Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday April 26

For the past few months, we have been lauding the inspired decisions of Sheikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s bloodstock agent Tim Stakemire in acquiring the dams of Oohood and Hiyaam relatively cheaply at broodmare sales.

This weeks ‘best on breeding’ is out of another Stakemire purchase but this one was no bargain basement buy.

Back in 2013, Testa Rossa’s Group 1 winning daughter Rostova missed to Fastnet Rock.

Advertisement

Newgate Farm elected to put her on a plane the following August with a planned date with the great Frankel at Juddmonte Farms.

In January 2015, Rostova (pictured ) arrived home carrying a positive test to the undefeated son of Galileo and a few months later was back in the sales ring at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.


A Group 1 winner in foal to Frankel does not come cheap and Stakemire needed to shell out $850,000 for the daughter of Testa Rossa.

At the time of the sale, Stakemire said: She’s a quality mare, she proved it on the racetrack and I think she will prove it in the broodmare barn too.

"She’s got a very nice More Than Ready with Gai (Waterhouse) at the moment that is going very well.”

"There’s a Frankel to come, that’s a jewel on top isn’t it.”

The More Than Ready filly Stakemire was alluding to was Prontezza.

A $550,000 yearling, Prontezza proved useful enough to win four races and at the recent Inglis Chairman’s Sale was purchased by Yu Long Investments for $370,000 carrying a positive test to American Pharoah (USA).

Rostova subsequently foaled a colt named Farooq who made a winning debut by six lengths in a 2yo maiden over 1050 metres at a sleepy Sunday meeting at Balaklava on February 25.

The Tony McEvoy-trained colt will need to step it up a notch in Saturday’s Group III Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville where he will meet, among others, his $1.8 million stablemate Al Naifa (Redoute’s Choice x Court by Anabaa) who is a half-sister to Group I ATC All-Aged Stakes winner English (Encosta de Lago).

Morphettville was the scene of Rostova’s biggest success. It came in the 2010 Group 1 SAJC Sportingbet Classic (Robert Sangster Stakes) but she can also boast wins in the Group II VRC Sires' Produce Stakes, Group III MRC Blue Diamond Prelude (F), Listed VRC Schiavello Stakes and Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview (F) while accumulating prizemoney of $756,475.

Rostova is certainly being given every chance to succeed and stud.

Following the Frankel colt Farooq there is a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock, a weanling colt by Medaglia d’Oro (USA) and she was covered last spring by Snitzel.

Advertisment
More Reading...
New Stakes-Winner for Zoustar
The $150,000 Listed Hannan’s Handicap (1400m) provided reigning champion sire Zoustar with a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding Multinational led for home and could not be caught.
Kiwi Sires a Recipe for NZB Ready to Run Sale Success
Much of the NZB Ready to Run Sale’s extraordinary success has been underpinned by the stallions that have stood in New Zealand in recent decades.
Four Winners for Dennis
Local trainer Robert Dennis won half of the eight-race card at Ascot Park on Friday, culminating with a special win by Sir Sterling in the Vale Tony Dennis (1400m).
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
Who Was Flight?
A G1 race since 1984, the Flight Stakes is a race won by special fillies - often the ones who go on to do extraordinary things on the track against all comers as older mares and that's as it should be as Hall Of Fame legend Flight exemplified that style of thoroughbred.
2YO Stakes Racing – Sale Mail
Three stakes races for new season juveniles add plenty of interest to a stellar day of racing this Saturday in Sydney and Melbourne, so let’s take a look at the Sale Mail for these races.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 Darley Flight Stakes
The prestigious Darley Princess Series reaches its crescendo this week with the 77th running of the $750,000 G1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) over Royal Randwick's famous mile.
Captivant Colt Shines at Warwick Farm Trials
Captivant’s burgeoning reputation for producing precocious 2YOs took another leap forward at today’s Warwick Farm trials, with Courthezon powering to victory in Heat 10.
Recent success highlights Inglis Digital October (Early) Sale
A range of exciting racing and breeding prospects – as well as a number of in-form racehorses and shares in Stakes winners – headline the Inglis Digital October (Early) Online Sale.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
We had three heats for 2YO’s run at Warwick Farm on Friday morning over 815m with winners by Farnan, Ole Kirk and Kia Ora Stud’s first season sire Captivant, while Stay Inside had an impressive trial winner at Murray Bridge.