Windsor Park Stud enjoyed superb racing success as both breeders and owners at the weekend with classy 3YO filly Grinzinger Belle (ShamExpress) to the fore when winning the Gr.3 The Vanity at Flemington with a dashing front running display. 

Impressive Group winning filly Grinzinger Belle

Bred by Windsor Park and bought from their 2020 Karaka Book 2 draft, Grinzinger Belle was resuming racing after being spelled by trainer Danny O’Brien following her last start run for second in the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic last Spring.

The valuable filly is the first foal from Windsor Park’s young Rip Van Winkle mare Ripsomemore and is by their successful sire ShamExpress, winner of the Gr.1 Newmarket H. at Flemington.

From restricted numbers ShamExpress is now the sire of 10 stakeswinners including multiple Gr.1 winner Coventina Bay.

The progeny of ShamExpress’ former barnmate Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit) were also prominent with his progressive son Rudyard scoring an authoritative Open class win at Ellerslie on Saturday and his 3YO daughters Aquilifer and Nepheti both winning at Hastings on Sunday.

Windsor Park yearling graduate Rudyard has taken his form to another level this prep

Connections of both Rudyard and Nepheti harbour black-type aspirations for their charges with the Windsor Park-bred and owned filly Nepheti nominated for the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham next month while yearling graduate Rudyard is targeting the Gr.3 Easter Handicap at Ellerslie in April.  

Sufficiently impressed with her ability to score twice from just 4 starts, Nepheti’s trainer Shaune Ritchie demonstrated his confidence in the 3YO filly when outlaying $300,000 to buy her Savabeel half sister from Windsor Park’s Karaka Book 1 yearling draft last month.

Promising 3YO filly Nepheti on track for the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks next month

Nepheti will likely preface her New Zealand Oaks tilt with a run later this month at Hastings in the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes

Not to be outshone, Windsor Park stallions Vanbrugh and Turn Me Loose both sired impressive weekend winners as well.

Turn Me Loose (Iffraaj) sired a trans-Tasman winning treble headed by the progressive Windsor Park-bred and Adelaide-based racemare Dual Fuel (out of Highlights by High Chaparral) who scored her third successive success and fourth in total, when stepping up in class and distance to take out the SAJC Stonehaven Wines H. over 2250m by 3.5 lengths.

Dual Fuel, a Melbourne Premier Yearling sale graduate from Windsor Park

Dual Fuel certainly looks capable of enhancing her sires tally of 11 stakes performers and holds a nomination in the Gr.3 Lord Reims Handicap at Morphettville this Saturday.

Reelrose (2 wins from her last 3 starts) and Real Loose (winner at just her second start) completed a winning treble for Turn Me Loose while Vanbrugh’s Windsor Park-bred daughter Miss Firehawk scored an easy maiden victory at Ascot Park in Invercargill.