Crafty Irna and Famous Seamus Take Randwick Stakes Double

Karaka graduates Crafty Irna and Famous Seamus brought up a black-type double for New Zealand Bloodstock at Randwick on Saturday.

The Ron Quinton trained Crafty Irna (Starcraft x Zirna) was the first leg of the winning double when scraping home in a tight finish to win the A$100,000 Listed City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m).

The Starcraft mare had to do plenty of work in the early stages of the race before settling outside race leader Herculian Prince (Yamanin Vital) with a mile to run. Ridden by jockey Kathy O'Hara, the five-year-old took the lead 300 metres from home and held off Group 1 winner The Verminator (Jeune) and stakes winner Western Symbol (High Chaparral) to win by a short head.

Crafty Irna came into the race after running a close second to Mourayan (Alhaarth) in the Group 3 Craven Plate at her last start and Saturday’s victory was her second at stakes level as she won the Listed Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) in April this year.

Crafty Irna was bred by Westbury Stud and is raced by Mr P Kearney, Mr C Lee, Mr T Andreacchio, Mr C Dowsett, Mr T Lamond, Noonan & Co Pty Ltd, Mr P Fitzgerald, Mr P Young, Mr J Osmond & Ms J L Brandis.

The dual stakes winner was purchased by New Zealand Bloodstock as Agent from Westbury Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2009 Karaka Premier Sale for $125,000. She has now won six of her 19 starts for over A$300,000.

Famous Seamus (Elusive City x Clinique) brought up the stakes winning double for Karaka in the A$100,000 Listed Lightning Handicap (1100m) for his trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith.

The four-year-old resumed unplaced in the Group 2 The Shorts Stakes (1200m) fresh up and came into Saturday’s race after winning a trial at Randwick on 12 October.

In a good performance from the son of Elusive City, Famous Seamus came from back in the field and giving the race leaders five lengths 300 metres from home, to unleash a big finish and run down his rivals to win by a head.

A horse that looks to have a lot to offer, the victory was Famous Seamus’s fifth from just 11 starts and his first at stakes level after placing in Listed company at Rosehill at his final start last season in late-June.

Bred by Keltern Stud & Trelawney Thoroughbreds, Famous Seamus was purchased by Flagtown PTY from Trelawney Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2010 Karaka Select Sale for $70,000.

Famous Seamus is raced by Mr J Simpson & Mrs J D Simpson and is the 21st stakes winner for his sire Elusive City who stood at Haunui Farm during his time in New Zealand.

Elusive City has made a good start to the season with the likes of his daughter Xanadu who is twice Group 1 placed this season. Click here to view Elusive City’s 10 two-year-olds in the Ready to Run Sale which will be held on 20 & 21 November.