Best On Breeding - Melbourne Cup

Mark Smith - Sunday November 3

Few Australians would have heard of Sea King (GB) before his impressive win in the Group III Bendigo Cup, but the son of Sea The Stars has a pedigree linked to a part of Melbourne Cup history.

Click here for all Melbourne Cup five generation pedigrees if you wish to do your own  research.

Sea King makes a statement at his Australian debut (image Racing Photos)

Sea King's stakes-winning dam Pamona (Duke Of Marmalade) traces back to the influential mare Mrs Moss (GB), the dam of Japan Cup winner Jupiter Island, Gimcrack Stakes (UK) winner Precocious, Queen Mary Stakes winner Pushy, and Listed winner Krayyan.

Advertisement

Mrs Moss was the foundation mare for Lord and Lady Tavistock's Bloomsbury Stud. The daughter of Reform was a 2,100 guineas purchase as a six-year-old at the 1975 December Sales.

The High Line filly Pedestal was the only one of 12 starters for Mrs Moss, who failed to win. But she proved a significant influence in the Southern Hemisphere through three daughters, Worship (Irish River), Upstage (Quest For Fame), and Kowtow (Shadeed).

Worship is the granddam of stakes-winner and Group II-placed Slice Of Class (Guillotine), Upstage is the dam of the Group 1 winner and outstanding stallion Tavistock, and Kowtow is the dam of the fan favourite Precedence.

The son of Zabeel started in four Melbourne Cups for the Cups King Bart Cummings. The closest he came to winning was sixth at his fourth attempt behind Protectionist (GER).

The nearly $2,000,000 earner would be the last horse Bart Cummings saddled up in the Melbourne Cup.

Revving up for the first Tuesday in November (image Racing Photos)

Pedestal's half-sister Putupon (Mummy's Pet) is Sea King's fourth dam.

She left the Sun Chariot Stakes winner and stakes-producing dam Danceabout (Shareef Dancer).

Danceabout's half-sister Putout (Dowsing) left the Group III Premio Primi Passi winner Palanca (Inchinor), who produced the stakes-winners Prianca (Diktat) and Sea King's dam Pamona.

The daughter of Duke Of Marmalade was an accomplished racemare for Highclere Thoroughbreds.

She won two and placed in five of 14 starts. Her highlight came when winning the Listed John Smith's Silver Cup at York and placed in the Group II Royal Ascot Ribblesdale Stakes, Listed Saint-Cloud Prix Solitude, Listed Newbury Fillies' Trial and Listed York Lyric Stakes.

An 87,000 gns purchase for Barry Lynch / Heath House from the Highclere Stud draft in Book 1 of the 2020 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Sea King (GB) won six races from 15 starts for Sir Mark Prescott.

Purchased by OTI Racing, the 6-year-old gelding was having his first start for Harry Eustace and his first stakes attempt when thrashing Berkeley Square by three-and-three-quarter lengths in the Bendigo Cup.

With Declan Bates unable to make the weight, Hollie Doyle has been handed an exceptional chance to follow in the footsteps of Michelle Payne, who won the Melbourne Cup on Prince of Penzance, which also started from the inside barrier.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sea King Dominant in Bendigo Cup - Stakes Claim for Melbourne Cup
OTI Racing’s Sea King (GB) finished sixth in the Ebor Handicap at York, narrowly in front of the impressive Geelong Cup winner Onesmoothoperator (USA), which proved the right form in Wednesday’s $500,000 Group III Apiam Bendigo Cup (2400m).
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 7
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Racing’s Night of Champions August 28
45 of the top horses in Australia will be recognised for outstanding performances during the 2024/2025 racing season at Racing’s Night of Champions.
Melbourne Cup on Radar for Sons and Lovers
Joseph O’Brien knows what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and that was mentioned as a possible goal for progressive young stayer Sons and Lovers, who won the Group III Ballyroan Stakes (1m4f) at Leopardstown overnight.
Above the Clouds Wins $100,000 Polytrack Championship
It proved to be a long but fruitful day for Kelly Myers on Friday, with the now Central Districts-based hoop riding home Above The Clouds to win the $100,000 TAB Polytrack Championship (2000m) at Cambridge for local trainer Ralph Manning.
Breeders Paradise - Inglis Digital August (early) Online
An abundance of high-quality broodmares – many in foal to some of the hottest young stallions in the Southern Hemisphere – and broodmare prospects headline a “breeders’ paradise’’ in the Inglis Digital August (Early) Online Sale.
One to Watch – Geelong
Team Hawkes were the guiding force behind the racing career of Group I ATC Doncaster Mile winner Brutal and have also prepared his first Group I winner as a sire in Nepotism and they unleashed a debut winner by him at Geelong on Friday.
Ozzmosis First Born is Feeling Frisky!
Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis was in demand at Newgate last spring covering 192 mares and his first born foal that arrived on July 31 at Alma Vale Thoroughbreds is the source of great pride for owners Ian and Cathy Mathieson.
First Godolphin Winner for Maher
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher saddled his first winner for Godolphin at Kembla on Thursday and he did it with a blue-blood colt by Too Darn Hot (GB).
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for last season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end this season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.