Redcliffe feature winner from veteran mare

Sold for a paltry $1,000 because she had failed to breed, Sirius Flight, an American-bred mare by The Big Dog from the NZ Oaks winner Pacific Flight, has produced a feature winner at the ripe old age of 22.

Surreal Moran, her 10th and final foal, notched his third success from six lifetime starts and his second from as many tries in Australia when he took out the Derby Consolation at Redcliffe last Saturday night.

The gelding was bred by Caine McIntyre, the stud manager at Macca Lodge, Northern Southland’s leading nursery, who bought Sirius Flight from a Gavelhouse online auction in 2023.

“She hadn’t had a foal for six years. I tried for two years after buying her but couldn’t get her into foal,” McIntyre said.

“Surreal Moran is the result of a last gasp effort in the third year. She was served by several stallions before eventually going into foal to Stay Hungry.”

Surreal Moran was knocked down for $30,000 to Lincoln businessman and harness racing benefactor Paul Renwick at the 2024 NZB National Yearling Sale at Christchurch.

Sirius Flight had a rather distinguished record as a broodmare.

She ranked as the dam of Malak Uswaad, a winner of nine races in New Zealand who later took a mile mark of 1:49.4 in America, and the New Zealand and Menangle winners Timeless Perfection and Red Moon Rising.

She was also the grand-dam of the Victorian Group 1 winning mare Rakero Rebel, the New Zealand Listed winner Plutonium Lady and the prolific Perth winner Mr Sharkey ($323,298).

The old mare is also the third dam of the NZ Sires’ Stakes 2YO Championship and 3YO Champion Stakes winner Freeze Frame.

Surreal Moran’s Redcliffe triumph completed a memorable weekend on the other side of the Tasman for McIntyre, the son of Macca Lodge owners Brent and Sheree McIntyre.

One night earlier, the three-year-old trotting filly Raffie Jay, who was bred by Caine, his sister Lauren and neighbour Ken Blatch, made it two from two in Queensland when she scored in runaway fashion at Albion Park.

The What The Hill filly, out of the Love You mare Abella, was originally trained by Brent, who raced her twice for a second and a third.

“I always had a good feeling that she was going to make the grade even as a foal,” Brent said. “She was only sold to Brisbane because they had too many horses.

“Her older sister My Bonnie Lass has already won twice and I have a two-year-old by Royal Aspirations going along nicely.

“They are the only ones we have out of the dam as she died in March.”