Pedigree Watch – Staying Stars - St Legers and Vermeille

Tara Madgwick - Sunday September 11

The Group I English St Leger (1m 6 ½ f) at Doncaster overnight produced another Group I winner bred by Lanwades Stud with exciting young stayer Eldar Eldarov becoming the latest Group I winner for his sire Dubawi.

Trained by Roger Varian, Eldar Eldarov powered clear for a two length win.

“That was very satisfying. I quietly thought Eldar Eldarov had a really big shout today. Everyone wasn't wowed by his run in Paris but he ran well and the winner pushed Luxembourg all the way in the Champion Stakes. And that was on fast ground, it was 36C and it was a long journey out there. He was only just getting going as the line came,” said Roger Varian.

“His run at Royal Ascot showed he had stamina in abundance. And his run at Nottingham as a two-year-old in pretty testing conditions, albeit in different company, showed he handled the ease in conditions today. The question he had to answer was whether he was good enough and he did that. He's got a lot of stamina and an admirable attitude. We've got to recognise what he is and he could be a very exciting Cup horse for the next two or three years, if he stays sound and healthy, because he should get better with age.”

Eldar Eldarov has four wins from five starts and was a 480,000 pound purchase from the Arqana Breeze Up Sale at Doncaster last year.

Bred by Kirsten Rausing’s Lanwades Stud as is Aussie Group I winner Zaaki (GB) and recent Wyong Gold Cup winner Durston (GB), Eldar Eldarov is the best of three winners from stakes-winning Sea the Stars mare All at Sea, a daughter of Group I winner Albanova.

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The family has been nurtured with great care by Kirsten Rausing ans is also responsible for her current super star mare Alpinista, a five time Group I winner.

Eldar Eldarov is the 53rd Group I winner for champion sire Dubawi, who is having an amazing  year, read about him here..

The Group I Irish St Leger (1m6f)  provided another Group I victory for outstanding stayer Kyprios, who was a short priced favourite and score a three-quarter length win.

The Aidan O’Brien trained Galileo stayer is undefeated this year winning all five starts in 2022 , the last three of them in Group I races.

The Group I Prix Vermeille (2400m) for the mares at Longchamp was won by the Francis-Henri Graffard trained Lope de Vega mare Sweet Lady.

A Group II winner previously, Sweet Lady has won six of 14 starts and is the 16th  Group I winner for Lope de Vega.

Purchased for €100,000 from the Arqana Deauville Yearling Sale, Sweet Lady is a half-sister to stakes-winner Toujours L’Amour from stakes-winning Dansili mare High Heel Sneakers.

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