Darby Online Buy Sandpaper Wins Gr3 Newcastle Stakes

Craig Tompson - Friday March 7 breednet.com.au

The Darby Racing team did it again on Friday when online purchase Sandpaper won the Newcastle Stakes (Group III).

Last September, at the (Early) version on the Inglis Digital platform, Darby paid $160,000 for Robusto who three months later won the $2million Ingham.

In the same month, but at the (Late) option, Darby signed for Sandpaper for $130,000 as one of a group of horses offered by Godolphin, and Friday’s win makes it $294,000 in the bank since that buy.

Starting equal favourite with Makarena off his win and three placings from four starts so far in the campaign, Tim Clark went straight to the lead and controlled the race before kicking too strongly in the straight.

The Bjorn Baker trained gelding ultimately beating Amenable (Lonhro) by a head with Grebeni (Ocean Park) third.

“He’s been racing in fantastic form,” said Clark.

“Scott Darby and the team have got a great knack of buying these tried horses.”

“He was there to be beaten today but he kept responding.

“I just wanted to use a bit of that fitness he had on his side to test a few of the better class horses behind that were early in their prep.”

Sandpaper is one of two winners for unraced Lonhro mare Smooth, a sister to Champion 2YO and top sire Pierro, and also to the dam of Estriella.

Smooth has a two-year-old colt named Observer by Ghaiyyath, foaled a colt by Anamoe last season and was served by Cylinder.