Far-reaching success for WS

WS’s international success continued this week with the farm making a winning presence felt in Hong Kong and Australia. At Happy Valley on Wednesday, Joyeux opened his account for trainer Casper Fownes while yesterday graduates were successful in both Victoria and New South Wales.

At the Ballarat meeting it was the Danny O’Brien-prepared General James who continued his excellent progress. The winner of two of his four starts, he is a son of Savabeel and the O’Reilly mare Spendid, who is a half-sister to the WS-bred Gr 1 Australasian Oak winner Marju Snip. General James was purchased at Karaka in 2013 by O’Brien for $130,000.

O’Reilly four-year-old Thurston has also made an outstanding start to his career and at Wyong he won for the third time in four appearances for trainer Bryce Heys. Out of Zabeel’s daughter Etoile Du Nord, he was a $160,000 yearling at Karaka in 2012 and is half-brother to the Gr 3 Launceston Cup winner Epingle (Pins).

Hong Kong winner Joyeux was a $460,000 purchase in 2013 and is a son of O’Reilly and Escada. He is, of course, a half-brother to the multiple Group One-winning pair of Glamour Puss and Vision And Power.