Octagonal off to amazing start

Octagonal’s classy first crop pair Hosannah and Lonhro kicked off his stud career in spectacular fashion when they opened their winning account at Rosehill on January 27.

Hosannah, out of stakes winning Sir Tristram mare Genuflect, started at 60/1 in her 1100m event after being unplaced in two barrier trials, but showed her true ability when unleashing a devastating burst over the final 200m to claim victory right on the line.

Such generous odds were not available a fortnight later at Rosehill, when Hosannah stepped up to the 1200m and maintained her unbeaten record, winning by three-quarters of a length.

Trainer John Hawkes then gave his promising filly a five-week break, before tackling the $150,000 Group Three Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra.  Solid rain in the lead up to the race left the track very heavy and Hosannah battled gamely in her first start on wet going, beaten two lengths in finishing fifth to Coral Salute.

Despite the defeat, connections were eyeing the $2.5m Group One Golden Slipper (1200m) and Hosannah clinched a start in the prestigious event by winning one of the major lead-up races, the $140,000 Group Two Magic Night Stakes (1200m).  After settling towards the rear of the field, Hosannah again stormed home to hit the front in the shadows of the post.

The impressive victory saw the filly strongly fancied in the Slipper and she was backed from 16/1 to 9/1 on track.  After drawing barrier 16, jockey Darren Beadman was forced to settle Hosannah at the rear of the field and was in second-last place on the turn before she again displayed her now typical strong finish to end up running 4^th beaten only 2 lengths.  Beadman, speaking after the race, said that Hosannah was as good as the winner Ha Ha, but that the barrier draw had certainly made her task more difficult.

With three wins from five starts, Hosannah has amassed $302,800 in prizemoney, with the promise of plenty more to come.  The filly has been nominated for the $400,000 Group One Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 21 and also the $500,000 Group One Champagne Stakes (1600m) at the same venue a week later.

Lonhro, out of Group winning New Zealand mare Shadea, started his racing career in promising fashion when attempting to lead all the way and eventually succumbing by only a nose to subsequent Golden Slipper favourite Royal Courtship on a heavy track at Rosehill on November 18.   

After a two-month rest, Lonhro resumed on January 27 with a 2.5 length win over 1100m at Rosehill. After being second on the turn, the colt stretched out impressively in the straight to record a comfortable victory.

As attention turned to the feature two-year-old races, trainer John Hawkes opted for an alternative plan of attack to that of Hosannah, by sending the potential star to Melbourne for the $1m Group One Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

The trip was justified when Lonhro won the $150,000 Group Three Blue Diamond Prelude -C&G (1100m) on February 11 by two lengths in the slick time of 1.03.39. 

That win saw Lonhro sent out as 5/2 favourite for the Blue Diamond a fortnight later.  After being injured during the race and returning sore in the off fore leg, the colt finished a creditable fourth, beaten less than two lengths.

In a career that has yet to peak, Lonhro has won $173,400 from his four starts and looms as a horse to follow when he returns from his current spell.