Well-related mare Nicking Gracie produced an update for her half-sibling with her last-start victory.Our homebred daughter of Nicconi was successful at Yarra Valley for her second win from a handful of starts and we will offer her half-sister by Hello Youmzain as Lot 120 at next month’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.They are out of the Thorn Park mare Hayley Grace, who won on two occasions, and she is a half-sister to the G2 Waikato Cup winner Bak Da Chief.She’s the dam of the ill-fated dual Group 1 winner Te Akau Shark while the G1 Easter Handicap winner Pondarosa Miss is also a member of this decorated family.Trained at Pakenham by Robert Palm, Nicking Gracie settled in third spot for apprentice Jaylah Kennedy and challenged strongly in the straight to account for her rivals over 1200 metres.She was sold on our behalf at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale by Maluka Thoroughbreds and was bought for A$75,000 by Five Palms with Bevan Smith Bloodstock.

Well-performed stayer Stockman added to his black type record when he returned to winning form at Rosehill.The Cambridge Stud graduate came from well back in the field with a rousing finish to land the Listed Christmas Cup over 2400 metres.As usual, Stockman was allowed plenty of time to find his feet before the son of the late Tavistock picked up ground across the top and he finished resolutely in the hands of Reece Jones to get in the deciding stride.The Joseph Pride-trained seven-year-old’s latest success took his career tally to nine victories, with wins in the G3 Sky High Stakes and the McKell Cup and Caloundra Cup at Listed level and he was also second in the G1 Tancred Stakes.“Stockman really deserves this. We didn’t quite get the rain, but there was just enough in the ground for him to get his toe in. It was a brilliant ride by Reece,” Pride’s Racing Manager Orla Pearl said.“Newcastle was too firm for him last time, but he ran a super race in the Rosehill Gold Cup here in similar track conditions. It’s really good to see him fit and running home as strongly as he did.”Bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, he was a $175,000 Karaka purchase and is a son of the late Group-winning Zabeel mare Crimson, a half-sister to the G1 VRC Derby winner and sire Omnicorp, who is also the dam of the dual Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter Abidewithme.

Villon doubled his winning tally when he produced a strong front-running display at Rotorua.The homebred son of Almanzor had broken his maiden three runs back on the all-weather track at Cambridge and added a second success over 1230 metres at Arawa Park.Trained by Team Rogerson, Villon crossed the small field from the outside gate for rider Ryan Elliot to make the running and comfortably held his rivals at bay down the straight.He was purchased by Rogerson Bloodstock for $300,000 out of our draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale in 2021.The now four-year-old is a son of the One Cool Cat mare Onlyarose, who is also the dam of the G3 Standish Handicap winner Snapper and the four-time winner and black type placegetter Fireglow.We currently have Villon’s younger brother My Way in work with Ballarat trainer Nigel Blackiston.