Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday November 25

By the time the dual Group 1 winner Virage de Fortune visited 4-time Group 1 winner Sepoy in 2019, both had failed to fulfil the expectations of Darley.

When Virage de Fortune foaled a filly in 2020, she was just one of 28 foals that season for Sepoy.

It did not get any better for Sepoy in the following two years, with 16 foals in 2021 and five on the ground to date this season. The magnificent-looking son of Elusive Quality was not advertised on the roster this season.

Advertisement

Remedies makes impressive debut (image George Sal/Racing Photos)

The Virage de Fortune filly, named Remedies, made a winning debut in the Super Vobis 2-Y-O Plate at Cranbourne on November 12, banking $104,000 for Godolphin.

She lines up in Saturday’s Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield, where Godolphin has set a conundrum by accepting with Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) and Heuristic (Street Boss).

The winner of the Group 1 MVRC Australia Stakes and Group 1 QTC Sires’ Produce Stakes and placed in the Oakleigh Plate and TJ Smith Stakes, Virage de Fortune set a new mark in Australia for a thoroughbred sold at public auction when Darley went to $3,400,000 to secure the daughter of Anabaa (USA) at the 2007 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale.

That was a hefty return on the $70,000 shelled out by James Bester for the grey flyer as a yearling.

Remedies is a grand type (image George Sal/Racing Photos)

Unsurprisingly Virage de Fortune was courted by elite stallions, firstly Redoute’s Choice, then Exceed And Excel, Street Cry (IRE) and Lonhro.

The Redoute’s Choice colt, Barbados, showed ability in five starts and is now a more than useful stallion.

But the first real payoff for Virage de Fortune came with her first visit to Sepoy, her sixth foal, Subedar.

The winner of his first two starts, Subedar separated Just Thinkin' and Shadow Hero in the Listed Dulcify Stakes and Shadow Hero and Just Thinkin' in the Group III Gloaming Stakes.

After an honourable fourth behind Super Seth, Alligator Blood and Groundswell in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas. Not seen again for 15 months, Subedar won twice more before earning a lifetime ban when bleeding for a second time, closing out his career with four wins and three seconds with earnings of $400,000.

Things are looking up Virage de Fortune (image Mark Smith)

So, clearly, a return to Sepoy was not just a sentimental decision.

A sister to the slick multiple Group III winner and Group 1 Oakleigh Plate runner-up Avenue, Virage de Fortune is a daughter of the Kenmare mare Virage, herself a daughter of the magnificent 6-time Group 1 winner Emancipation (Bletchingly).  

Virage de Fortune has a yearling colt by Impending and missed to Earthlight last spring.

Two daughters of Virage de Fortune have produced stakes-placed winners early on in their careers.

Godolphin sold two of her daughters in recent years, the sisters Panegyria (Exceed And Excel) and Reverse.

The dam of the stakes-placed Testimonial (Medaglia d'Oro), Panegyria was a $420,000 purchase for James Bester Bloodstock. She has a yearling filly by Territories (IRE) and a colt foal by Farnan.

Reverse was a $240,000 purchase for David Redvers Bloodstock/Widden Stud. Her first foal is a Blue Point (IRE) colt.

Advertisment
More Reading...
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Now Triple G1 Oaks Winner for Coolmore
Already a winner of the Group I Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks, expensive blueblood Frankel filly made it a treble of G1 Oaks races when landing the Group I Yorkshire Oaks (1m4f) overnight.
Winning Return for the Best in Australia - Via Sistina
Set to be crowned Australia’s Horse of the Year for last season, the mighty Fastnet Rock mare Via Sistina (IRE) returned on a rain soaked track at Randwick on Saturday to win the $1million Group I ATC Winx Stakes (1400m).
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Now Online
The strongest collection of sire power ever assembled for an Australian 2YO Sale will be offered at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, for which the catalogue is now available online.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 22
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
Hard To Cross swoops to Valley win
Six-year-old gelding Hard To Cross was aided by the three-kilo claim of Rose Hammond as the Kiwi bred landed his first victory of the preparation when landing the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap (1523m).
Future Bright for Danica Guy
Group Three winner Lupo Solitario has returned to New Zealand, and the care of his former trainer Danica Guy, following a six-month racing stint in Hong Kong, while the stable are also excited about a first starter this weekend by Justify (USA).
Second Stakes-winner for Palace Pier
Kingman’s champion son Palace Pier (GB) only shuttled for one season to Darley Australia with his first 2YO’s to race here this season and in Europe he’s doing a pretty good job with his second stakes-winner emerging overnight at York.
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 23
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Bates gets creative at The Valley
Six-year-old gelding The Creator led throughout to claim the Ladbrokes Top 2/3/4 Betting Handicap (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday under a perfect Logan Bates ride.