Weekend Winning Continues in Australia

Making a perfect start to her career, Stage ‘N’ Screen (3 f Ace High – Inthespotlight, by O’Reilly) won the A$37,500 Maiden 1200 metres on 13 October at Seymour.

Never off the bridle when finishing second in a jump out on 7 October at Cranbourne, Stage ‘N’ Screen was good through the trials stage with two seconds and a win, most recently in May at Waipa (Te Awamutu), when drawing to a winning advantage early in the home straight.

Drawn barrier one on debut, with Kiwi Michael Dee in the saddle, Stage ‘N’ Screen shared a competitive pace on the inside of three runners, had a slight advantage over a line of five turning for home, but quickly asserted herself with a good turn of foot and drew out to score comfortably.

“She’s been a work in progress, especially around the starting gates, and Julien Welsh and his team at Booralite Park have done a really good job building her confidence in that department,” said trainer Mark Walker.

“She showed plenty of ability when trialling in New Zealand, and we had her entered to start last month on the home course at Cranbourne, but a horse slipped over beside her which upset her and she was late scratched.

“It showed again today that she has a lot of natural ability and another filly that Dave (Ellis) bought at the Ready To Run Sale.

“Our last four runners from the Ready To Run Sale, we’ve had three winners and they’re all nice staying types as well.

“Stage ‘N’ Screen is on a path towards the Group 1 1000 Guineas 1600m, and she’ll either run in the Group 3 TAB Vanity Stakes on Derby Day (2 Nov.) at Flemington, or Melbourne Cup Day in the Listed Amanda Elliott Stakes. 

“I think she’s a very promising filly with untapped ability and great for her to get a win on the board at her first start.”

On Good4 footing, Stage ‘N’ Screen ran 1200 metres in 1:10 flat and shortened from an earlier fixed odds quote of $4.40 & $1.80 to return $2.40 & $1.30 as race favourite on the NZ TAB tote. 

The win kept alive an incredible recent strike rate for Walker, whose last 10 runners have produced six winners, including Bellatrix Star who became the first filly in 21 years to win the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes over 1100m when she stylishly downed the weight-for-age field on Saturday at Caulfield, Melbourne.

Owned by the Te Akau Centre Stage Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Stage ‘N’ Screen was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $200,000, from the draft of Kiltannon Stables, at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale at Karaka, only two months before her half-sister, by Satono Aladdin, sold for $900,000 at the Karaka 2024 Book 1 Sale. 

Ace High, by Champion Sire and sire of sires High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells), won the Group 1 Victoria Derby and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes, hitting the headlines with his first crop when Molly Bloom became his first Group One winner in the NZ 1000 Guineas.

Out of an O’Reilly mare, Stage ‘N’ Screen is a half-sister to Group 1 Australian Guineas' placed Japanese Emperor (Satono Aladdin), who also placed in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes, and impressive winning filly Imperial Empress (Satono Aladdin).

The family is well known to Te Akau, being that of New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Amarelinha (Savabeel), whom Ellis purchased as yearling to win the Group 1 NZ Oaks, Group 2 David & Karyn Ellis Classic, Group 2 Eight Carat Classic, and Group 2 Sunline Vase, being being crowned NZB Filly of the Year.

It is also the family of Group 1 Rosehill Guineas' winner Metal Bender (Danasinga), a son of third dam Jacqwin (Bluebird). Metal Bender won nine races in Australia, and the title of top Australian 3YO in his year, while Jacqwin has left seven individual winners of 22 races. Her sire, Bluebird (Storm Bird), is a high quality influence in any pedigree, but represented by only a select band of mares in New Zealand. 

At the time of purchasing Stage ‘N’ Screen, Ellis said: “She’s a very attractive filly with a beautiful pedigree, giving her first-class miler and staying appeal. 

“Ace High is quickly becoming one of the most promising young sires in New Zealand, and being out of a mare by Champion Sire O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) gives her plenty of upside.”

Stage ‘n’ Screen was strapped by Chelsea Wilson.

Photo credit - Stage 'N' Screen as catalogued at the NZB Ready To Run Sale