Top Priced Filly Breaks Her Maiden

Mark Smith - Sunday January 21

Twenty-four hours after Estijaab, the second top-priced filly of the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, broke her maiden at Randwick it was the turn of the sale-topping filly Al Naifa to break the ice at Sale.

The Tony McEvoy-trained filly was sent off an odds-on favourite following an impressive debut when narrowly beaten at Moonee Valley on December 8.

Advertisement

The daughter of Redoute's Choice travelled sweetly outside the Godolphin debutant Nivalis before Andrew Mallyon released the breaks to push her out to defeat Shadwell's Hinchinbrook filly Gheedaa by one and three-quarter lengths with Dramadale (Real Saga) back in third.


McEvoy stable representative Michael Shepherdson said they treated the race a step to better things to come.

"She was real professional today, at the Valley, if she didn't hit the front she was close to it and switched off," he said.

She has done that in her trackwork and her trials, she only does what she has too, so it was good to see her go on with it today.

"She's a filly that has always shown a high amount of talent, so today was all about giving her a good experience and try and accumulate some prizemoney which she will help her get into the better races.

A $1.8 million purchase by Tim Stakemire on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum from the Newhaven Park draft, Al Naifa is a half-sister to Group I winner and $2.8 million earner English (Encosta de Lago).

The equal third highest priced yearling filly ever by Redoute's Choice, Al Naifa is the third winner from as many foals out of the Anabaa (USA) mare Court whose five wins included the Group II AJC Sapphire Stakes and Group II BTC Champagne Classic.

Newhaven Park will offer a Snitzel filly out of Court at the Inglis Australia Easter Yearling Sale in April.

Despite being courted by Redoute's Choice, Not A Single Doubt and Medaglia d'Oro (USA) in 2016, Court failed to conceive. She was covered by Snitzel last spring.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Another Aussie SW Sourced from Aga Khan Studs
When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 29
Here is the full list of 53 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Big Pedigrees Don’t Always Spell Black Type
The breeding of thoroughbreds is a very inexact science which is why we saw siblings to a pair of Group I winners fighting out the finish of a very pedestrian 1100m maiden at Ballarat on Sunday.
Wootton Bassett Winning Whirl
It was a red letter day for Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Curragh overnight with a treble of winners highlighted by top class filly Whirl, who captured the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f), a race won by the mighty Via Sistina in 2023.
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Unbeaten So You Think 3YO WA's New Excitement Machine
One month to the day since he first set foot on a racecourse, So You Think’s three year old son  Opportunistic remains undefeated from three starts, is a dual stakes winner with earnings of $200,250 to his name, and is WA's new rising star of the turf.
$3million Won Through Inglis Xtra Bonus
A staggering $3m has now been won as part of the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series following today’s victory by the Cody Morgan-trained 3YO Considered at Dubbo.
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
How Much for a Snitzel Colt from Winx?
The record price for a yearling by the late champion sire Snitzel stands at $2.8million, but that benchmark looks set to be smashed at Inglis Easter next year.