A pedigree close to the hearts of Beaufort Downs has added another black-type strike to the North Canterbury farm’s roll of honour.
Homebred filly Platinum Diamond won last month’s Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Otaki and returned there on Saturday to add the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) to her record.
The Lisa Latta-trained daughter of first season champion sire in waiting Hello Youmzain has won three on the bounce following a debut fourth and will now enjoy a break before targeting the new season’s age group features.
Beaufort Downs is owned and operated by Annabel and Olly Tuthill with Platinum Diamond a $90,000 purchase from their Book 2 draft by Latta at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.
She is out of the Thorn Park mare Spritz who is a granddaughter of the former top-class mare Seamist, winner of 15 races including the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and a multiple elite level placegetter.
“We bought Spritz privately off the track through Mike Rennie a while ago, mainly because she’s from my family’s family,” Annabel Tuthill said.
“My grandmother and grandfather raced Seamist, so we’ve always kept an eye out for that family.”
Spritz’s first foal by Zacinto wasn’t a sales or racing prospect due to her lack of size and the second was sold at Karaka for $160,000.
As Healthy Healthy, the son of Per Incanto has subsequently won five races from the Hong Kong stable of Pierre Ng.
“Sadly, Spritz died a few weeks ago after she had an aneurism in the paddock,” Tuthill said.
“That was a real shame as she was carrying a War Decree foal, these things happens and that’s the highs and lows of breeding.
“We have got a really nice Too Darn Hot colt who will be going to the sales in due course, we’re lucky to have him.”
Platinum Diamond has rounded off another good season for Beaufort Downs, who also bred and sold Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m) winner Betty Spaghetti.
“From our small numbers, we’ve had a couple of stakes winners and some stakes placegetters,” Tuthill said.
In the latter division is Lillian, a daughter of War Decree and the Mossman mare I’ve Got Rhythm who has won from a handful of starts and finished third in the Listed Belmont Oaks (2019m).
The three-year-old also turned in a gallant run for trainer Michael Grantham on Saturday when fourth against the older horses in the Listed Belmont Classic (2200m).
Another emerging Beaufort graduate is Ace High’s son Croupier, who has won two of his five starts for Otaki trainer Andrew Campbell.
“We didn’t breed him, that year we were a bit short of colts, so we bought him as a weanling and sold him through our draft,” Tuthill said.
Bought out of Curraghmore’s draft for $15,000, Croupier was subsequently knocked down as a yearling at Karaka for $160,000 to Campbell and high-profile owner Tommy Heptinstall. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.
