Benfica’s Best is Back to Best

Tara Madgwick - Saturday June 16
A stakes-winner at three, Godolphin's smart Benfica gelding Eusebio had too much class over his rivals when resuming from a spell at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Eusebio - image Grant CourtneyTuned up with two recent barrier trial wins in Sydney for James Cummings, Eusebio was allowed to settle in the early stages of the 1200 metre sprint by Dwayne Dunn, but unwound a big finish under his 60.5kg to score a short half head win over the favourite Artie Dee Two.

Eusebio won the Listed Canberra Guineas last year to become the first stakes-winner for Aquis Farm's Benfica, a Group I winning son of Lonhro.

He has the overall record of four wins and three placings from 10 starts with prizemoney just shy of $180,000.

Eusebio is a half-brother to Group II winner Deferential and is the fourth winner for Quest for Fame (GB) mare Talent Time, who died in 2015.

He is the best horse to date sired by Benfica, who has been well received at Aquis Farm in Queensland covering over 120 mares in his first two seasons and stands at a fee of $4,400 this spring.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Mares in foal Proisir, Too Darn Hot, Anamoe Highlight Strong Inglis July (Early) Sale
A mare with one of the hottest current pedigrees in the Australian Stud Book – in foal to sire sensation Proisir – headlines a quality catalogue for the Inglis Digital July (Early) Online Sale.
Zoustar Cracks 200 Australian Winners for Season
Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar was the world’s leading sire of winners in 2023 and passed a milestone on Friday when racking up his 200th Australian winner of the season and shortly after his 201st!
Quality trio of Rich Hill mares in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
Partly thanks to the meteoric rise of Rich Hill Stud stallions Proisir and Satono Aladdin, the three well-credentialled broodmare prospects being offered by the stud on Gavelhouse Plus this week are among the highest-profile entries in the 2024 National Online Breeding Stock Sale.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 4
Here is the full list of 33 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Lovatsville Stallion Parades - RSVP Here
Innovative new Victorian enterprise Lovatsville will open the gates in August for a series of stallion parades showcasing four exciting young sires in Royal Meeting (IRE), Gold Trip (Fr), Generation and Fierce Impact (Jpn), who will have his first runners next season.
Best On Breeding
Despite being a stakes-placed daughter of Redoute's Choice from a family chockful of stakes-winners, Pleiades had worn out her welcome after eight seasons at Darley Stud and found herself in the Godolphin consignment heading to the 2023 Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
One to Watch – Sale
Bred to be an Oaks filly, this Kiwi bred two year-old filly made a winning debut at Sale on Thursday carrying the famous Pride of Jenni colours.
Entries Open for the World’s Best Breeze Up Sale
Entries for NZB’s 2024 Ready to Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds are now open, with the Sale set to be held at the Karaka Sales Centre on 20 and 21 November.  
Sires With Winners - Friday July 5
Here is the full list of 44 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sidestep Filly Wins by Five
A few weeks ago we made mention of the promising trial performance from Winx’s two year-old three-quarter sister Wings of Desire, who surged home for second in a heat at Randwick won by three year-old filly Are Ee Que, who franked that form when bolting in at Goulburn on Friday.