sire Zoustar is represented by Charge.

1. Gongs (C) (DAWN APPROACH x BELCENTRA [BEL ESPRIT]

*Godolphin bred, by shuttle stallion DAWN APPROACH

*1/2 brother to Mesa, 3rd in LR Merson Cooper Stakes

*Dam BELCENTRA is a LR winner of the VRC Desirable Stakes and runner up in G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (f)

*Dam died 23/12/16, a filly by DENMAN born the same season is her last foal

(Gongs as a yearling)

2. Charge (C) (ZOUSTAR x Queen of the Falls [GENERAL NEDIYM])

*$450,000 yearling when purchased by David Redvers/Mulcaster Bloodstock from the Turangga Farm draft at the MM

*Dam is a 1/2 sister to ELITE FALLS – and the dam of 4 named foals, 3 to race, all winners by NICCONI

*Dam has a yearling filly by TRUSTING and was covered late last season by ZOUSTAR again

*2nd dam NIAGARA FALLS is a 3x stakes winner including the G3 Carlyon Cup and LR Lord Stakes in track record time (1700m)

*3rd dam BRACKEN BANK (NZ) won G2 MVRC Champagne Stakes

(Charge as a yearling)

3. Orcein (C) (SNITZEL x ZAPURPLE [ZABEEL]

*$360,000 buy from Bhima Thoroughbreds at the MM – the purchaser was Harras Syndicate/Mulcaster Bloodstock

*1/2 bro LR placed Anchor Bid

*Dam ZAPURPLE won the G3 South Australian Fillies Classic and was 4th in the Schweppes Oaks, she’s a 3/4 sister to the dam of FLYING FULTON

*ZAPURPLE has had 4 foals, all raced – 2 winners

*2nd dam PURPLE GROOVE (NZ) won the LR VRC Let’s Elope Stakes and was 4th in G1 Emirates Stakes & G1 Coolmore Classic

*3rd dam IRISES won G3 Blue Diamond Prelude, 4th G1 Blue Diamond Stakes

*Family of TAIKUN, SUPER GROOVE

(Orcein as a yearling)

4. Reagan (C) (ALL AMERICAN x MERLENE DE LAGO [ENCOSTA DE LAGO]

*Bought by David Payne at the MM Sale from Arrowfield Stud for $180,000, races in the Aston Bloodstock colours of Wilf and Rosemary Mula

*Named for Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States (ALL AMERICAN link)

*1/2 bro LR Blue Diamond Preview winner BURNSTONE (died as a 2yo)

*Dam MERLENE DE LAGO has won G2 South African Fillies Nursery, G3 Pretty Polly Stakes, LR Ruffian Stakes and was runner up in a G1 – she’s a 1/2 sister to the dam of DEAR DEMI

*Dam has produced 4 named foals, 3 to race, 2 winners – she foaled a filly by OLYMPIC GLORY on 15/08/17

*2nd dam MERLENE won G1 Golden Slipper and Sires’ Produce, she’s a full sister to COMPULSION (dam of BRAYROAN) and a 1/2 to MISS PENNYMONEY

*3rd dam is the superb BOLD PROMISE – great grand-dam of CAPITALIST & RED EXCITEMENT

(Reagan as a yearling)

5. Rock Zone (G) (ALL TOO HARD x ROCK ME BABY [ROCK OF GIBRALTAR (IRE)]

*Another David Payne purchase at the MM Sale – this time for $120,000 from Vinery Stud

*ROCK ME BABY won G2 Light Fingers stakes, won once as a 2yo from 5 overall career starts

*ROCK ME BABY has produced 4 named foals – 3 to race – all winners – she foaled a colt by ALL TOO HARD on 19/08/17

*2nd dam Highest Cool (FR) was LR placed in France

(Rock Zone as a yearling)

6. Carnina (F) (ALL TOO HARD x Convene [ZIZOU]

*$100,000 Turangga Farm yearling at the MM sold to CVS Racing

*Dam is a 1/2 sister to HEADWAY, she’s had 2 named foals, 1 to race – Elraazy who is a 2x winner

*She’s foaled a colt by ALL TOO HARD this season 21/10/17

*2nd dam Chatelaine is multiple Group placed including 2nd in G2 Silver Shadow

*3x3 Flying Spur

(Carnina as a yearling)

7. Cinders (F) (BERNARDINI x Direct Flight [DANEHILL DANCER (IRE)]

*$50,000 buy for Lee Curtis from the Element Hill draft at the MM Sale

*Dam is an unraced 1/2 sister to G2 winner and G3 Royal Ascot winner JUST JAMES and BLUE JACK, the stakes placed Lovely Thought and the dam’s of BOUNCE SHASSE and CAPE ROYAL

*Dam has had 3 named foals, 2 to race for 1 winner, she missed last season to WRITTEN TYCOON, she has a yearling filly by I AM INVINCIBLE

*Family of NORTHERN TIDE and TITLED ASCENT

(Cinders as a yearling)

8. Countercurrent (F) (HINCHINBROOK x Helluva Party [DANTE’S FURY]

*$210,000 yearling from the Fairview Park draft at the MM

*1/2 sister to LR placed Australia Day

*Dam was a 3x winner – and is a 1/2 sister to DON BELLOTTO, HYSTERICAL and the dam’s of COOLDINI, CORRECT AMOONDO & HY FUJI (in turn the dam of KERMADEC)

*Dam has produced 4 named foals – all winners, including this filly – she also has a yearling colt by HALLOWED CROWN and foaled a filly by that sire on 27/10/17

*2nd dam FORMAL INVITATION (IRE) won LR Blue Diamond Prelude and another LR race

*Family also includes TRIPLE ELEGANCE, AT THE HEADS/HEAD START (Singapore), SHOREHAM, DAYSEE DOOM

(Countercurrent as a yearling)

9. Eawase (F) (SEBRING x KARUTA QUEEN [ORATORIO (IRE)]

*$500,000 yearling at the MM Sale – bought by China Horse Club from Strawberry Hill Stud

*Bred to be a 2yo! SEBRING being a Golden Slipper winner, dam is a Magic Millions winner and grand-dam won G3 Blue Diamond Prelude

*KARUTA QUEEN was a $30,000 buy herself as a yearling, went on to win the RL Magic Millions, G3 Red Anchor Stakes and LR Heritage Stakes – plus finished 2nd in the G1 William Reid Stakes G2 Schillaci Stakes behind BLACK CAVIAR, LR Black Opal, LR Silk Stocking

*KARUTA QUEEN has had two named foals, this will be her first one to race, she also has a yearling filly by DEEP FIELD and a filly foal by WRITTEN TYCOON born 17/10/17

*2nd dam CARD QUEEN was a G3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner, plus a 1/2 sister to the dam of VAIN QUEEN

(Euwase as a yearling)