COOLMORE STALLIONS DOMINATE CAULFIELD

Melbourne's biggest metropolitan racing program of the new calendar year witnessed the progeny of Coolmore stallions dominating proceedings with the names of some very familiar sires again very much to the fore. The same Caulfield card that saw Choisir represented by the Group Two VRC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Incumbent also featured notable stakes victories from runners by Encosta de Lago, Danehill Dancer (Ire) and Royal Academy (USA).

The ultra-consistent Laura's Charm (5m, Encosta de Lago-Laura's Express by Prego) scored the best win of her career when taking the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes over 1400m. Positioned in second position off a frantic early gallop, the 5-year-old racemare pounced on the leader halfway down the straight and never looked likely to be caught thereafter. Her one and three-quarter length success was run in the brilliant time of 1m21.53s.

Earlier in the day, Tango Amigo's (3f, Danehill Dancer-Stick to Me, by Twig Moss) resumed from a spell with an impressive performance to take out the Listed Moomba Plate. Very well supported to win the 1100-metre contest, the daughter of Encosta de Lago could hardly have been more impressive in recording her one length win and greater success lies ahead for this lighty-raced filly.

Closing the card with a well earned success was the evergreen Royal Academy stallion Recapitalize (6h, Royal Academy-Blayney Breeze, by Dahar), winner of the Listed March Stakes (1400m). A seasoned campaigner maintaining an admirable appetite for racing, Recapitalize showed his usual pace to race close to the lead before finishing off the contest in grand fashion.