Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday May 7

It is an absolutely fascinating renewal Of The Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday with a couple of Mill Park graduates returning home as conquering heroes, a few fillies with strong staying credentials and a couple of colts with pedigrees that would not be out of place in derbies at Epsom or Tokyo.Russian Camelot cools down after his 7-length romp at Pakenham (Natasha Morello/Racing Photos)

The latter includes the Arrowfield homebred Miyake and the boom European import Russian Camelot (IRE).

The Chris Waller-trained Miyake is a son of the legendry Japanese stallion Deep Impact out of Group II winning Street Cry mare Star Fashion who is a daughter of the outstanding mare Elegant Fashion (Danewin) who is a granddaughter of The Queen’s French Oaks and English One Thousand Guineas heroine Highclere who is also the granddam of Deep Impact’s dam Wind In Her Hair.

We hope we are not falling for the hype, but we like the Danny O’Brien-trained Russian Camelot (IRE).

Consigned by Camas Park Stud, Ireland to the 2018 October Yearling Sale Book 1, Russian Camelot was purchased by agent Jeremy Brummitt on behalf of some of Danny O’Brien’s clients for 120,000 guineas.

The son of Camelot (GB) has plenty against him on Saturday. For a start, in just four starts he has won nothing more than a maiden at Ballarat over 1400 metres and a benchmark 64 over 1600 metres at Pakenham.Camelot image Mark Smith

Also, being bred to northern hemisphere time he is giving the locals upwards of six months in age and has had an interrupted preparation. 

A few positives. He is a son of the champion racehorse and sire Camelot (GB) and his trainer knows how to prepare a stayer.

A 4-time Group 1 winner including the English and Irish derbies and the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Camelot fits the profile of stallions that have historically struggled in recent times for the support of breeders in Australia.

Even so, it was a surprise when he disappeared off the Coolmore roster after just one season.

Even his sire, the imperious Montjeu, was shunned in Australia before finding his southern hemisphere home in New Zealand where he sired the outstanding Tavistock whose daughter Toffee Tongue won last week’s Group 1 Schweppes Oaks.

New Zealand was also the southern hemisphere home of Cape Cross (IRE) who made his name at Cambridge Stud before earning a spot on the Darley roster in Australia.

Advertisement

Cape Cross (IRE) is the sire of Russian Camelot’s dam Lady Babooshka who was unraced but comes from a family we recently highlighted through the success of Windsor Park Stud’s wonderful broodmare Polish Princess (GB).

They are descendants of Meon Valley’s blue hen Reprocolor who had been purchased for 25,000 guineas by agent Richard Galpin, on behalf of Weinfeld family at the 1977 Tattersalls December yearling sale.

The daughter of Jimmy Reppin won three stakes, the Group III Oaks Trial Stakes, Group III Lancashire Oaks and Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket and placed in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks.

Reprocolor left a wonderful legacy in 18 live foals, which included five stakes-winners before her death at the age of 32.

Among her best was Cezanne the winner of the 1994 Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes while daughter Colorspin won the1986 Irish Oaks and Bella Colora captured the Group II Prix de l’Opera.

Both Colorspin and Bella Colora became exceptional broodmares.

Colorspin produced Group I winners Opera House (King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and successful sire in Japan), Kayf Tara (twice winner of the Ascot Gold Cup and multiple champion National Hunt sire, and Zee Zee Top (Group 1 Prix de l'Opera).

Bella Colora’s is the dam of four stakes winners including the multiple Group II winner Stagecraft and his Listed stakes-winning sister Balalaika (Sadler’s Wells) who is the dam of Russian Camelot’s mother Lady Babooshka as well as her Group II winning three-quarter brother Alkaadhem (Green Desert).

Advertisment
More Reading...
So You Think filly Scores for TAB Racing
The TAB Racing Club’s silks were to the fore at Ruakaka on Wednesday, with three-year-old filly Transcend carrying them to victory in The Homestead Sports Bar & Bistro 1200.
Consecutive Wins As Cantiamo Defeats The Boys
With 60kgs on her back against the boys, it’s clearly evident there are bigger and better things ahead for the Kris Lees trained Cantiamo as the 3yo daughter of Too Darn Hot went back-to-back, winning the Precise Air Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday September 3
Here is the full list of 41 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Russian Camelot to Follow the So You Think Path
Lightly raced stallion Russian Camelot (IRE) has been handled patiently by his trainer Danny O’Brien and that patience looks like being rewarded in spades this spring with the son of Camelot cruising to an ultra-impressive win in the Group I MRC Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
G3 Tibbie Next for Tuileries
Lightly raced So You Think mare Tuileries has long promised to measure up to stakes class and will be given that opportunity next start after returning to top form to win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Engine of War Wins for MyRacehorse at Sandown
VRC Derby aspirant Engine Of War made a winning Australian debut from the quarters of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr when saluting at Sandown on Wednesday over 1500m.
NZB Filly of the Year Series Springs to Life with Gold Trail Stakes
One of the traditional signs that spring racing has arrived in New Zealand is the running of the first leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series, the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m). The $150,000 race looks a little different this year in a temporary new home, but it will still give us that same first look at the latest crop of fillies vying for the coveted title.
Almanzor Mare Salutes for Cambridge Stud
Daring Dame broke through for an elusive win when taking out the Kensington Tavern 1200 at Ruakaka on Wednesday.
Winning Debut for Blueblood Cox Plate Dreamer
At the start of August we ran a story about the 3YO’s that were entered for this year Cox Plate and aside from the usual suspects there were some ‘Cox Plate’ dreamers and one of them was unraced Lonhro colt Attica, who made a winning debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Vivid Sun Shines Bright At Sandown
Recording her second win in as many starts, 3yo The Autumn Sun filly Vivid Sun looked something special as she resumed from a spell at Sandown to trounce her rivals by more than two lengths on Wednesday, signalling a step up to black type races during the Spring.