Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday December 24

The Gimcrack Stakes heroine Coolangatta dominates betting for the Group III Magic Millions BJ McLachlan Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Boxing Day. Still, she is just one of three runners striving to keep their unbeaten record intact.

Spirit of Boom's Palazzo Spirit is the local hope after winning his first two starts, while one of the most interesting runners on the day is the Fastnet Rock filly Bright Blue Sky.

Advertisement

 Purchased by David Ellis/Andrew Williams Bloodstock for $600,000 from the Coolmore draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast  Yearling Sale, Bright Blue Sky won her only start, the Listed Fasttrack Insurance 2yo Stakes at Te Rapa, for the Hong Kong-bound Jamie Richards.

Everything, including her racing style and deep, deep pedigree, suggests that Bright Blue Sky will improve with time.  

For over half a century, this branch of a world-renowned family is rarely without a top-class performer. They are descendants of the top-class Le Filou (FR) mare Gay Poss; however, the family had its roots in Bill Alexander's famous 'Rose" family dating back to the 1920s in New Zealand.  

Bright Blue Sky a $600,000 Magic Millions yearling

Trained by Bart Cummings, Gay Poss won the AJC Oaks, VATC Caulfield Stakes, VRC Craiglee Stakes, Kewney Stakes, and South Australian St Leger.

Gay Poss left the Winter Stakes winner Anythings Possible, but her name lives on through her daughter, the great matriarch,  My Tricia.

The daughter of Hermes (GB) was unraced but produced eleven winners from her twelve foals, including five stakes-winners, four of which were by Sir Tristram.

They were led by the triple Group 1 winner and excellent stallion Grosvenor.

My Tricia had seven named fillies, five of them produced stakes-winners, and most have thriving offshoots.

Even the lone daughter not to have a stakes-winner, My Tripos (Sir Tristram), is the granddam of Group 1 Queensland Oaks winner Miss Keepsake and Group II winner Villifye.

My Tricia's first foal Concia (First Consul) is the dam of AJC Oaks heroine Mahaya and the Group III Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Shadea, dam of Lonhro, Niello and Shannara.

The lone stakes-winning daughter of My Tricia, not by Sir Tristram is the Listed VATC Health Stakes winner My Marseillaise (Marceau). She is the dam of Listed winners Bon Cher and De Lisle.

Fastnet Rock (image Mark Smith)

Grosvenor's sister Les Lilas is the dam of Group II winner Requiem and Listed winner Laurel Grove, the dam of Group II Sandown Guineas winner Cayambe.  

The final two foals of My Tricia were by Sir Tristram's champion son Zabeel.

The stakes-placed Tricia Ann is the dam of Group II winner La Sizeranne, while My Tricia's final foal Ana Zeel is the dam of Group III MVRC Champagne Stakes winner Estelle Collection, the dam of Australian Horse Of The Year Lankan Rupee.

La Sizeranne's stakes-placed sister Napa Sky is the dam of Blue Blue Sky (Lonhro), the dam of Bright Blue Sky.

Apollo Ng purchased Blue Blue Sky for $120,000 at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2013. Bred by Limerick Lane Thoroughbreds, Blue Blue Sky won a maiden at Geelong for David Hayes in an 11-start career.

Consigned to the 2018 National Broodmare Sale by Bell View Park Stud, Blue Blue Sky was knocked down to Colm Santry Bloodstock/Demi O'Byrne for $240,000.

Blue Blue Sky

Pike Racing purchased the Zoustar colt she was carrying for $210,000 at Karaka in 2020.

Named Mr Blue Sky, he has placed in three of four starts to date.

Blue Sky Blue has a yearling filly by American Pharoah (USA) and missed to the Triple Crown winner last season.

Bright Blue Sky is the first stakes-winner from the fourteenth crop by Coolmore flagship stallion Fastnet Rock.

The sire of 183 stakes-winners worldwide, Fastnet Rock has nine lots catalogued for the Magic Millions, including a half-brother to 8-time Group 1 winner More Joyous from the final foal of  Queensland Oaks heroine Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence).

Advertisment
More Reading...
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 5
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Rising HK Star for Embellish
Bulb General continued his electric form in Hong Kong to bring loftier targets into play for the son of Embellish.
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Kiwi Bred War Machine Secures Everest Slot
The NZB Ready to Run Sale is never short of graduates flying the flag on Group One stages in Australia. With the 2025 edition at Karaka now less than six weeks away, War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) has put his hand up to continue that trend this spring.
First G1 Winner for St Marks Basilica - 1.7million Filly Undefeated
The top lot at the 2025 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale was a blueblood St Mark’s Basilica filly from blue hen Prudenzia that sold for €1.7million to MV Magnier and she became the first Group I winner for her sire when charging home to win the Group I Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m) at Longchamp.
Aussie Bred Asfoora Wins Third G1 on Arc Day in France
Victorians breeders celebrated overnight with Aussie bred and owned Flying Artie mare Asfoora returning to her dazzling best on one of the world’s biggest stages to win the Group I Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m) with a scintillating performance on Arc Day in France.
Aga Khan Homebred 3YO Colt - 2025 Arc de Triomphe Winner
The Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) was run overnight at Longchamp and one of the world’s great races produced a thriller with blueblood €1.85 millionsale-topping Frankel filly Minnie Hauk going down by a head to the Aga Khan homebred Sea the Stars colt Daryz.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!