Almost two years after his death, the influence of High Chaparral continues to gather momentum as Steve reports
Last Saturday was something of a red letter day for High Chaparral as Ace High became his third Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner following Monaco Consul and Dundeel. However, it was perhaps more significant that two of his daughters – Bring Me Roses and Hiyaam – quinellaed the Edward Manifold Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Flemington.
High Chaparral’s Southern Hemisphere reputation was, of course, built on his four Group One-winning sons from his first crop – So You Think, Monaco Consul, Descarado and Shoot Out.
It was later cemented by the arrival of Dundeel and he reasonably ranks with So You Think as the two best males to race in Australia in the past ten years,
However, at the time of his death, High Chaparral could boast just one Group One-winning filly in Australia. That was Fenway who took the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) in 2015. This year, another daughter Montoya’s Secret won the same race and now he has last Saturday’s fillies aiming at the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m).
Further Group One success for either filly, or indeed from Ace High or any representative of his last two remaining southern hemisphere crops, would be be a fillip for those standing his sons.
High Chaparral finished up in this hemisphere, firstly in New Zealand and then in Australia, somewhat fortuitously as he was playing third string behind Galileo and Montjeu, two other sons of Sadler’s Wells, in the Northern Hemisphere. He was euthanised, in December 2015, after it was found he had a perforated intestine during exploratory colic surgery.
Trainer Tony McEvoy, delighted with the performance of his Manifold winner Bring Me Roses, will be hoping the stallion’s fillies continue to succeed as he’s now training the High Chaparral – Diamond Like (Danehill) filly who was the highest priced filly, and second top lot overall, at NZ$800,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.
The filly, from a daughter of the outstanding Tristalove (Sir Tristram) is now named El Estoora and is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum who races last Saturday’s runner-up Hiyaam.
She’s trained by Mick Price, who’d previously won the Edward Manifold Stakes for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum with Badawiya (Al Maher). Their association effectively beginning with Perfectly Ready (More Than Ready) taking the 2006 The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m).
Price plans to head, with Hiyaam, to the Oaks via the Ethereal Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) at Caulfield on 21 October while McEvoy says his filly would likely now contest the Wakeful Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) at Flemington on 4 November before lining up in the Classic five days later.
The Manifold was Bring Me Roses’ breakthrough win, but McEvoy said it was no surprise. “On Thursday after she’d worked at Flemington, I turned to Mick (stable foreman Michael Shepherdson) and said with any luck on Saturday she would win and I thought her performance was excellent,” McEvoy said.
Bring Me Roses is a half-sister to Group Three winner and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) runner-up Face Value (Red Ransom) and is the ninth winner from nine to race from great producer Freckled Face (Polish Patriot). She became High Chaparral’s 104th stakes winner (including 19 Group One winners) and her last foal is a two year-old colt by his son, So You Think.
Hiyaam is a great granddaughter of the amazing broodmare Eight Carat (Pieces Of Eight) and definitely Oaks bound according to her trainer. “Obviously we’ll see how she performs in the Ethereal but the Oaks is the way we’re headed and I’d like to think there’s some improvement to come,’ he said.
Price has picked up a good spring prospect in the Orbis Bloodstock-owned Ducimus (Snitzel) who was transferred from the Hawkes team after running fourth in the Vain Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) in August.
“He’s really pleased me,” Price said after the colt won a trial at Cranbourne on Monday. Ducimus was the top lot at the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, knocked down to agent Justin Bahen and the now Orbis entity who were active purchasers at the recent Goffs Doncaster sales in the UK.
Ducimus won his trial from the mischievously named Paint The Stars (Helmet). The ‘original’ Paint The Stars (Luskin Star) was sold to Robert Holmes for a then Australian record of $825,000 in 1981. He managed just two placings in his six starts career.
“Thought we’d have a bit of fun with the name,” said trainer Shawn Mathrick. “He couldn’t be as bad as the first one (Paint The Stars) and I reckon this bloke will be OK when he gets over a bit of ground.’
Tony McEvoy won both trials for the unraced two-year-olds. He won the colts and gelding trials with Run Naan (Makfi) who beat the promising Expedius, one of the first youngsters by Unencumbered (Testa Rossa). McEvoy quinellaed the second heat with fillies Faroe (Rothesay) and Lake District Girl (Not A Single Doubt).
Several high profile spring prospects also stepped out at Monday’s trials and impressed. They included Jukebox (Snitzel), Crown Witness (Star Witness), Property (Starcraft) and Tavistock Abbey (Tavistock).