November 26, 2007Strategic News Wins At Group 1 Level
Woodlands stallion Strategic enjoyed major success in South Africa at the weekend when his son Strategic News sprang something of an surprise to land the Steinhoff International
Summer Cup (Gr 1) over 2000m under lights at Turffontein. A $40,000 purchase for trainer and part owner Dylan Cunha at the 2005 Magic Millions Yearling Sale at the Gold Coast, Strategic News scored by two and three quarters lengths Natural Selection was second, while fellow Magic Millions graduate and race favourite Our Giant, a son of Giant’s Causeway (USA) trained by Charles Laird, was another length away in third place.
Strategic News raced prominently and he challenged for the lead halfway down the straight. Our Giant also moved up smartly with Natural Selection running a big race down the inside and rank outsider Apple-A-Day also in contention. Strategic News had opened a clear lead passing the 300m mark with Our Giant and Natural Selection trying to wear him down, but Strategic News ran on strongly to score his biggest win to date. The race also marked the biggest win for young trainer Dylan Cunha and he revealed afterwards that this race had been his mission for some time now, having deliberately avoiding taking the horse down to Durban for the winter season to allow him time to properly mature.
Strategic News was purchased by Cunha from the draft of Newhaven Park Stud. He is the only runner to date for the lightly raced Grand Lodge mare Sensuous, a half sister to Sydney Group winners De France and Whistler. The lightly raced Strategic News has now won four times and placed five times from just 12 starts for earnings over R1.15 million. His fourth dam is Francois Dupre’s Prix Coronation heroine Pollenka and further
back, he traces directly to the influential mare Plucky Liege.
Strategic News is the third Group 1 winner for Strategic, following Meurice and Mistegic, and he is advertised at $16,500 in 2007. Strategic retired to stud in 1997 and he now has 15 stakeswinners.