Super Saturday at Rosehill proved just that for Darley when Purple and Vision And Power scored at the highest level for their sires Commands (pictured) and Carnegie.
First off was Purple, a filly by Commands who took the G1 Storm Queen Stakes. Bouncing out of the gate she went straight to the lead and never saw another rival to win convincingly. A proven wet-tracker, she handled the conditions superbly and her trainer Peter Snowden indicated after the race that the AJC Oaks was next on her agenda.
Bred by Woodlands Stud, she is out of the winning Zabeel mare Lady Viola and is a close relative to champions Gurner's Lane and Sovereign Red. She becomes the third Group One winner, and the first filly at that level, for her sire. A proven source of top-class runners, Commands currently sits third in the leading sires' list by number of winners in Australia this season.
A race later, Neroli, also carrying the colours of Sheikh Mohammed and bred by Woodlands Stud, finished well to land the G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes. By Viscount out of Dalquarren, this is the sixth top-flight winner for Canny Lad as a broodmare sire, a figure that matches none other than Champion sire Redoute's Choice.
Carnegie gelding Vision And Power was the next highlight on the card for Darley when he got up close to home to land the G1 George Ryder Stakes.
Trained by Joe Pride and owned by Nick Moraitis, he has been a revelation this season, landing the Listed Parramatta Cup before finishing a close second in the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes behind his paternal half-sister Tuesday Joy. Bred by Gary Chittick, he is a half-brother to fellow Group One scorer Glamour Puss.
The success for the Darley stallions was not confined to Rosehill as at Morphettville Exceed And Excel's three-year-old son Excelltastic landed the listed Adelaide Guineas.
Already Group One-placed this season after finishing third in the Spring Champion Stakes, this was his first Stakes success. Bred by Darley, he is out of the Lear Fan mare Fantail and is a close relative to US G1 scorer Dreams Gallore.
