breednet.com.au

Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday October 26

At the Melbourne Spring Carnival two year’s ago, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott took the wraps off a future topliner in Invincible Star in the Group III VRC Ottawa Stakes and they will be hoping for a similar result when another daughter of I Am Invincible kick-starts her career in Saturday’s $500,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) at Moonee Valley.

At her only public trial, Espaaniyah was slowly away but made up many lengths in the straight in a heat won by her speedy stablemate Evening Slippers.

Advertisement

After opening up an $8 chance in early betting, Espaaniyah is now a $4 equal favourite with Biscara who has an excellent chance of opening the winning account of her sire Rubick. After being cannoned around like a pinball when making her career debut in the Inglis Debutant Stakes, Biscara ran on gamely to finish second behind the impressive Spirit Of Boom filly Champagne Boom. (Note: Rubick as two runners in the opening race at Canterbury on Friday night)


Carrying the green and white silks of Emirates Park, Espaaniyah (pictured as a yearling) was a $750,000 purchase out of the Tyreel Stud draft at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

She is the second foal of the Flying Spur mare Catalonia who began her own racetrack career promisingly enough when second at Caulfield back in November 2011.

When she still had not broken her maiden six starts later, Darley consigned Catalonia to a tried horse sale at the Magic Millions in January 2013 where she was knocked down to Peter Boyce for $24,000.

Put back into work Catalonia made another 26 starts winning twice at the Sunshine Coast but more importantly earning some valuable black-type when runner-up in a Listed race at Eagle Farm.

In 2015 Catalonia was back in the sales ring again, this time carrying a positive test to More Than Ready (USA) at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale with Tyreel Stud having the final say at $360,000 for the Willow Park Stud consigned mare.

She has proven to be an inspired choice as her More Than Ready (USA) filly foal made $625,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

A year after selling Catalonia, Godolphin parted with Catalonia’s half-sister Pursuits (Lonhro) for $280,000.

Straight off the track, Pursuits had a similar profile to Catalonia.

Despite placing in the Group III Blue Diamond Preview and Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at two, Pursuits took 15 starts to break her maiden, which came at the Sunshine Coast at her penultimate start.

Now owned by Yarraman Park, Pursuits foaled a colt by I Am Invincible on August 23.

While Godolphin devested itself of Catalonia and Pursuits it has kept another half-sister, the Exceed And Excel mare Jorda.

Unlike her half-sisters, Jorda bounced straight out of the box, winning the Listed Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick on debut in what was to be her only start at two.

Back in November last year, Jorda defeated I Am Excited in the Group III VRC Red Roses Stakes to add to placings in the Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes and Group III Thoroughbred Club Stakes.

The trio are daughters of the stakes-placed Viscount mare Montmelo from a family that has served Woodlands and Darley well over the years.

Montmelo is a three-quarter stakes-winner to Listed winner Le Mans (Quest For Fame) and a half-sister to the Night Shift (USA) mare Suzuka whose descendants include the Group III winner Detours (Ad Valorem) and the Group III Danehill Stakes winner and Group 1 Newmarket Handicap third Aichi (Strategic).

Catalonia has a yearling colt by Pride Of Dubai but missed to I Am Invincible last spring.

Advertisment
More Reading...
So You Think Mare Wins G3 Mannerism
The Michael Mehegan trained Bossy Benita broke her maiden on February 26 last year and 12 months on the four year-old So You Think mare is now a stakes-winner after scoring a bold front running victory in the $200,000 Group III MRC Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Tropicus Simply Too Darn Hot In Oakleigh Plate – Half Sister Inglis Easter
With the betting suggesting the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable would win the $750,000 G1 MRC Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday, it was the outsider of their two runners in the race that produced the goods as Too Darn Hot 4yo Tropicus was simply too strong.
Ninja Wins G2 Hobartville – Half-Brother for Inglis Easter
The $400,000 Group II ATC Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday offered up a mouthwatering selection of some of the most desirable three year-old colts in the country, but the victor was a gelding that has more owners than all the other runners put together.
Wild Ruler Colt Blasts Sydney 2YOs in G2 Silver Slipper
The Golden Slipper market was again given an almighty shake up when the Philip Stokes trained Wild Ruler colt Stretan Ruler put the Sydney juveniles to shame when thrashing them to win the$300,000 Group II ATC Silver Slipper (1100m) by a wide margin.
Pericles Secures Elusive G1 Victory With Futurity Stakes Win
Never further back than fourth in his five starts since joining the Bjorn Baker stable, Godolphin’s 6yo Street Boss gelding Pericles secured his first G1 victory, winning the MRC Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, becoming the third elite level winner for his dam.
$1,050,000 Colt for I Am Invincible
Tipped as one of the stars on day one at Magic Millions, the I Am Invincible colt from Group II winning Zabeel mare Adrift duly set the sale ring alight when selling for $1,050,00 with Guy Mulcaster signing the docket in conjunction with Waller Racing.
Yulong and Ocean Park Quinella G1 New Zealand Oaks
Yulong Investments has made a splash in New Zealand this season, buying up the nation’s leading three-year-old filly talent, and they were once again rewarded at Ellerslie on Saturday when sealing the quinella in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
$1million I Am Invincible Colt from G1 Winner Amanpour
Rosemont Stud bought Group I winning Northern Meteor mare Amanpour for $1.5million at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and got a big return on investment when selling her I Am Invincible colt for $1million during the first session of Magic Millions on Wednesday.
Reliable Man Stayer Wins G3 Avondale Cup
What a difference three weeks has made in the life of rugged stayer Final Return.
Brazen Beau Stakes Double As Cinsault Wins G2 Millie Fox Stakes
Minutes after 60/1 shot Power Beau won the Listed SAJC City Of Marion Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville to become the 28th stakes winner for Darley’s Brazen Beau, the Michael Freedman trained Cinsault won the G2 ATC Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill to become the 29th stakes winner for her sire.