Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday February 1

The two-year-olds take centre stage on Saturday with the Group III Lamaro's Hotel Chairman's Stakes at Caulfield and the Group III Arrowfield Canonbury Stakes and Group III Widden Stakes at Rosehill.

It shapes as an important day for Pierata, who has made an encouraging start to his stud career despite being overshadowed by his Yulong barn mate, Alabama Express.

The Listed Debutant stakes winner Coleman remains the only winner for Pierata from nine starters, although the vast majority have shown above-average ability. The $550,000 Magic Millions purchase resumes from a 15-week break in the Chairman's Stakes where he was carry a 2kg penalty.

Fearless a $220,000 Inglis Classic yearling

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pierata colt Fearless makes his first appearance since a meritorious fourth in the Group III Breeders Plate in the Canonbury Stakes for colts and geldings.

Advertisement

In the Widden Stakes for Fillies, Pierata has two debutants worth watching, the TFI and Kia Ora Stud colour-bearer Pushpa and the impressive trialer Wave Breaker.

Fearless looked something a bit special when winning at the official 2-year-old trials at Randwick last September, and there was a lot to like about the way he attacked the line in the Breeders’ Plate, won by Espionage from Straight Charge and Prost.

Fearless was bought by James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for $220,000 from the Highgrove Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

He is the second foal of the Rothesay mare Matildare, whose first foal, Tycoon Jenny, is showing great promise.

After winning at Pakenham on debut last July, the daughter of Written Tycoon finished second at Caulfield and Sandown, after which she was transferred from Greg Eurell to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.  

Matildare had more trainers than wins. A $70,000 purchase for Robert Dare at the 2014 National Yearling Sale, the daughter of Rothesay won three and placed in five of her 20 starts while banking $52,600.

Consigned by Baystone Farm to the 2019 National Broodmare Sale when carrying Typhoon Jenny, Matildare was a $350,000 purchase for Aquis Farm, which got $230,000 of that back when selling the daughter of Written Tycoon as a weanling.

This is serious money, so it is no surprise that Matildare hails from a black-type-laden family. The daughter of the Vain mare National Song is a half-sister to stakes-placed Gold Anthem (Made Of Gold), the dam of the outstanding racehorse and sire Starspangledbanner, and the stakes-placed Gold Chant (El Moxie), dam of the Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas winner Amicus (Fastnet Rock).

Starspangledbanner,(image Mark Smith)

National Song is a half-sister to the AJC Australian Oaks heroine Circles Of Gold (Marscay), the dam of Haradasun, Elvstroem and Hveger, who has championed the line across the globe as the dam of Highland Reel (IRE), Cape Of Good Hope (IRE), and Out Idaho (IRE).

Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $160,000 for Matildare at the 2021 Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale. She has not been the most reliable conveyance, with two foals in her first five seasons. After foaling a Russian Revolution colt in October, she was bred back to the Newgate Farn stallion.

Matildare does not have a yearling this year, but a look at the Breednet family search reveals that several studs will be monitoring Fearless's progress. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Countdown to NZB’s 2025 Weanling Sale
The countdown to NZB’s 2025 National Weanling Sale is underway, with a compact yet quality catalogue of 134 youngsters, plus 10 supplementary lots, selling this Thursday 26 June at Karaka. 
Waikato Stud Weanling Draft Showcases Super Stallions
After a phenomenal few months for Waikato Stud’s stallion roster, the world-renowned nursery will offer six select progeny of those high-flying sires at this week’s NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka.
Aussie Bred HK G3 Double
A pair of Group III races were run at Sha Tin on Sunday with victory in the two last stakes races of the HK season both going to Aussie bred geldings Beauty Joy and Copartner Prance, who is a half-brother to Aquis based sire Kobayashi.
Royal Ascot Day 4- Roughies Rule and an Aussie Owned Fairytale
The racing roller coaster took a big dive at Royal Ascot on Day 4 which was not a good day for favourite backers with roughies ruling in both G1 races and a first season sire produced the winner of the juvenile feature on the card.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Canterbury
There were a whopping 10 heats won by juveniles at the Canterbury trials on Monday morning that included some interesting unraced youngsters by Zoustar, Zousain and Trapeze Artist, plus a good looking youngster that may see the benefit of gelding.
Royal Ascot Day 5 – Runaway, Rising Empire and My Best Friend
After five spectacular days of racing, Royal Ascot is over with the finale overnight producing high drama with a runaway G1 winner, the rise of a racing empire and the first stakes horse for St Mark’s Basilica.
Highview Makes Welcome Return to Weanling Sale
Many of the vendors at this month’s NZB National Weanling Sale are familiar faces who are renowned for their quality drafts at this sale every year, but the 2025 edition also sees an old friend being welcomed back to the fold.
Bonny Grey Mare Wins G3 Strickland
Last December at Ascot, popular grey mare Admiration Express (My Admiration) nearly caused the upset result of the year when she charged home at odds of 100/1 in the G1 Northerly Stakes for second behind Victorian raider Light Infantry Man.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 21
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 22
Here is the full list of 76 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.