May Day to remember for Equiano

Chapel Road kick-started a May Day to remember for Equiano (Fr) with a front-running victory for trainer Mick Price at Geelong.

The Swettenham Stud shuttler sired four winners in Australia, England and France on Sunday.

Chapel Road had won at Wodonga in February and he struck again first-up in the Roderick Insurance Brokers Hcp (1100m). “He’s got speed and is getting there mentally,” Price said. “He looks like the sort of horse who will make the grade in town.”

Chapel Road cost owner Tony Schoormans $100,000 at the 2014 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. His dam Optimizing (Exceed And Excel) is a daughter of NZ stakes winning sprinter Joan’s Best (Gold Brose).

Equiano had finished April with a running double at Lingfield and he made it three winners in as many days in England with Ebony N Ivory at Salisbury. “He has done well to make all on debut,” trainer Roger Varian said on Sunday. “It's great to have a winner with our first runner for Newsells Park Stud. He was professional and I liked his attitude.”

Ebony N Ivory (pictured) was tackled by grey colt Jayjinski (Zebedee) inside the final furlong but fought back to score by a neck. He’s a younger half-brother to St Barths (Cadeaux Généreux) who was placed behind Power in the 2011 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Their dam Ile Deserte (Green Desert) is a half-sister to G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Kingston Hill (Mastercraftsman).

Equiano shuttles from Newsells Park and among his current crop of European three year-olds is Juddmonte Farms homebred Gymkhana who won at Saint-Cloud on Sunday.

Gymkhana was second on debut at Chantilly in April and responded well to the demands of Grégory Benoist to pinch a winning break at the top of the straight in the Prix Empery (1600m).

Juddmonte Farms owner Khalid Abdullah had sent his dam Village Fete (Singspiel) to Newsells Park after a short career that included a Listed victory in the Prix de Thiberville (2400m) at Longchamp. She is a half-sister to Juddmonte stakes winner Trade Fair (Zafonic) who is stands at Alwyn Park in Western Australia.

Equiano filly Plume D'outarde doubled up in France for the King of Speed on Sunday and the winning run continued with first-starter Twizell at Beverley on Monday and Brimarvi Equiada who won again at Murray Bridge on Tuesday.

Swettenham Stud welcomes Equiano back to Victoria for his latest southern season this year at a $13,750 (inc gst) service fee.