Soho Darknstormy dominates in fresh up win
- admin877793
- Jan 27
- 3 min read
Lazarus continues to make an impact in Australia, as his progeny show grit and determination in front running wins over the weekend.
Four-year-old Soho Darknstormy impressed onlookers when he resumed at Melton on Friday over 1720m.
Driver Kate Gath opted to work early, sending the gelding three wide on a hot pace to find the lead with a lap to run.
Gath never let up the pressure, opting to keep the pace on and ran race rivals off their feet before holding on easily to win at the line.
Recording a 1.53.5 mile rate after working hard in the early stages, suggests a promising campaign this time in for the son of Lazarus.
Soho Darknstormy has now won six of his 19 career starts and is a former Group Two winner as a two-year-old in the NSW Breeders Challenge Final for Colts and Geldings.
Trained by Rickie Alchin at that time, Soho Darknstormy showed his ability to lead throughout and fight under pressure on that occasion also, winning in 1.52.1 over the mile distance.
Soho Darknstormy joined the Andy Gath team mid last year and had his first start for the new stable in May, since then he has won three times including Friday’s dominant fresh up performance.
Bred by Yirribee Pacing Stud, Soho Darknstormy is out of the Grinfromeartoear mare The Blue Lotus, a half-sister to the five-time Group One winner and successful sire Tintin In America.
The Blue Lotus was bred and raced by Bee Pears in New Zealand, where she won twice in her career and placed third in the Group One Sires Stakes Fillies Championship behind Carabella and Bettor Cover Lover.
Bee enjoyed racing The Blue Lotus, and has always had a soft spot for the mare.
“Lottie” (as we called her) has always been one of my favourites,” Bee explained.
“She was not a glamorous horse, but tough and a fighter like many Grinfromeartoear mares, and from the very good family Zenterfold. We raised her here in Cambridge, and she was trained by Geoff and later Ian Small.”
“Her fastest time of 1.56.6 over a mile at Cambridge was done the hard way - parked three-wide, then outside the leader and winning by a head in a really gutsy effort.”
Placing at Group One level behind top fillies was a highlight for Bee, and the syndicate she raced her with during her racing career.
“She was a surprise third behind Carabella and Bettor Cover Lover in the Sires Stakes 3yo Fillies Final, thanks to a great drive by David Butcher.”
Following an injury forced retirement Bee bred from the mare herself, before she was sold to Australian interests.
“The Blue Lotus was a brilliant mum to the three foals I bred from her. Then I sold her to Yirrabee Stud in Australia in foal to Captaintreacherous, as I needed to cut back on breeding, they stood her half-brother Tintin In America, so they were keen to have her.”
Bee also follows the mare’s progeny closely in Australia, and has taken a keen interest in the career of Soho Darknstormy.
“Soho Darknstormy reminds me a lot of The Blue Lotus's second foal, Blackend, who was sold as a yearling to Australia and won 6 of his 7 starts with his fastest time at 1.52.8 before being retired hurt,” Bee said.
“I really like the match of The Blue Lotus with Lazarus, because he brings toughness and durability as well as brilliant speed, and like the mare he carries such well proven genes.”
On Saturday at Junee Lazarus also sired a winner in I’m Butter Blue.
The four-year-old mare dominated after leading early over the 1700m event, she was rated well in front by driver Jackson Painting and had her rivals off the bit with 600m to run.
She cleared out to win untested by three lengths at the line.
It was I’m Butter Blue’s second win in just ten starts, and has also placed twice. She is out of Lots A Blue, a Courage Under Fire mare.
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