Despite being a stakes-placed daughter of Redoute's Choice from a family chockful of stakes-winners, Pleiades had worn out her welcome after eight seasons at Darley Stud and found herself in the Godolphin consignment heading to the 2023 Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
At the time, Pleiades had four named foals; three raced, and two were winners.
Back home, she had a yearling colt by Frosted (USA) and a weanling colt by Astern.
Carrying a filly from the first crop of Shamardal's Poule d'Essai des Poulains (2,000 Guineas) and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Victor Ludorum (GB), Pleiades was a modest $16,000 purchase for Matt Houldsworth/Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA)/Merricks Station.
Two months after foaling her Victor Ludorum (GB) filly, Pleiades' now 2-year-old Frosted gelding named Pisces made a winning debut at Kembla Grange. He defeated Madrina (Street Boss) and his better-fancied stablemate Glorioso (Epaulette), both recent winners, Madrina at Randwick and Glorioso at Ballarat.
A fortnight after his debut, Pisces was no match for the top-class Straight Charge over 1100m at Randwick but was just half a length astern of the likeable Erno's Cube (Rubick), who would win the Group II Reisling Stakes and place in the Silver Slipper, Percy Sykes Stakes, and an honourable fourth behind Storm Boy in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
Pisces navigated a less ambitious path. After an 18-week break, Frosted's son finished a close-up fourth behind the highly regarded, $800,000 I Am Invincible colt Ikasara over 1100m at Rosehill. Second-placed Althoff won the Group III Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) at the Sunshine Coast at his next start.
After winning a metropolitan race at Newcastle and placing at Randwick, Pisces headed south. He went down narrowly to Wonder Boy (Cosmic Force), to whom he conceded 4kgs, over 1200m at Flemington.
At his most recent start, Pisces had no luck when narrowly defeated by Sneaky Sunrise (The Autumn Sun) over 1420m at Flemington, and the pair face off again in Saturday's Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington.
Pleiades has played second fiddle to her talented sister Glissade, who won on debut at Randwick and was runner-up in the Blue Diamond Prelude.
Glissade failed to train on; however, she has been a star producer for Godolphin.
Her first foal, Flow (Street Cry), was a 6-time winner and multiple stakes-placed earner of nearly $600,000.
Glissade hit paydirt with her third foal, Flit (Medaglia d'Oro), who won the Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas, Group II ATC Light Fingers Stakes and Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.
Pleiades and Glissade are daughters of the Zabeel mare Steflara. A $170,000 yearling purchase for Jason Abrahams, Steflara won the Group III AJC Breeders Classic when ridden by Zac Pudon for John O'Shea.
Steflara continued the family's run of stakes-winners as her dam Blue Storm (Bluebird) won the Group III VRC Frances Tressady Stakes and Group III VATC Mannerism Stakes, and her dam (My) Gold Hope was a Group 1 winner on both sides of the Tasman.
A daughter of the 1972 Golden Slipper winner John's Hope, Gold Hope was bred by Norm Rogers and was raced on lease by Tony and Richard Hodgkinson from Hastings, who sent her to Ray Verner.
Gold Hope won the Group 1 Railway Hcp at Aukland and rarely ventured further than 1200m.
In the autumn of 1982, Gold Hope was tested at 1600m for four consecutive races, culminating with a win in the Group II New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes.
It encouraged connections to take their chance in the Group 1 Doncaster Hcp at Randwick. Gold Hope prevailed in a roughhouse race and proved that there was no fluke when defeating Manikato in the Group 1 All-Aged Stakes.
Sent to Brisbane for the Winter Carnival, Gold Hope made it three on the bounce in the QTC Katie's Cup.
Frosted (USA) no longer shuttles, but Pisces is one of several promising two-year-olds this season for the son of Tapit . His five winners from 15 runners are led by the WA sensation Bustling and Godolphin's promising Snack Bar, a winner at Caulfield and Ballarat and never off the board in five starts.
After foaling her Victor Ludorum (GB) filly last spring, Pleiades was covered by Hellbent.
