Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday March 1

Back in May 1978, an imported mare named Lady Upstage (GB) made an inauspicious debut over 1200 metres at Randwick beating just two of her seven opponents home.

However, the daughter of High Line continued to improve throughout the year capturing three races highlighted by the Listed STC Christmas Cup.

Foaled when her dam was 23-years old, Lady Upstage (GB) was a half-sister to Khalekan (GB) (Alycidon) who created a great deal more interest when he was imported to Australia as a three-year-old on the advice of top jockey Des Lake.

Advertisement

At two, Khalekan (GB) had placed in the Dewhurst Stakes and Observer Gold Cup. At three he won the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood and was runner-up in the Irish St Leger.


It took some time for Khalekan (GB) to find his feet in his adopted homeland but at his fourth start he ran the champion WFA performer Winfreux to a length in the Tattersalls Cup at Eagle Farm.

The following season Khalekan (GB) had his moment in the sun in the STC Tancred Cup but he broke down on the eve of the Sydney Cup when he was heavily favoured.

Khalekan (GB) received only moderate support at stud however his half-sister Lady Upstage was destined to leave one of the greats of the Australian Turf, Shaftesbury Avenue.

A son of the Widden stallion Salieri, Shaftesbury Avenue was remarkably versatile winning Group 1 races from 1,000 to 2,000 metres, and in one of his greatest performances placed in the Japan Cup over 2,400 metres.

Trained by Bart Cummings, Shaftesbury Avenue’s wins at the highest level included the Honda Stakes, George Main Stakes, Lightning Stakes, Newmarket Handicap, All-Aged Stakes and Caulfield Stakes.

Shaftesbury Avenue was the second stakes winner for Lady Upstage. The first was Australia Day Cup winner Stage High, however, the line was to prosper through the Vain mare Elated Lady.

A 3-time winner in Sydney, Elated Lady became pivotal to the success of Emirates Park Stud.

She left four stakes winners, the Group II winners Mutawaajid (Redoute’s Choice), Fatoon (Snaadee) and Adeewin (Snaadee) and the Listed winner Javago (Snaadee).

Fatoon is the dam of the Group 1 Epsom Handicap winner Fat Al (Al Maher).

Another daughter of Elated Lady to succeed on the track was Ghaliah, a daughter of Secret Savings.

Ghaliah has five winners from six foals to race including Japan based Fastnet Rock mare Melegrana a 5-time winner who was highly enough regarded to take her place last year in the Group 1 Sprinters Stakes and Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen while her best result came when fourth in the Group II Sankei Sho Centaur Stakes.

The current two-year-old out of Ghaliah is the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt Santos who looked a stakes winner in waiting with an explosive win in the Lonhro Plate at Randwick at his most recent start

A $180,000 Inglis Classic graduate, the son of I Am Invincible get his chance to achieve that in Saturday’s Group II STC Skyline Stakes at Randwick and book a spot for the Group 1 Golden Slipper.

Santos (photo above by Steve Hart and right as a yearling ) is the penultimate foal of Ghaliah who died in October last year shortly after foaling a filly by Smart Missile.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Wootton Bassett Colt Leads Coolmore G1 Trifecta
The last British Group I race of the flat season was run overnight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien producing a trifecta of two year-old colts led by a son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in Hawk Mountain, who was too good for a pair of Frankel colts.
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Pedigree Watch - Powerhouse Godolphin 3YOs Dominate
The current crop of three year-olds running for Godolphin lay claim to being the best they have ever produced in Australia and three of those colts won Group races in Australia on Saturday so let’s take a look at those pedigrees.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.