Bunbury breakthrough for Triple Missile

9 March 2025

Triple Missile broke his duck in black-type ranks with a rewarding victory for Rapid Equine owner-breeder Neil Irvine in the $150,000 Listed Bunbury Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.

It was also a Stakes first for trainer Donna Riordan since the widely-travelled sprinter had been placed in Group 2 and Group 3 company at Flemington for her former boss Lindsey Smith. Previously, Riordan had prepared Terror Force (Al Maher) to win the LR Perth Stakes (1100m) at Ascot back in 2013.

Triple Missile (7g Smart Missile – Triple Latte by Medaglia d’Oro) joined Riordan’s yard earlier this season and the writing was in the wall following fourths in the G3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) and G3 Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot.

Neil Irvine high-fives Joey Azzopardi as stable apprentice Ella Primrose leads the Bunbury Stakes winner back to scale / Photo: Western Racepix

The Bunbury Stakes improved his record to 8 wins in 29 starts since a Belmont victory on debut in September 2020.  He’s banked $861,000 including Westspeed Bonuses of $33,000.

“I’ve always believed in him and he’s been racing well against some quality opposition without a whole lot of luck,” Riordan said following the last-to-first victory at Bunbury.  “Joey (Azzopardi) got him going early and found the right lane down the centre of the track.”

Riordan also thanked Irvine and his wife Annie as well as Brian Collison and his wife Brooke who manage their farm Balmoral Park.  The Bedfordale property was originally developed by Laurie Connell in the 1980s and has been home to the Rapid Equine operation since 2015.

Agent John Chalmers had purchased USA-bred mare Triple Latte (Medaglia d’Oro) on behalf of Irvine for $24,000 at the 2017 Inglis Great Southern Sale when she was carrying Triple Missile.  Second-dam Miss Mary (Southern Halo) was a Group 2 winner bred in Argentina and her full-sister Miss Linda won a G1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland.

Triple Latte has foaled five winners and her 3yo filly Triple The Chant (War Chant) was placed in a Pinjarra maiden in January.  Her final foal is a yearling colt by Bivouac that was purchased by Gangemi Racing for $150,000 at last month’s Perth Magic Millions.