Pedigree Watch - Nicks That Click and a History Lesson

Tara Madgwick - Sunday September 1

This active champion sire is making increasing waves as a broodmare sire and his daughters produced two of the most interesting stakes-winners on Saturday in a new Group I winner and a colt chasing G1 success this spring with both highlighting a couple of nicks that click.

At age 22, Snitzel is moving into the twilight years of what has been a remarkable stud career for Arrowfield and the power of his daughters was demonstrated on Saturday.

Pinstriped gets a deserved G1 - image Grant Courtney

Causing an upset in the $750,000 Group I MRC Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield was six year-old journeyman Pinstriped, who has long promised to win a G1 and got the job done when outpointing Mr Brightside to claim victory, read about him here.

Pinstriped is the ninth Group I winner for his sire Street Boss (USA) and is the fourth for Snitzel as a broodmare sire. The two sires share a perfect strike rate with their nick producing seven winners from seven runners including two stakes-winners, so 100% winner to runner and 28% SW to runner.

Pinstriped was bred by Noorilim Park Thoroughbreds, but there is a distinctly Arrowfield flavour to his female family as his dam Snitzel Blitz was bred and sold by them making just $24,000 as a weanling at Magic Millions back in 2012.

She has an interesting back story as she is from unraced Francophile, who was co-bred by Arrowfield and Sheikh Mohammed’s Gainsborough Stud, which eventually became part of the Darley Godolphin conglomerate. Francophile was from blue-blooded import Phantom Creek (GB), a half-sister by Mr Prospector to World Champion 2YO Arazi and Champion Miler Noverre that arrived in Australia in foal to Sunday Silence.

This was back in a time when Arrowfield were doing quite a bit of breeding with Sunday Silence in sending mares to Japan, but Phantom Creek was the jewel in the crown in terms of pedigree back then and when her colt arrived at Inglis Easter in 2003 he was the star of the show.

Advertisement

He made $1.7million to top the sale and was exported to Japan where he raced as Vril, winning eight races and being stakes-placed.

In the 20 years since that sale, this family has largely been in the doldrums apart from a successful offshoot in India with the 2022 Indian Horse of the Year Zuccarelli claiming Phantom Creek as his third dam as does Pinstriped!

Growing Empire returns with a bang - image Grant Courtney

The Group III MRC McNeil Stakes (1200m) was won in eye-catching style by exciting Zoustar colt Growing Empire, read about him here.

Like Pinstriped, Growing Empire is from a daughter of Snitzel, whose daughters are doing some good things with Zoustar. The nick has produced 11 winners from 13 runners and four are stakes-winners – Growing Empire, North Star Lass, Millane, Zou Tiger – so 30% SW to runner.

The nick between these two sires gives a close double cross of champion sire Redoute’s Choice and of the 13 stakes-winners in total that have this double cross, eight of them are by Zoustar. There is yet to be a Group I winner bred this way, but Growing Empire will be looking to change that.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Season Finale Flourish for So You Think
Coolmore stalwart So You Think is powering to the end of the Australian racing season with a six winner flurry on Saturday highlighted by a winning treble at Randwick led by his progressive mare Oh Diamond Lil.
Hello Youmzain Filly Wins NZ Last Stakes Race of Season
Talented juvenile filly Platinum Diamond made all posts a winner when she captured her second consecutive stakes victory in the last black type feature of the 2024-2025 racing season, the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.
Unbeaten Run Continues For Ole Kirk’s Daughter Ole Dancer
Successful in the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic at Murray Bridge on debut back in March, the Peter Moody and Katherine Colemen trained filly Ole Dancer resumed at Sandown on Saturday, winning the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1200m) to remain unbeaten.
St Mark’s Basilica Filly Impressive at Ascot
Due back at Coolmore Australia this spring, St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) had an impressive new winner overnight at Ascot in the UK where Princess Petrol stormed to victory.
Exciting Farnan Colt Wins for Mulberry Racing
A standout in the mounting yard on type at Randwick on Saturday, Farnan colt Nashville Jack has also been an eye-catcher at the recent trials in Sydney and he delivered on potential when resuming from a spell with a stylish win.
Consecutive Black Type Victories For Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz
Stepping up to open company is always a tough task, but 3yo Snitzel filly Bridal Waltz graduated from a last start Listed win over her own age to win the $200,000 Group 3 MRC Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 26
Here is the full list of 86 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Winning Hat-Trick for Gold Standard 2YO
When an unheralded sire produces a Group I winner in their first crop as happened for Sebring stallion Gold Standard it can take a long time for the benefit of that early splash to take effect, but in his case the wait is nearly over and in the meantime Destiny’s Summit is a good reminder as to his merit.
First SW For So You Think Stallion Tamasa As Cicala Takes Out Lightning
One of just three named foals by the So You Think stallion Tamasa, the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea trained 3yo filly Cicala remained unbeaten, going three from three by winning the $120,000 Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.
One to Watch Wins Again in Saturday Class
The half-brother to Group II winner Stretan Angel, lightly raced three year-old Brutal gelding Glorious Moments was in a class of his own at Randwick on Saturday.