It is time to pay homage to the Emirates Park Stud stalwart Al Maher with his most accomplished son, Private Eye, striving to break a year-long drought when defending his title in the $1,000,000 Group II Yarraman Park The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Emirates Park Stud farewelled Al Maher recently at the age of 23 following a short illness.
After covering an average of 150 mares in his first three seasons, the son of Danehill covered more than 100 mares in just three of his next 15 seasons.
Of his 39 stakes-winners, 11 came from the first crop: All Legal (Villiers Stakes), Amaethon (Testa Rossa Stakes), Budriguez (Blamey Stakes), Cabernet (Summoned Stakes), Dance With Her (Schweppervesence Stakes), King Lionheart (Shannon Stakes), Kinnersley (Lord Mayors Cup), Majestic Music (Edward Manifold Stakes, Marheta (Doomben Roses), Speedy Natalie (Asian Racing Trophy), and Unchain My Heart (Andrew Ramsden Stakes).
It took another two crops for Al Maher's first Group 1 winner, Fat Al (Epsom Hcp). He was followed by Diamond Drille (Queen Of The Turf Stakes), Almalad (JJ Atkins Stakes), and Delicacy (Schweppes Oaks and South Australia Derby), whose record of 12 wins and five placings in 19 starts saw her recognised among the best to come out of Western Australia.
Al Maher went six seasons without a Group 1 winner when Kerrie Tibbey's Goodwood Farm sent him the Shamardal mare Confidential Queen.
In three starts, Confidential Queen had finished in front of four of her 30 opponents, earning a $900 participation bonus.
When Widden Stud consigned Confidential Queen to the 2015 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, in foal to Star Witness, Kerrie Tibbey encountered little opposition, taking her home for $13,000.
It proved a solid investment early when Tricolours Racing shelled out $60,000 for the Star Witness colt at the 2017 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale. Named Royal Witness, he proved a reliable money spinner, winning six races and placing in 14 of 40 starts while banking $409,215.
Royal Witness spent the greater part of his career with Joe Pride, so there was no great surprise when the Warwick Farm-based trainer teamed up with Proven Thoroughbreds to purchase Private Eye for $62,500 out of the Ambergate Farm draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Private Eye reeled off five wins after finishing fifth of eight at Wyong at his only start at two. The first stakes win came when defeating Apache Chase in the Group II Queensland Guineas, and subsequently added the Group 1 ATC Epsom Handicap, Group II VRC Gilgai Stakes, Group II ATC The Shorts, Group III ATC Show County Quality Handicap, and the $3,000,000 Nature Strip Stakes. Second in the Everest, Lightning Stakes, and Stradbroke Handicap, Al Maher's son has earned $10,673,185 for his grateful owners.
Despite her lacklustre race record, Confidential Queen had plenty to recommend her on breeding.
A half-sister to the Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes runner-up King's Troop, Confidential Queen is the daughter of Sandown winner Royal Snippets (Royal Academy), a half-sister to Snippets, Hinchinbrook, Viennese, and Weiner (the dam of Group 1 Epsom Hcp winner Rediener and Listed winner Rathlin).
Proven Thoroughbreds and Pride Racing went back to the well to purchase Confidential Queen's Shalaa (IRE) colt for $100,000 at the 2023 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, while a filly by the same sire fell short of her $500,000 reserve this year at Easter.
After missing in 2022, Confidential Queen visited Anamoe in November.
