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Farnan Top Two Go One-Two in the Black Opal

Craig Tompson - Sunday March 9

They’re the two highest priced yearlings by Kia Ora Stud’s Golden Slipper winner Farnan and they fought out the finish of the Group III Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra on Sunday with the ‘cheapie’ King Of Pop prevailing over Farcited.

Kia Ora's Farnan sired the quinella in the G3 Black Opal Stakes

When Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou paid $800,000 for King Of Pop as Lot 377 from the North draft at Magic Millions Gold Coast, he was the highest priced for his first season sire until Lot 768 came along.

That was Farcited who made $1.2million to Waterhouse & Bott/Kia Ora/Farnan Partnership/Mt Hallowell Stud from Bell River Thoroughbreds and those two prices haven’t been bettered since.

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Both horses went into the Black Opal having been debut winners, King Of Pop narrowly in a midweek maiden while Farcited won the Black Opal Preview at Canberra and they started the two favourites on Sunday.

King Of Pop flew the gates for Zac Lloyd but took hold to sit second as Farcited crossed to the lead under Adam Hyeronimus with the pair going clear into the straight to fight it out with King Of Pop prevailing by a neck with Sanctified (Super Seth) third.

“It’d be great if he can get into the Slipper,” said Ryan.

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uo;I’ve always had him down as a Slipper horse.

“Mick Malone from North raved on to me about him ever since he was a foal.”

King Of Pop is the second foal of stakes placed Za Zi Ba (All Too Hard), a half-sister to Group I Epsom Hcp winner Redeiner and Listed winner Rathlin.

She is out of Weiner, a stakes placed half-sister to Champion sire Snitzel, Hinchinbrook and Vienesse. The family also includes Private Eye.

Her first foal, Nouvea (I Am Invincible) has won two races to date, the last when resuming on Feb 2.

She has no yearling but foaled a colt by Russian Revolution last season and was served by Shamus Award.

Farcited is the first foal of Group One Galaxy winner I Am Excited, and hails from a family full of genuinely high class females including Group I Thousand Guineas winner Commanding Jewel, and four time Group I winner and Champion Australian Filly and Champion Australian Older Mare Atlantic Jewel, herself the dam of Hong Kong Champion Russian Emperor.

I Am Excited has a yearling filly by Zoustar which was sadly her last, having died last August.

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Race Result - John McGrath Auto Group Black Opal Stakes Gr3 1200m

Canberra Track: Good(4) Time: 1:09.13
1
King Of Pop
- 2c Farnan (AUS) x Za Zi Ba (AUS) (All Too Hard (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Zac Lloyd 56
2
0.3
Farcited
- 2c Farnan (AUS) x I Am Excited (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: A Hyeronimus 56
3
1.4
Sanctified
- 2c Super Seth (AUS) x Sacred Siren (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Tyler Schiller 56
4
2
Nordic Viking
- 2c So You Think (NZ) x Nordic Charm (AUS) (Charge Forward (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: N Rawiller 57
5
2.2
Nashville Jack
- 2c Farnan (AUS) x Dixie Chick (AUS) (Star Witness (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: A B Collett 56
6
2.5
Steel Knight
- 2c Capitalist (AUS) x Sybella (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: J Parr 56
7
5.1
Mavniczs
- 2g Shamus Award (AUS) x Quietzer (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Sam Shires Rdr: Ms J Taylor 56
8
6.3
Tropic
- 2c Zoustar (AUS) x Lone (AUS) (Sepoy (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56
9
6.7
Hillier
- 2c Zoustar (AUS) x Pretty In Pink (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: C Schofield 56
10
7.4
Party Boss
- 2c Farnan (AUS) x Nicky's Brown Miss (USA) (Big Brown (USA))
Tnr: G J Colvin Rdr: B Mc Dougall 56
11
11.8
Time For Snow
- 2g Time To Reign (AUS) x Princess Snowy (AUS) (Sequalo (AUS))
Tnr: Anthony Warren Rdr: Jean Van Overmeire 56
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