G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes Target for Grand Impact

Media Release - Wednesday August 10

New Zealand-bred gelding Grand Impact has gone for a quick freshen-up in preparation for some big targets later this spring after his strong win at Sandown on Sunday.

Grand Impact bolts in at Sandown  - Photo: George Sal (Racing Photos)

The son of Satano Aladdin, who has won both of his starts to date for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, is earmarked for the stallion-making Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Derby Day.

“We are going to go the Coolmore path. He is already in the paddock,” Kent Jnr told RSN.

“He is out of a Swiss Ace mare, he is pretty sharp, and while he is by a champion miler we think he is better kept to the fresh side with blinkers on. Without blinkers he is very on and off the bridle.

“He will probably come back and go via the Blue Sapphire (Gr.3, 1200m) into the Coolmore, all going well.”

Grand Impact was initially trained in New Zealand by Stephanie Tierney for whom he had two trials, winning over 800m at Ellerslie in January before his sale to Australia.

Satono Aladdin

Grand Impact is by Satono Aladdin, a Group One-winning son of Deep Impact, who will shuttle to Rich Hill Stud this breeding season where he will stand for a fee of $12,500+GST.

Meanwhile, the stable has welcomed back fellow New Zealand-bred Ayrton from his Queensland spell.

Advertisement

The Iffraaj five-year-old had three starts earlier this year, winning the Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) first-up before unplaced runs in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) and Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

Kent said the gelding thrived in his time away from the track in the Sunshine State.

“He spelled up in Queensland and he has come back with that real Queensland glow to his coat, he looks brilliant,” he said.

While there remains lucrative targets in his home state of Victoria, his trainers are looking north to the big carrots being dangled in front of them in Sydney.

“He is an obvious Rupert Clarke/Toorak horse, he has got the right rating, but there is a new race in Sydney this year called the Five Diamonds. It is for five-year-olds only, worth A$2 million on Stakes day over 1800m,” Kent said.

“They have just announced a prelude three weeks beforehand worth A$1 million. It is very attractive.”

Ayrton was bred by Cambridge accountant Greg McCarthy, who remains in the ownership group after a private sale was negotiated by bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo after the horse finished second in his only trial in New Zealand at Te Teko for trainer Lauren Brennan. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Sunday September 21
Here is the full list of 66 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Keeneland September Concludes with Record $531.5 Million in Sales
The 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale closed Saturday having achieved a defining industry milestone. Over 12 sessions, the sale rewrote records by selling 3,070 horses for a total of $531.5 million: the highest gross ever realized at a Thoroughbred auction worldwide. Historic highlights included 56 yearlings bringing seven figures, besting the previous record of 40 set in 2005 and led by a $3
Career Best Victory for Wentwood Grange Favourite Yearling
Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling.
One to Watch – Warrnambool
So You Think is the first sire to hit 40 winners for the season and he did it with a three year-old filly that won easily on debut at Warrnambool on Monday in the Kia Ora Stud colours.
2025 National Thoroughbred Week Launched
National Thoroughbred Week, the newly launched industry initiative designed to bring the public closer to the thoroughbred and our sport, is excited to confirm a truly trans-Tasman exposure, with hosts confirmed across all Australian and New Zealand regions.
Tara Talks Racing - Trials and Racing
This week we’re talking trials after an insightful set of official 2YO trials in Sydney, plus some racing and how Fangirl will eventually go to stud with two Group I wins less on her resume than there should be.
Aussie Mare Youngstar Produces Rising Japanese Staying Star Eri King
Australian Group I winning half-sisters Youngstar and Funstar are both at stud in Japan and the former has a very smart three year-old colt in Eri King, who won the Group II Kobe Shimbun Hai (2400m) at Hanshin on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 22
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Breednet Follow the Official Sydney 2YO Trials - 7 – 9
All 2YO heats this morning run at Randwick over 850m with these trials the key factor in deciding fields for the Group III ATC Breeders Plate and Gimcrack Stakes in two weeks time.