One To Watch - Balaklava

Mark Smith - Sunday February 25

A two-year-old maiden over 1050 metres at Balaklava seems a low-key debut for a colt whose pedigree would not be out of place in a Group 1 at Royal Ascot.

The Tony McEvoy-trained Farooq was among the first out of the gates for Jamie Kah before settling down on the outside of the pacesetting Martinique.

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When Kah released the brakes, Farooq left his four rivals floundering. When the judge called a halt the son of the legendary Frankel won by a widening six lengths over Charmist (Charge Forward) with Martinique a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.


Farooq sports the silks of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum who purchased Farooq's dam Rostova through Tim Stakemire for $850,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

She was carrying Farooq at the time of her sale.

Rostova (pictured ) was a top-class racemare.

The daughter of Testa Rossa won five stakes races highlighted by the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes and Group II VRC Sires' Produce Stakes.

Rostova has a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock, a colt foal by Medaglia d'Oro (USA) and was covered by Snitzel last spring.

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