Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday June 23

We are down to the final Group 1 of the season, the Sky Racing Tattersall's Tiara (1400m) for fillies and mares at Eagle Farm on Saturday, and as the betting suggests, it's a wide-open race.

Chain Of Lightning arrived at the Peter Moody stable with wins at Inverell and Armidale for Stirling Osland.

Chain Of Lightning wins the Cockram Stakes (image Grant Courtney)

The Stuart Ramsay homebred daughter of Fighting Sun added wins at Caulfield and Flemington before keeping her record at a perfect five for five when defeating a class field of mares in the Group III Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last August.

Three weeks later, Chain Of Lightning finished third behind Zapateo and Lavish Girl in the Group III How Now stakes before bouncing back to win the Group II Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield in October.

Never a factor in the $10,000,000 Golden Eagle won by stablemate I Wish I Win, Chain Of Lightning had fifteen weeks off before reappearing with a third to Lofty Strike and Uncommon James in the Group II Rubiton Stakes at Sandown.

Those two fought out the finish of the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate, with Chain Of Lightning clocking in eighth.

That was the start of five consecutive Group 1 contests for the 4yo mare, which took in the Newmarket Hcp, William Reid Stakes, Robert Sangster Stakes and Stradbroke Hcp. While she failed to place in any of them, neither was she disgraced.

She had little luck when fourth in the Sangster Stakes, less than a length behind the Tatt's Tiara second favourite Ruthless Dame.

The proprietor of Turangga Stud, Stuart Ramsay, bred Chain Of Lightning, her sire Fighting Sun, and dam Magic Art.

A $180,000 Magic Millions purchase for Gai Waterhouse and James Harron, Fighting Sun won at Rosehill on debut before adding the Listed Canonbury Stakes on the same track.

Chain Of Lightning can she credit her sire with a posthumous Group 1? (image Grant Courtney)NNN

Unfortunately, the second crop son of Northern Meteor came out of the race with a career-ending injury.

Advertisement

Fighting Sun spent six seasons at Sun Stud before colic claimed him.

Chain Of Lightning comes from his fourth crop and is his standout performer.

The Peter Moody-trained mare is the best of two winners from as many to race for the winning Perugino mare Magic Art.

Like her daughter, Magic Art was trained by Peter Moody and carried the green, white braces, yellow hooped sleeves and cap. Her lone victory in four starts came in a Bairnsdale maiden and placed at Morphettville and Kilmore.

A daughter of the Group III Magic Night Stakes winner Mardi's Magic (Kenny's Best Pal), Magic Art sold at the Inglis July (Late) Online Sale for just $3,250 carrying a filly by Better Land.

Magic Art has a yearling colt by Magna Grecia (IRE), which was a $375,000 purchase for Freedman Racing / Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Davali Thoroughbreds draft at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

The $375,000 Magna Grecia (IRE) half-brother to Chain Of Lightning

Blue Ruby (Lonhro), a half-sister to Magic Art, is the dam of Glint Of Silver (Rubick), who won the Group II MRC Autumn Stakes at Sandown in February.

Mardi’s Magic is a sister to Surrealist, the dam of five-time Group 1 winner Racing To Win, Group III winner Purrealist, and Pinocchio, the dam of Classique Legend and Athero. 

Chain Of Lightning traces back to arguably the most influential mare in history, La Troienne (FR), through her great-great-granddaughter Hula Bend (Never Bend), dam of Group 1 AJC Doncaster Handicap winner Hula Chief and Group 1 STC George Ryder Stakes winner Hula Drum. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
White Robe Lodge to Cheer Smokin' Romans
Group One winner Smokin’ Romans will aim to extend his breeder Brian Anderton’s successful run in the Gr.1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) when he takes his place in the iconic Flemington feature on Tuesday afternoon.
Chain of Lightning Retired to Stud
Yulong purchased Group I ATC TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain of Lightning at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale this year for $2.5million and after two below par runs this spring, the $2.7million earner will now be retired to stud.
2YOs on Show - Flemington Sale Mail
Cup Day at Flemingto will kick off with the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) which has attracted a big field of juveniles including some unraced blueblood homebred babies for Godolphin and Yulong as well as the highest priced yearling by first crop sire Pinatubo (IRE).
A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: Melbourne Cup
There are many great events and coveted prizes on the Australian racing calendar, but no others capture attention quite like the Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Sires With Winners - Monday November 3
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Chain Of Lightning Bounces Back
After losing her unbeaten record when third on a heavy track in the How Now Stakes, Chain Of Lightning bounced back to dominate Saturday’s Group II Lexus Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
A Wet Melbourne Cup Has a Certain Kind of Magic
Wet Melbourne Cups have a different character, and are often memorable... and we might just see one on Tuesday! 
G1 Breeders Cup Winner for Almanzor
Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor (FR) has been firing in the Northern Hemisphere this year and one of his star performers has been French Oaks winner Gezora, who raised the bar again at Del Mar on Sunday when taking out the Group I Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare (1m3f).
DIY Pedigrees for Melbourne Cup – Take the Tip!
If you are having trouble settling on your Melbourne Cup horses a look at pedigree might be a help, so take a flick through our five generation pedigrees for all Cup runners and we’re giving you a clue as to what to look for!
Tara Talks Racing - Melbourne Cup Tips
If you are a racing tragic and horse lover like Clocker and I, Melbourne Cup Eve is as good as it gets, so have a listen to our thoughts and you can put the pen through our very dodgy tips or add them to your multiples!