A Tragic Loss for Arrowfield

Mark Smith - Wednesday February 14

Arrowfield Stud's talented blueblood Miracle Of Love died of a suspected heart attack during a barrier trial at Scone on Wednesday.

Trained by Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich, the 3-year-old daughter of Dundeel and Miss Finland started three times.

A third on debut in the Listed Woodlands Stud Stakes at Scone last May, Miracle Of Love broke her maiden a fortnight later at Doomben.

Advertisement

Solidly backed in the Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes at Eagle Farm on June 10, Miracle Of Love clocked in second behind King Colorado and has not started since.

A distraught John Messara told Racenet it took some time to process the tragic news.

"Paul rang, it was the call I'd been waiting for, and I thought he was going to tell me how well the filly trialled,'' Messara told Racenet.

"But when he told me what happened, I said: 'You are pulling my leg'. I couldn't believe it.

"I feel so sorry for Paul; he has put so much work into this filly. She was an outstanding filly; we thought she had Group 1 potential.

"We couldn't wait to get her back to the races, and then this happened. This game is a great leveller.''

Miracle Of Love is a half-sister to Group 1 MRC One Thousand Guineas heroine Stay With Me (Street Cry), the dam of dual Listed stakes-winner Waltz On By (I Am Invincible).

The 5-time Group 1 winner, Miss Finland, has a 2-year-old colt by Castelvecchio named Castel Nuovo in the stable of Richard Litt. Ottavio Galletta had purchased him for $280,000 from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Miss Finland's final foal is a yearling sister to Miracle Of Love.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
It’s a busy time of year for late season juveniles looking get a run on the board before they turn three and eight heats at the Rosehill trials on Friday were won by two year-olds including some unraced youngsters by gun first season sires Wootton Bassett (GB), Ole Kirk and Farnan.
Breeding To Win - 2025 Royal Ascot G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes
In the depths of our Aussie winter nights there is nothing better than tuning in to all the pomp and glory of Royal Ascot and as we have passed the halfway mark it's time to look towards Saturday night and the iconic sprint that has been won four times previously by an Aussie bred horse.
Aussie Owned Filly Wins G1 Royal Ascot Coronation Stakes
Long shots were the order of the day at Royal Ascot on Day 4 and there was no bigger or better upset than the 33-1 shock winner of the Group I Coronation Stakes (1m) for three year-old fillies with the winner Cercene sired by Epsom Derby winner Australia and owned by Australian Shane Stafford.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 19
Here is the full list of 37 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 20
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Significant racing and breeding prospects aplenty in June (Late ) Sale
A range of intriguing broodmares and breeding prospects – as well as many young, in-form racehorses suitable for both the domestic and Hong Kong market – headline a stellar catalogue for the Inglis Digital June (Late) Online Sale.
Best On Breeding
Saturday's JJ Atkins Plate (1600m) at Eagle Farm is the final Group 1 for juveniles, and Dundeel has two solid chances to add to a career-best season with his two-year-olds.
New 2YO Stakes Winner for Hello Youmzain
The Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) was one of the few age-group features in the lower North Island that was missing from Lisa Latta’s CV, but the fast-improving filly Platinum Diamond dealt to that unfinished business at Otaki on Friday.
Coolmore 2YO Domination at Royal Ascot
Coolmore continued their domination of the juvenile features at Royal Ascot overnight with an impressive win in the Group II Norfolk Stakes (5f) for Charles Darwin, the full brother to 2022 Champion European 2YO Colt Blackbeard.
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.