Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday April 21

Catalogued to sell under the Mill Park banner at next month's Inglis Chairman's Sale, Mileva will contest Saturday's Group III RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville Parks in what could be her last hurrah for owner Michael Birchall and trainer Phillip Stokes.

It would be a popular win for the locals as the daughter of Headwater is not only owned and trained in South Australia, she was bred by Geoff and Chris Tucker of Little Hills Pastoral.

Mileva captures the Group III Monash Stakes (image Grant Courtney)

The family of Mileva traces back to one of the great South Australian families.

Mileva's seventh dam, Miss Pompilia, is a sister to the champion 2yo Pago Pago.

A son of the South Australian legend Matrice, Pago Pago won nine of his ten starts at two before selling to America. His wins included the Golden Slipper, VRC Sire' Produce Stakes, Merson Cooper Stakes and South Australian Bloodhorse Breeders' Stakes.

Pago Pago retired to Claiborne Farm in Kentucky and was later sold to Lasater Farm in Kentucky. He left a lasting legacy in his daughter Olmec the dam of Navajo Princess (Drone), who won sixteen races, including the Molly Pitcher Handicap.

Navajo Princess achieved renown as a broodmare by producing one of racing's undisputed champions, Dancing Brave, and the Prix Vermeille and Prix Diane heroine Jolypha.

Jolypha is the granddam of Westbury Stud's underappreciated stallion Redwood (High Chaparral).

Pago Pago was repatriated to Australia at age nineteen by Robert Homes a Court.

He stood for four seasons and defied the odds to sire a further 21 stakes-winners off small crops of foals.

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Pago Pago's dam Pompilia was faithful to Matrice for twelve years.

The union produced another stakes winner, Lady Pompilia, and the multiple stakes-placed Tutuila, who placed in the VRC Newmarket and VATC One Thousand Guineas. Tutuila is the granddam of The AJC Doncaster Hcp and VATC One Thousand Guineas heroine, Magic Flute (Adraan).

Miss Pomilia did not reach the heights of her siblings on the track, winning twice and placing in thirteen of her 26 starts. She produced the SAJC Dermody stakes winner Johnnie's Luck. Still, a lot of the heavy lifting was done by her daughter Café Miss (Estaminet), the dam of Spring Champion Stakes winner Sakana (Rassendyll) and the Group III winner Rohatyn (Carnegie).

A $42,000 purchase for Dan Clarken and Oopie Macgillivray from Little Hills Pastoral draft at the 2019 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Mileva made nine starts for Clarken and MacGillivray before her purchase by Michael Birchall and transferring to Phillip Stokes.

Mileva has banked $622,760 from a record of seven wins, two seconds and three thirds from 21 starts.

Mileva one of the stars on offer at the Chairman's Sale on May 4 (image Grant Courtney)

The 5yo daughter of Headwater has a Group III to her credit in the MRC Sir John Monash Stakes, and Listed wins in the Alinghi Stakes, Manihi Classic and Kensington Stakes.

Little Hills purchased Mileva's dam Lady Einstein off Vinery for $30,000 at the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale when carrying the future 4-time stakes-winner.

A winner at Geelong and Cranbourne in a light career of five starts, Lady Einstein is a half-sister to the Group II MRC PB Lawrence Stakes winner Second Effort (Mossman) and the Group III MRC Heath Stakes winner Diamond Effort (Mossman).

Lady Einstein foaled a sister to Mileva last spring and was covered by Headwater again.

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