Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday October 31

Just three stallions, Zoustar, Exceed And Excel, and I Am Invincible, have sired the last six winners of the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Exceednace and September Run won in 2019 and 2020 for Exceed And Excel. Home Affairs (2021) and In Secret (2020) for I Am Invincible in successive years after Brazen Beau got the ball rolling in 2014.

Zoustar chimed in with Sunlight in 2018 and Ozmossis last year and will be favoured to continue the run with Growing Empire, who will be out to emulate his sire, grandsire and great-grandsire.

I Am Invincible has  Bodyguard and  Enriched, while Written Tycoon has four runners, First Settler, Yoshinobu, Gallant Son, and Golden Slipper winner  Lady of Camelot.

One glaring omission from the list of Coolmore Stud Stakes winning sires is Snitzel.

Advertisement

SWwitzerland preps for the Golden Slipper with a win in the Todman Stakes (image Steve Hart)

The Arrowfield champion can right that anomaly on Saturday with Bittercreek, Switzerland and Gatsby's.

Switzerland was the talk of the town when reeling off three consecutive wins in Sydney at two, culminating in the Group II Todman Stakes.

The Chris Waller-trained colt was well-fancied in the Golden Slipper but looked flat when finishing midfield.

Even more worrying was his 3-yer-old bow in the Group II Run To The Rose at Rosehill, trailing home last of the nine runners won by one of his rivals on Saturday, Traffic Warden.

The pressure was released when  Switzerland dominated in the Roman Consul Stakes at Rosehill, with four of his rivals on Saturday, Coleman, Yoshinobu and Gatsby's, left in his wake.

Few runners would benefit more from a win in the Coolmore from a stallion perspective than Switzerland.

A magnificent physical specimen befitting his $1,500,000 purchase by Tom Magnier from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Switzerland, is the first foal of the high-class Blame (USA) mare Ms Bad Behavior (CAN), a US$600,000 buy for Freyer Bloodstock at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

A 3-time winner and placed in eight of her 14 starts while banking over $500,000, Ms Bad Behavior (CAN)  was a Grade III winner at Kentucky Downs, and all eight placings came in stakes races.

What's he worth if he wins the Coolmore (image Steve Hart)

A half-sister to stakes-winners One Bad Boy and Blessed Truly, Ms Bad Behavior (CAN) is a daughter of the honest Stormy Atlantic mare Cumulonimble who rarely failed to pick up a cheque with eight wins and eight places from 20 starts with career highlights came when winnings of the Listed Lincoln Heritage Hcp at Arlington Park.

Ms Bad Behavior's half-sister, Magical Elegance (CAN), landed in Australia in April, so she might be one to keep an eye on.

Switzerland a $1,500,000 Inglis Easter yearling

Tony Fung's TFI Racing had the final say at $550,000 for a brother to Switzerland at the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Ms Bad Behavior (CAN) has been married to Snitzel for the first five years, resulting in five colts.

Sitzel has enjoyed a remarkable start to the season, blowing the opposition out of the water with nine individual stakes-winners.

Besides his Coolmore trio, The 22-year-old son of Redoute's Choice has chances in the Victoria Derby ( Saint Emilion), Golden Eagle (Makarena), Furphy Sprint (Dashing Legend), Vanity Stakes (Jellicious).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Trapeze Artist Filly Wins G3 Widden
It only seems fitting that a filly bred at Widden Stud should win the Group III ATC Widden Stakes (1100m) with victory at Rosehill on Saturday going to Trapeze Artist filly Chilly Girl.
Switzerland Wins the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes for Coolmore
After Coolmore’s $875,000 I Am Invincible colt Home Affairs captured the Coolmore Stud Stakes in 2021, it was the turn of the $1,500,000 Snitzel colt Switzerland to do the sponsor proud in the $2,000,000 Group 1 feature at Flemington on Saturday.
G3 JRA Plate Goes To Willaidow
Having been a great money earner for connections, the Marc and Mitchell Conners trained Shamus Award gelding Willaidow recorded consecutive wins in the Group 3 sprint, taking out this year’s $250,000 ATC G3 JRA Plate (1200m) at Rosehill.
$1.7million Apocalyptic Brother Wins G3 Canonbury on Debut
The market for this year’s $5million Group I ATC Golden Slipper was thrown upside down, shaken and stirred after the running of the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday with victory going to blueblood first starter Hidrix.
Embellish Filly Wins G2 Lowland Stakes
Robbie Patterson looks to have another serious Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) contender on his hands following Ultimate Habit’s victory at Trentham on Saturday and as her names suggests, she is from the family of the great champion Rough Habit.
Blue Diamond Equal Favouritism For Big Sky – Half Sister At Inglis Classic
Even more impressive than his debut victory, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s 2yo Bivouac colt Big Sky further highlighted his claim on the $2m G1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) with an emphatic three length victory in the G3 MRC Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield to remain unbeaten.
Wrote Mare Turns Back the Clock for Second G3 Bellmaine
Seven-year-old mare Wrote To Arataki landed her second Gr.3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) three years after her first, with a strong front-running success under Dean Yendall at Caulfield on Saturday.
30th SW Almanzor - Manzor Blue Wins G3 Wellington Cup
Palmerton North mare Manzor Blue caused a major upset when taking out the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on Saturday.
$1.5million Switzerland Keeps His Golden Slipper Hopes Alive - Brother to Sell at Easter
After purchasing the Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy, Coolmore took a stranglehold on the Golden Slipper after the professional performance from exquisite Snitzel colt Switzerland in Saturday’s Pierro Plate (II00m) at Randwick.
Cambridge Stud Homebred 2YO Wins G3 Colin Jillings Classic
Exciting filly Liguria opened her winning account in fine style with a courageous victory at stakes level when she claimed the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m) at Ellerslie.