Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday October 5

Coolmore Stud's Triple Crown hero, Justify (USA), is hitting the right notes. We witnessed two jaw-dropping performances from his two-year-old colt City Of Troy in the Group II Superlative Stakes at Newmarket and three-year-old filly Opera Singer in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.

Advertisement

The Group II Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington is a prestigious race for three-year-old fillies that looks good on any CV. Justify (USA) has a serious contender in the Peter Moody and Catherine Coleman-trained Legacies.

Legacies has been an honest trouper in an even field that has promised more than it has yet delivered.

The winner of a strong maiden at Cranbourne when on debut in April, Legacies added black-type when romping home in the Listed Anzac Day Stks at Sandown-Hillside a fortnight later.

Off the scene for eighteen weeks, the chestnut filly separated Veight and Little Brose in the Group III McNeil stakes at Caulfield.

At her most recent start, Legacies was a disappointing sixth behind the promising Trapeze Artist colt Griff in the Exford Plate (1400m) at Flemington. There may be a genuine excuse as she pulled up heavy in the wind with poor post-race recovery.

Legacies strolls home in Listed Anzac Stakes (image Scott Barbour/ Racing Photos

A Rosemont Farm homebred, Legacies is the best of four winners from Abyssinie (IRE), a €180,000 purchase from the Castlebridge consignment at the 2016 Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale.

Bred by the Wildenstein family's Dayton Investments, the daughter of Danehill Dancer finished unplaced in two runs in France.

She can boast some illustrious siblings, being a three-quarter sister to multiple Group I winners Artiste Royale (Hollywood Park Charles Whittingham Memorial H, Oak Tree Clement L Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship) and Aquarelliste (Prix de Diane, Prix Vermeille, Prix Ganay).

Peter Moody has some previous experience with the family, having put the polish on another three-quarter brother to Abyssinie (IRE), Annenkov (IRE).

The look of eagles' (image Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

The Listed VRC Airplane Plate winner, the race after Viewed, claimed the Melbourne Cup for Bart Cummings, Annenkov (IRE), placed in the Group 1 Perth Railway Stakes and Group II CB Cox Stakes.

Abyssinie (IRE) is a daughter of the crack racemare Agathe (Manilla), who won the Group II Prix de Psyché, and was runner-up in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, and third in the Group 1 Prix de Diane.

Abyssinie (image Goffs)

Agathe's half-brother Arcangues won the Group 1 Breeders' Cup Classic and Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan, while Agathe's sister Afrique Bleu Azur produced the Group 1 One Thousand Guineas heroine, Afrique Bleu Azur.

Abyssinie has a yearling filly by Starcraft and was covered by Strasbourg last spring.

Advertisment
More Reading...
First G1 Winner for St Marks Basilica - 1.7million Filly Undefeated
The top lot at the 2025 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale was a blueblood St Mark’s Basilica filly from blue hen Prudenzia that sold for €1.7million to MV Magnier and she became the first Group I winner for her sire when charging home to win the Group I Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m) at Longchamp.
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Surprise Bart Cummings Victory Secures Valiant King Melbourne Cup Run
It’s not often you see a runner from the Chris Waller stable go around at 50/1 odds, but 6yo gelding Valiant King (GB) produced an outstanding effort to win Saturday’s $350,000 Group 3 VRC Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington, securing himself a run in this year’s $10m Gr1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m).
McGaw Firms For Coolmore Stud Stakes After G2 Danehill Win
Considered an outside chance in betting markets, Emma-Lee and David Browne’s I Am Immortal gelding McGaw dented the reputation of a few leading Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes contenders with a fighting win in the $300,000 Gr2 VRC Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
Dazzling ANZAC Day Stakes Victory for Justify Filly
The postponed Listed MRC ANZAC Day Stakes (1400m) was run at Sandown on Saturday and won in spectacular style by untapped Justify (USA) filly Legacies, who looms as a real star of the future.
Aussie Bred Asfoora Wins Third G1 on Arc Day in France
Victorians breeders celebrated overnight with Aussie bred and owned Flying Artie mare Asfoora returning to her dazzling best on one of the world’s biggest stages to win the Group I Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m) with a scintillating performance on Arc Day in France.
One to Watch – Cranbourne
Currently leading the Australian first season sires list by earnings, Triple Crown hero Justify (USA) posted an impressive debut winner at Cranbourne on Friday.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 5
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.