Black Opal for Epaulette

Jumping away well from the barriers to sit outside the race leader, two-year-old Commands colt Epaulette looks a likely G1 Golden Slipper candidate after taking out the Listed Black Opal Stakes over 1200m at Canberra on March 11, at only his second career start.

Out of the Singspiel mare Accessories, Epaulette was bred by Darley and is the third Stakes winner from as many runners for the mare. Remaining unbeaten, the Peter Snowden-trained colt is a three-quarter-brother to triple G1-winning Exceed And Excel colt Helmet, as well as the G3-winning Elusive Quality colt Bullbars. Accessories has a Street Cry yearling filly, and was covered by Exceed And Excel in the last breeding season.

Enjoying an exciting season to date with nine individual Stakes winners, Commands has also been represented by the exciting sprint sensation Rain Affair, juvenile Stakes winner Jimando, three-year-old colt Ambidexter as well as Lamasery, Balmont and First Command.

Sitting in third position on the Australian sire table, Commands will be represented by nine yearlings at the forthcoming Inglis Easter yearling sale highlighted by lot 311, a filly out of G1 winner Our Egyptian Rain and lot 263, a half-sister to G1-winning two-year-old filly Apercu.