Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday June 21

One of five runners for Tony Gollan in Saturday's Listed Gordon's Gin Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich, the 4-year-old Spirit Of Boom mare Bezique has been set a stiff task with 58kgs from an outside barrier.

Bezique has paid her dues as a runner-up in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes, Listed Bright Shadow Stakes, and Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes.

A $475,000 purchase for Black Soil Bloodstock/John Foote Bloodstock/Gollan Racing from the Strawberry Hill draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the daughter of Spirit Of Boom has a record of four wins and three seconds from 12 starts with earnings of $225,950.

A half-sister to Listed winner Eawase (Sebring) and Group III-placed Sensical (Zoustar), Bezique is the daughter of the flying Not A Single Doubt mare Karuta Queen.

Bezique a $475,000 Magic Millions yearling

A $30,000 Magic Millions purchase for Glenn Williams, Karuta Queen was an early favourite for the Golden Slipper when reeling off four consecutive wins for trainer Neville Layt, culminating with an emotional victory in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.

Some gloss went off when she was beaten as a long odd-on favourite in the Black Opal Stakes, and she finished 10th in Sepoy's Golden Slipper.

The following season, the flashy chestnut won the Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m), the Group III Australia Stakes (1200m) and a second behind Black Caviar in the Group II Schillaci Stakes (1000m), albeit at a safe four and a quarter lengths.

Advertisement

Karuta Queen again chased Black Caviar home in the Group I William Reid Stakes with her future beau Spirit Of Boom back in sixth.

By this time, she was in the Peter Moody stable, sporting the colours of John Singleton, who had purchased the daughter of Not A Single Doubt in a private transaction after she failed to meet her reserve at the National Broodmare Sale.

Karuta Queen now takes her place alongside some of the world's most valuable horse flesh at Yulong after selling for $600,000 at the 2023 Strawberry Hill dispersal. She was carrying a Zoustar filly and was covered in December by Pierata.

Karuta Queen was the best of eight winners from the speedy Final Card mare Card Queen. Her five wins were highlighted by her victory over Northeast Sheila, Dance Baby Dance, Miss Pennymoney and Cloister in the Group III Blue Diamond Prelude.

At the Strawberry Hill Dispersal, Karuta Queen's weanling brother to Bezique was sold to Mick Price Racing & Breeding for $280,000. He has been named Poker, while  Karuta Queen's 3-time winning daughter Oh Please Dianna was another heading to Yulong after being knocked down for $375,000. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Via Sistina Joins Two Group One Legends
Via Sistina is certainly in rare air and if you want another stat to put her in perspective – yesterday’s Winx Stakes win saw her become one of only three horses in the last 40 years to win eight Group One races in a 12-month period.
Navy King sails to Valley victory
A well-judged front-running ride by Daniel Stackhouse has aided five-year-old gelding Navy King to claim the lion’s share of the prize in the MSC Signs Handicap (2040m) at The Valley on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 23
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Hard To Cross swoops to Valley win
Six-year-old gelding Hard To Cross was aided by the three-kilo claim of Rose Hammond as the Kiwi bred landed his first victory of the preparation when landing the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap (1523m).
Idyllic Prince Stakes - Phanta Leads a Sweet Trifecta for Gingerbread Man
Yarradale Stud's senior stallion Gingerbread Man achieved a rare career high for any sire when the son of Shamardal provided the trifecta in Saturday's Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes over 1300m at Belmont Park.
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Now Online
The strongest collection of sire power ever assembled for an Australian 2YO Sale will be offered at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, for which the catalogue is now available online.
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
Sires With Winners - Sunday August 24
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Bates gets creative at The Valley
Six-year-old gelding The Creator led throughout to claim the Ladbrokes Top 2/3/4 Betting Handicap (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday under a perfect Logan Bates ride.
Wootton Bassett Juvenile G2 Double
Wootton Bassett (GB) featured in Ireland overnight at The Curragh with two stakes-winning juveniles, Constitution River taking out the the Group II Futurity (7f), while the Group II Debutante (7f) went to the filly Composing, who comes from the family of Amelia’s Jewel.