Seven for Churchill
New first season sire winners
Churchill (pictured)
Coolmore’s Churchill (Galileo) landed three new winners last week, bringing up individual winners number five, six and seven for the shuttle stallion. Building on Once Upon A River’s (2 c ex Cassandra Go by Indian Ridge) success at Roscommon on Tuesday, the Johnny Murtagh-trained filly Ladies Church (2 f ex Rioticism by Rio De La Plata) scored at Tipperary in the five-furlong maiden contest, winning by three-quarters of a length over hot favourite Orinoco River (War Front). A 62,000gns foal and £160,000 yearling, Ladies Church is the first foal out of the stakes-winning Rioticism. On Saturday, Unconquerable (2 c ex Rien Ne Vas Plus by Oasis Dream) took out the seven furlong EBF maiden at Naas for Donnacha O’Brien. Unconquerable, a 210,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 purchase by MV Magnier, also collected a £20,000 Book 1 Bonus, while he is out of a placed half-sister to Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner North Light (Danehill). Churchill returns to Jerrys Plains this year for a fee of $22,000.
Mikki Isle
Dragonstone (2 g ex Quick’s The Word by Shamardal) got off the mark at the second attempt in heavy conditions at Warwick Farm on Wednesday to provide first season sire Mikki Isle (Deep Impact) with his second individual winner in Australia. The Mark Newnham-trained gelding finished third at Canterbury earlier in June and improved from that effort to win Wednesday’s 1100-metre two-year-old maiden by a length over War Eternal (Pierro). Clemenceau (Capitalist) was another two and a quarter lengths behind in third. Dragonstone is one of two winners from as many to race out of three-time winner Quick’s The Word (Shamardal). Japanese stallion Mikki Isle, the sire of two stakes winners in Japan, Meikei Yell and Dualist, shuttled to Arrowfield Stud for three seasons in 2017, 2018 and 2019 but did not return for last year’s southern hemisphere breeding season due to the pandemic and he is not returning this year.
Rebel Dane
Glen Eden Stud’s Rebel Dane (California Dane) sired his third individual winner from just six runners at Muswellbrook on Friday when the Cassandra Stummer-trained homebred Rebel’s Edge (2 c ex One Carat Racer by Racer’s Edge) broke through at just his third start. Taking out the TAB Long May We Play Maiden Plate (1280m), Rebel’s Edge defeated Feudalist (Capitalist) and Apache Doc (Duporth). Rebel Dane, who stands for a fee of $8,800 (inc GST) this year, is also the sire of Ken Russell Memorial Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Subterranean and Lloyd’s Crown.
Rommel
Storm Commander (2 g ex Girl In A Storm by Metal Storm) impressed with a half-length win in the two-year-old plate over 1000 metres at Belmont on Saturday, bringing up a sixth individual winner for his WA sire Rommel (Commands), who has reached the figure from just 17 first-crop runners. The Neville Parnham-trained gelding turned the tables on race-favourite Beads (Star Turn), who he finished second to on debut a fortnight earlier, to win at his second start. A $130,000 buy for his trainer from the Mogumber Park draft at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale last year, Storm Commander is the eighth foal out of five-time winning mare Girl In A Storm (Metal Storm) and whose yearling sister sold for $80,000 at this year’s Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Rommel will stand for $4,400 at Mogumber Park in 2021.
Sir Prancelot
Cornerstone Stud shuttler Sir Prancealot (Tamayuz) got off the mark with his first southern hemisphere-bred crop on Saturday as Belle Of Yorkes (2 f ex Charzoo by Redoute’s Choice) scored a rousing success on her second career start at Murray Bridge, flying over the top of the field to defeat Jaazeb (Zebedee) by a neck. The Jon O’Connor-trained filly built on a debut third less than two weeks ago behind Bleriot (Divine Prophet), winning the two-year-old plate over 1200 metres in what was a well strung-out field. She is penultimate foal of city-winning mare Charzoo (Redoute’s Choice). Sir Prancealot will again shuttle to Cornerstone in 2021, standing for a fee of $9,900.
Star Turn
The Team Hawkes-trained Turnstar (2 g ex Mihiri by More Than Ready) struck for a late-season two-year-old success at Newcastle on Saturday, winning the maiden plate over 900 metres, to bring up a 15th Australian first-crop winner for Vinery Stud stallion Star Turn (Star Witness). The gelding, who finished sixth behind subsequent Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) third Pegasi (Star Turn) and VRC Sires’ Produce (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Lightsaber (Zoustar) on debut at Geelong in January, saluted as the $2.90 favourite, defeating Xpresso (Xtravagant) by a head. Star Turn sits second on the leading first season sire by winners list, three behind Capitalist (Written Tycoon) on 18. He has also sired a winner in Hong Kong this year. Star Turn will stand the 2021 season at Vinery for a fee of $16,500.
Winning Rupert
Rupertaar (2 f ex Great Dansaar by Choisir) became the ninth individual winner for her sire Winning Rupert (Written Tycoon) when she scored on debut in the XXXX Gold Maiden Plate (1000m) at Hawkesbury on Thursday. The Bjorn Baker-trained filly took the race by three and a half lengths under Rachel King, with The Maxinator (Dream Ahead) second and Syracuse (Sebring) a further length behind in third. Rupertaar was offered by Daandine Stud at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and sold to Darby Racing/De Burgh Equine for $90,000. The youngster is a half-sister to the year-older Isotope (Deep Field), a three-time Listed winner and twice Group 2-placed this season, including last time out in the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (Gr 2, 1200m). Her dam Great Dansaar (Choisir) is a winning half-sister to champion sprint filly Yankee Rose (All American), a two-time Group 1 winner who raced in the Darby Racing silks, and to the Group 3 scorer Miravalle (Redoute’s Choice), while her fourth dam Condessa (Condorcet) won the Yorkshire Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). Winning Rupert stands at Newgate Stud for a 2021 fee of $11,000 (inc. GST).
New Group/Grade 1 winners
Australia
Broome (5 h ex Sweepstake by Acclamation) became the fourth Group 1 winner for Australia (Galileo) on Sunday when the five-year-old landed the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Gr 1, 2400m) at Saint-Cloud for Aidan O’Brien. Carrying the colours of Masaaki Matsushima, it was a deserved elite-level win for the entire, who was a close second in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Gr 1, 1m2.5f) in May, while this is his sixth stakes win and fourth this year. Ridden by Colin Keane, Broome made all to win by a length from Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) and Gold Trip (Outstrip), who were split by a nose, while the favourite In Swoop (Adlerflug) was a further length and a quarter back in fourth. Purchased or 150,000gns as a yearling at Tattersalls by MV Magnier he is a brother to Royal Ascot Listed winner Point Lonsdale and out of dual Listed scorer Sweepstake (Acclamation), while this is the further family of Group 1 winner and late Coolmore stallion Zoffany (Dansili). Broome could now be a Prix de l’arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) contender in October for Australia, who stands at Coolmore in Fethard for €25,000 (approx. AU$39.400).
Elusive Fort
Kommetdieding (4 c ex Adorable by Captain Al) turned the tables on race favourite and two-time Grade 1 winner Linebacker (Captain Of All) to win the Durban July (Gr 1, 2200m) and become the fourth individual Grade 1 winner for his sire Elusive Fort (Fort Wood). Having finished third to that rival, who is out of the Australian-bred stakes placegetter Thin Red Line (Redoute’s Choice), in both the Greyville Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) and Daily News 2000 (Gr 1, 2000m) on his last two starts, Kommetdieding relished the further step up in trip to win by a half-length from Linebacker, with Got The Greenlight (Gimmethegreenlight) a head further behind in third. Elusive Fort stands at Black Swan Stud for a fee of R15,000 (approx. AU$1,398).
Isfahan
Sisfahan (3 c ex Kendalee by Kendargent) broke through in style at stakes level on his fourth start in the Deutsches Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Hamburg to become the second individual stakes winner and first Group 1 winner from the first crop of Isfahan (Lord Of England), who won the race in 2016. Runner-up on debut last October, Sisfahan broke his maiden the following month at Lyon-Parilly and was last seen running second in the Grafenberger Derby Trial (Listed, 2200m) at Düsseldorf. The Henke Grewe-trained three-year-old came widest into the straight and dashed up the standside rail to win by a length and a quarter from Alter Adler (Adlerflug) who was on the other side of the track. There was a length and three-quarters back to Imi (Tertullian) and Lord Charming (Charm Spirit) who were split by a neck for third and fourth. Purchased as a yearling for €20,000 at Arqana, Sisfahan is out of the dual winner Kendalee (Kendargent) and he is the first black-type performer on the Flat under the first three dams, however his dam is a half-sister to Grade 1-winning hurdler and sire Beaumec De Houelle (Martaline), while the second dam was also Listed-placed over obstacles. Isfahan stands at Gestut Ohlerweiherhof for a fee of €4,500 (approx. AU$7,000).
Master Of My Fate
The Garden Province Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) went the way of the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Zarina (4 m ex Mamalushka by Kitalpha) in what was a shock result at Greyville, with Zarina winning at odds of 40-1. A Grade 3 winner in February, she became the third individual elite-level winner for her sire Master Of My Fate (Jet Master) when beating Princess Calla (Flower Alley) by a nose, with the same margin back to odds-on favourite War Of Athena (Act Of War) in third. Zarina was a R200,000 (approx. AU$18,600) purchase for her trainer, and is now the winner of five races from ten starts. Master Of My Fate stands at Varsfontein Stud for a fee of R25,000 (approx. AU$2,330).
New stakes winners
Bated Breath
Sacred Bridge (2 f ex Sacred Shield by Beat Hollow) gave her sire Bated Breath (Dansili) his 18th individual stakes winner when successful in the Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Tipperary Stakes (Listed, 5f) at Tipperary on Wednesday. The Ger Lyons-trained juvenile initially tracked the pace in third of the five-runner field. Shaken up to press the lead a fulong and a half out, the even-money favourite knuckled down under Colin Keane to lead close home and won cosily by a length a quarter from runner-up Misty Ayr (Kodi Bear), with Harmony Rose (Hot Streak) a further length and a half behind in third. The Juddmonte homebred is out of the ten-furlong winner Sacred Shield (Beat Hollow) and is a sister to Matriarch Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) heroine Viadera, as well as being a three-parts sister to Crossed Baton (Dansili) who was a two-time Listed winner and Group 2 placed. Sacred Bridge’s second dam is the Listed winner Quandary (Blushing Groom), a half-sister to the Prix du Moulin (Gr 1, 1600m) winner and Epsom Oaks (Gr 1, 1m 4f) runner-up All At Sea (Riverman). Bated Breath stands at Juddmonte for a 2021 fee of £12,500 (approx. AU$23,000).
Blackfriars
Stepping into stakes company for the first time, Tena Koutou (3 g ex Aloha Miss by Hurricane Sky) landed a third win on the bounce in the Aquanita Stakes (Listed, 2000m) at Belmont on Saturday and became the 44th individual stakes winner for the late Blackfriars (Danehill). The Adam Durrant-trained three-year-old landed the contest by two lengths from Crescent City (Fiorente) while Truly Reliable (Reliable Man) was a close third. Tena Koutou is out of the four-time winner Aloha Miss (Hurricane Sky) who is a half-sister to stakes winner and Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) third Kia Ora Koutou, who is also by Blackfriars.
Brazen Beau
Windstormblack (2 c ex Josefa Goya by Sakhee’s Secret) took the step up to stakes company in his stride when landing the Premio Primi Passi (Gr 3, 1200m) at Milan last Sunday. The colt, who has now won all three of his starts, provided Darley’s Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) with his 14th individual stakes winner. Ridden by Gabriele Cannarella, Windstormblack was sent off a warm favourite and comfortably defeated Baghed (Twilight Son) by five lengths, with The King’s Horses (Time Test) another two and a quarter lengths back in third. Windstormblack is one of three winners out of Josefa Goya (Sakhee’s Secret), who is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Intrepid Jack (Compton Place). Brazen Beau, the sire of Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner On The Bubbles, will stand at Darley’s Northwood Park for $49,500 this year.
Competitive Edge
Competitive Edge (Super Saver) recorded his tenth individual stakes winner on Saturday when Miles Ahead (4 c ex Jennie R by Awesome Again) took out the Smile Sprint Invitational Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Edward Plesa Jr, Miles Ahead was taking his tally to eight wins from 16 starts on his first attempt in stakes company. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, he took the honours by half a length from Chance It (Currency Swap) while the favourite Diamond Oops (Lookin At Lucky) was a further two and a quarter lengths back in third. Miles Ahead was a US$120,000 Keeneland yearling to Billy Williams and he is a half-brother to stakes winner La Grange (Curlin) out of the Listed scorer Jennie R (Awesome Again), while his second dam is the Grade 3 winner Petrouchka (Red Ransom). Competitive Edge started his career at Ashford Stud but was purchased by Douglas Scharbauer to stand at Valor Farm in Texas at the end of last year and his fee this year was US$5,000 (approx. AU$6,650).
Dark Angel
Progressive five-year-old sprinter Came From The Dark (5 g ex Silver Shoon by Fasliyev), who missed Royal Ascot after a minor setback, returned in fine form when taking out the Sprint Stakes (Gr 3, 5f) at Sandown for Ed Walker and became the 72nd individual stakes winner for Dark Angel (Acclamation). Ridden by Tom Marquand, the grey picked up late to deny Arecibo (Invincible Spirit) by a neck, while Happy Romance (Dandy Man) was third. Came From The Dark broke his maiden on his fourth start aged three and was given a rating of 75, he progressed through the ranks and ran off of 105 when a neck second in the Palace House Stakes (Gr 3, 5f) in May on his first try in stakes company. He was a 480,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 yearling to SackvilleDonald and he is out of the Group 3-placed Silver Shoon (Fasliyev), who is a half-sister to Champion Older Female Sprinter Pipalong (Pip’s Pride). Dark Angel stands at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland where his fee this year was €60,000 (approx. AU$94,600) and has been made available for limited southern hemisphere coverings this year.
El Kabeir
El Kabeir (Scat Daddy) sired his first stakes winner when Don Chicco (2 c ex Otrooha by Oasis Dream) landed the Premio Giuseppe de Montel (Listed, 1500m) at Milan on Wednesday evening. The Agostino Affe-trained juvenile scored under Claudio Colombi from Some Respect (Gleneagles), with Filmet (Helmet) third. The success followed a maiden win at Capannelle in May. Don Chicco is a half-brother to a two-time winner in Sweden, Hidden Happiness (Heeraat), from a Shadwell family that has produced the multiple Group 1-placed and two-time Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f) winner Maraahel (Alzao), as well as the Lockinge Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) winner Mustashry (Tamayuz). El Kabeir has notched five individual winners with his first two-year-olds and stands at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland at a 2021 fee of €6,000 (approx. AU$9,500).
Gingerbread Man
The Graeme Ballantyne-trained three-year-old Chili Is Hot (3 f ex Society Gal by Faltaat) claimed her fourth win at start 13 and a first black-type success in the Belmont Oaks (Listed, 2000m) in WA on Saturday to become the sixth individual stakes winner for her sire Gingerbread Man (Shamardal). Showing great determination, the filly prevailed by a head after a prolonged battle with Sheza Chalmer (Vital Equine) while the pair were four lengths clear of Tri For Us (Vital Equine) in third. Chili Is Hot was a $500 weanling purchase for John Chalmers Bloodstock out of the Perth Winter Mixed Sale in 2018 and is out of an unraced sister to HKJC Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Sight Winner (Faltaat) while her third dam is the AJC St Leger Stakes (Gr 2, 2800m) scorer and multiple Group 1-placed Duanette’s Girl (Balmerino). Singapore Champion Gingerbread Man stands at Yarradale Stud in Western Australia.
Havana Gold
Fearby (2 c ex Coolminx by One Cool Cat) ran away with the Dragon Stakes (Listed, 5f) at Sandown on Friday to give his sire Havana Gold (Teofilo) his ninth individual stakes winner. The Edward Bethell-trained juvenile broke evenly under P J McDonald, tracked the front rank until driven to lead approaching the final furlong and then extended clear to win by five lengths from Mojomaker (Mehmas) with race favourite Kaboo (More Than Ready) a further nose behind in third. Fearby made it two wins from three starts, having finished fourth, one place behind Norfolk Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) winner Perfect Power (Ardad) on debut at Newcastle, and then landed a maiden at Wetherby. Fearby sold to Culworth Grounds Farm for 13,000gns as a foal at Tattersalls before reselling as a yearling at Book 3 of Tattersalls last year, when Bethell and Blandford Bloodstock paid 21,000gns. The colt is out of the Listed-placed sprinter Coolminx (One Cool Cat), a half-sister to US Grade 2 winner and multiple Grade 1-placed mare Beau Recall (Sir Prancealot). Havana Gold stands at Tweenhills at a fee of £7,500.
Helmet
Helmet (Exceed And Excel), whose three Group 1 scores included the 2011 Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), notched a 13th individual stakes success as a sire when his son Cantocorale (3 c ex Conservatoire by Street Cry) snared the Premio Estate (Listed, 1600m) at Milan on Wednesday. The Grizzetti Galoppo-trained three-year-old held off Mordimi (Morpheus) by a length with third-placed Carrobbio (Arcano) a further length and half behind. Cantocorale, a Scuderia Blueberry SRL homebred, is a half-brother to Territorial (Teofilo), winner of the Kokura Daishoten (Gr 3, 1800m) for Darley Japan, being out of Conservatoire (Street Cry), an unraced daughter of Prix Vermeille (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Mezzo Soprano (Darshaan). It is also the family of Japanese Grade 1-winning siblings Cheval Grand (Heart’s Cry), Vivlos (Deep Impact) and Verxina (Deep Impact). Former Darley Victoria resident Helmet is standing at Allevamento il Grifone at a 2021 fee of €5,000 (approx. AU$7,930).
Intello
Dual winner Djo Francais (3 c ex Nazlia by Polish Precedent) stepped into stakes company for the first time at start four and took out the Prix de Saint-Patrick (Listed, 1600m) at Chantilly on Saturday for Jean-Claude Rouget to become the 16th individual stakes winner for Intello (Galileo). Ridden by Cristian Demuro, the chestnut raced in midfield and was driven out to lead in the straight and win by three-quarters of a length from Morton (New Bay) while the British raider Laos (Territories) was a further three lengths back in third. Djo Francais was sold for €45,000 as a foal at Arqana and is a half-brother to three stakes performers including Listed winner Shutterbug (Soldier Of Fortune). Intello stands at Haras du Quesnay in France where his fee this year was €10,000 (approx. AU$15,800).
Jukebox Jury
Jukebox Jury (Montjeu) had his eighth individual stakes winner as a sire when Noa Lea (4 f ex Niandana by Makfi) landed the Langer Hamburger (Listed, 3200m) at Hamburg on Wednesday evening. The Henke Grewe-trained filly scored under Sibylle Vogt by two and a half lengths from Sioux (Kamsin), with stablemate Sir Polski (Polish Vulcano) a further half-length behind in third. Noa Lea, who has notched four career wins, races in the colours of owner-breeder Volker Kaufling and was a vendor buy-back for €15,000 as a yearling at Baden Baden in October 2018 before going around the ring unsold at €42,000 at Arqana in November last year. Noa Lea’s unraced dam is a half-sister to the multiple Listed winner Nianga (Lomitas), being out of the Listed scorer Nobilissima (Bluebird), herself a half-sister to the Preis der Diana (Gr 1, 2400m) third Nouvelle Fortune (Alzao). Jukebox Jury has stood at Victor Connolly’s Burgage Stud in Carlow, Ireland since 2018, having started his stud career at Gestut Etzean in Germany.
King Kamehameha
Weiss Meteor (3 c ex Chateau Blanche by King Halo) was an impressive runaway winner of the Radio Nikkei Sho (Gr 3, 1800m) at Fukushima on Sunday as he became the 85th individual stakes winner for the late King Kamehameha (Kingmambo). The Tetsuya Kimura-trained colt picked up off the turn and dashed clear to win by two and a half lengths from World Revival (Epiphaneia) while there was a further length back to North Bridge (Maurice) in third. He took his record to three wins from five starts, while he was fourth on his other two runs in stakes company. Bred by Northern Farm and raced by Silk Racing, he is out of Grade 3 winner Chateau Blanche (King Halo).
Kodiac
American Bridge (4 f ex More Than Sotka by Dutch Art) became the 67th individual stakes winner for Kodiac (Danehill) when he landed the Premio Del Giubileo (Gr 3, 2000m) at Milan last Sunday. The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained four-year-old finished runner-up at Listed level in France two starts ago but got his first black-type win with a two-and-a-quarter-length defeat of No Limit Credit (Night Of Thunder). Stex (Lord Of England) was another head behind in third. American Bridge is the second foal out of Listed winner More Than Sotka (Dutch Art), who is a sister to fellow stakes winner Mostaneer. Kodiac stands at Tally Ho Stud in Ireland for a €65,000 (approx. AU$102,443) fee.
Lord Kanaloa
First Force (5 h ex Rush Life by Sakura Bakushin O) was upped in class for the CBC Sho (Gr 3, 1200m) at Kokura on Sunday for the first time and the five-year-old answered the call in style, taking out the 1200-metre contest in a time 1.06.0, which is a new Japanese record and just outside the world record for 1200 metres. The Koji Yasuhara homebred stormed to a half-length victory over Pixie Knight (Maurice) and A Will A Way (Just A Way) who were split by three-quarters of a length for second and third. First Force became the 29th individual stakes winner for his sire Lord Kanaloa (King Kamehameha). He is a half-brother to Grade 3 scorer A Day In The Life (Deep Impact) and out of the stakes-placed Rush Life (Sakura Bakushin O). Shadai stallion Lord Kanaloa stood for a fee of JPY15,000,000 in 2021.
Make Believe
Shortly after Mishriff’s third place in the Coral-Ecipse (Gr 1, 1m 2f) on Saturday, last-start maiden winner Noticeable Grace (3 f ex Redemption by Olden Times) stepped forward to take the Prix de Bagatelle (Listed, 1600m) at Chantilly in the same colours of Prince Faisal to become the sixth individual stakes winner for their sire Make Believe (Makfi). The lightly-raced Andre Fabre-trained three-year-old was making just her third start and, ridden by Ioritz Mendizabal, she ran out a length winner over the Spanish runner Maracay (Ruler Of The World), while the previously stakes-placed Keyflower (Kheleyf) was a further two and a half lengths back in third. Homebred Noticeable Grace is out of an unraced half-sister to stakes winners Solomon’s Bay (Exceed And Excel) and Tammani (Make Believe), while it is the further family of Group 1-winning fillies Taghrooda (Sea The Stars) and Estimate (Monsun). Make Believe stands at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland where his fee for this year was €15,000 (approx. AU$23,650).
Muhaarar
Dropped back to a mile, after a fourth placed finish in the Abingdon Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) last month, Auria (3 f ex Tiana by Diktat) was too good for her rivals in the Distaff Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Sandown on Saturday and became the fifth individual stakes winner for her sire Muhaarar (Oasis Dream). The Andrew Balding-trained three-year-old was ridden by Oisin Murphy and she made most of the running before kicking clear over a furlong from home and skipping clear to win by two and a half lengths from Seattle Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Glesga Gal (Lope De Vega), who was a further three-quarters of a length back in third. Auria raced twice last year, winning her maiden on her second start at Kempton and her two other runs came this year when running second to Creative Flair (Dubawi) in a Class 3 over a mile at Ascot and in the Abingdon Stakes at Newbury. The Fiona Denniff homebred is a half-sister to fellow Balding-trained Group winners Beat The Bank (Paco Boy) and Chil Chil (Exceed And Excel), while this is the family of the speedy Kachy (Kyllachy). Muhaarar stands at Shadwell’s Nunnery Stud where his fee this year was £10,000 (approx. AU$11,650).
Night Of Thunder
Progressive John Quinn-trained four-year-old Highfield Princess (4 f ex Pure Illusion by Danehill) followed up her Buckingham Palace Stakes (7f) win at Royal Ascot with a first black-type success in the Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Chelmsford and thus became the 23rd individual stakes winner for Night Of Thunder (Dubawi). She broke her maiden at the fifth attempt last year, earning a mark of 57, and she has worked her way through the ranks to run off 92 at the Royal Meeting. Ridden by Jason Hart, she made all and came out on top after a sustained battle in the final furlong with Double Or Bubble (Exceed And Excel) to win by a neck while the pair were a length and a quarter clear of Shimmering Dawn (Morpheus) in third. Highfield Princess is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Cardsharp (Lonhro) out of the dual winner Pure Illusion (Danehill). Former shuttler Night Of Thunder stands at Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland for a fee of €75,000 (approx. AU$118,240).
Shackleford
Stilleto Boy (3 g ex Rosie’s Ransom by Marquetry) sprung a surprise in the Iowa Derby (Listed, 8.5f) at Prairie Meadows and became the 17th individual stakes winner for his sire Shackleford (Forestry). The Doug Anderson-trained gelding was a runaway four-and-a-half-length winner, beating Flash Of Mischief (Into Mischief), while Gagetown (Exaggerator) was a further two and a half lengths back in third. Runner-up on his only start last year, Stiletto Boy got off the mark on his fourth start in April and came into this on the back of a fourth place finish in the Prairie Mile Stakes (Listed, 8f). The John Kerber and Iveta Kerber homebred is a half-brother to Listed winner Rosie My Rosie (Purge) and the stakes-placed Condo Closing (Offlee Wild), while they are out of the three-time winner Rosie’s Ransom (Marquetry). Shackleford stood at Darby Dan Farm before being sold to South Korea last year.
Snitzel
Two-year-old colt Royalzel (2 c ex Royal Tithe by Show A Heart) showed some late-season promise heading into the spring when landing an impressive three-length victory in the Taj Rossi Series Final (Listed, 1600m) at Flemington on Saturday. The 59 kilogram top–weight built on a last-start win at Rosehill to take his record to three wins from five starts, and become the 110th individual stakes winner for Snitzel and 43rd individual two-year-old stakes winner for the stallion. Trained by Gary Portelli, Royalzel defeated Whatafox (Foxwedge), with Celtic Glory (Toronado) a further half-length behind in third. Bred by Arrowfield, he was amongst a number of yearlings sold privately by the leading stud farm, having withdrawn their drafts from auctions amid last year’s Covid-19 outbreak. Royalzel is the first foal out of Group 3-winning juvenile Royal Tithe (Show A Heart), a $300,000 purchase for Jon Freyer Bloodstock at the 2017 Magic Millions National Sale. She has a yearling filly by Snitzel and a weanling colt by The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), and was placed back in foal to that stallion last year. Snitzel spearheads the Arrowfield Stud roster, standing at a fee of $165,000 in 2021.
Twilight Son
Little O’Kelly (2 f ex Amontillado by Pastoral Pursuits) became the third individual stakes winner for her sire Twilight Son (Kyllachy) when winning the Premio Luciano Mantovani (Listed, 1500m) at Milan on Wednesday. Ridden by Federico Bossa, the Vincenzo Fazio-trained juvenile held off runner-up Amalaura (Raven’s Pass), with Freccia (Helmet) behind in third. Little O’Kelly was previously third in a 1200-metre San Siro Listed contest behind Lollipop Girl (Dandy Man). The filly was bred by Shark Bay Racing 1 and sold to Marco Bozzi Bloodstock for 6,000gns at Tattersalls Book 3 yearling sale last October. She is a half-sister to two winners, being out of the unplaced mare Amontillado (Pastoral Pursuits), whose own dam is a winning half-sister to a multiple Listed winner in Japan, Grab Your Heart (Deputy Commander). Twilight Son stands at Cheveley Park Stud at a 2021 fee of £5,000 (approx. AU$9,200).
Zoffany
Coolmore’s late stallion Zoffany (Dansili) achieved his 43rd individual stakes winner as a sire when Brigante Sabino (3 c ex Natural Bloom by Galileo) took the Gran Premio d’Italia (Listed, 2400m) at Milan on Wednesday. The Alduino Botti-trained three-year-old landed the spoils under Antonio Fresu, scoring by three-quarters of a length from stablemate Atzeco (Fastnet Rock), with another Botti-trained galloper Mooney Love (Australia) another length and a quarter behind in third. Sir Robert Ogden bred Brigante Sabino and the colt sold to Prospect Stables for €37,000 at Goffs in 2018 before selling on to Bobby O’Ryan for €40,000 at Goffs a year later. Brigante Sabino is out of Natural Bloom (Galileo), a winning three-parts sister to Group 1-placed Acropolis (Sadler’s Wells) and a half-sister to Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f) winner Fairy Queen (Fairy King) and Falmouth Stakes (Gr 2, 1m) heroine Tashawak (Night Shift).
Zoustar
The Astrologist (4 g ex Aquada by Flying Spur) had been knocking on the door of a stakes victory since opening his racing career as an early-season two-year-old in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (Listed, 1000m), running second earlier this season behind Exhilarates (Snitzel) in the MSS Security Spring (Listed, 1200m) down the straight at Flemington and recently finishing fourth in the Moreton Cup (Gr 2, 1200m) over the Queensland Winter Carnival. However, the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained four-year-old saluted as favourite on Saturday in the All Victorian Sprint Series Final (Listed, 1200m) at Flemington to become the 23rd individual stakes winner for his Widden Stud-based sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor). The Astrologist, a $150,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate from the draft of Goodwood Farm, won by a half-length over Banquo (Written Tycoon) with William Thomas (Nicconi) a further three-quarters of a length back in third. Zoustar, who has 12 stakes winners for the season, the equal-third most behind Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and Fastnet Rock (Danehill), will stand at Widden in the Hunter Valley for a fee of $154,000.