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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Impressive New Winner at Goodwood for St Mark’s Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) had a number of high profile yearlings sold at the European sales last year and one of them was a filly from Angelic Light that made 600,000 guineas at Tattersalls October Book 2.
Winning Hat-Trick for Progressive Pierro
Richard and Will Freedman probably have more talented horses in the stable than Pierro gelding Cold Brew, but few have the consistency of this four year-old who landed a winning hat-trick at Rosehill on Saturday.
Kiwi Bred Keeps Winners Coming for Payne Stable
The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained Bold Soul has been a consistent performer right through the winter months and notched another win at Flemington when prevailing in the VRC Membership Renewals Open (2530m) on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 1
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Glorious Goodwood Day 3 – Flag Start Can’t Stop Wootton Bassett
The Group I Nassau Stakes (1m2f) for fillies and mares was the highlight on the third day of Glorious Goodwood and very nearly didn’t happen at all given the ‘biblical’ rain and a flag start for the five runners that braved the treacherous conditions.
Dual Group Winner Too Darn Good At Flemington
A dual group winner during the Spring of her 3yo season, talented mare Too Darn Discreet showed an electric turn of foot, charging home over the top of them to win the Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Sliding Doors Moment Delivers Feel Good Winner at Rosehill
Two fillies were born at Yulong in 2021 sired by Alabama Express from imported North American daughters of Street Cry, one of them is triple Group I winner Treasurethe Moment and the other is the feel good winner of the day at Rosehill on Saturday.
Unique Filly a History Maker for Godolphin and Waller
The re-distribution of the Godolphin owned Australian racehorses has been a hot topic in recent weeks as they departed the care of James Cummings to join a wide spread of different trainers and one of those was Chris Waller, whose first runner for the blue army was a winner at Rosehill on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 2
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kosciuszko calling Rosehill winner Elson Boy
Dubbo-trained Elson Boy was back in the winner’s circle after a 412-day absence when leading throughout to land the Jockeys Celebration Day Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill in the hands of apprentice William Stanley.