Expensive Ghaiyyath Colt Wins Stakes

Tara Madgwick - Friday May 30

Darley shuttler Ghaiyyath (IRE) had his first Australian winner earlier this week and overnight produced a new stakes-winner in the UK where Godolphin owned colt Opera Ballo won the Listed Heron Stakes (1m)at Sandown.

Purchased as a yearling by Godolphin for €600,000 at Arqana Deauville August , Opera Ballo won his first two starts on the all weather at Kempton in January and February before having a throw at the stumps to finish sixth to Field of Gold in the Group III Craven Stakes.

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Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Opera Ballo took good benefit from that outing and ran out an easy two and a half length winner as favourite.

“He's a work in progress and the engine is there, we just need to fine-tune it a bit,” Buick said.

“The ability and improvement is there and although I do think he'll stay a mile and a quarter, he has a turn of foot and is exuberant so I would stay at a mile for now.”

Pedigree

Opera Ballo has won three of four starts and is a three-quarter brother to stakes-placed Dyptique being the second winner from well bred Invincible spirit mare Dubai Opera, a sibling to Group winners Lockwood and Earnshaw from Group III winner Emily Bronte.

Opera Ballo is the second stakes-winner for Ghaiyyath, who shuttled to Darley Victoria for four seasons, but is not coming to Australia this spring.

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