Best On Breeding

Any number of three-year-old’s nominated for Saturday’s Group III H D F McNeil Stakes (1200m) would be a worthy candidate for Best On Breeding, however, we have settled on a colt that comes from the family of the highly promising High Chaparral filly Anchor Bid who did the right thing by us at Flemington recently. 

The Fastnet Rock colt Merchant Navy puts his unbeaten track record on the line when he resumes from a winter break to make his three-year-old bow on Saturday.

Trained by Ciaron Maher, Merchant Navy made a winning debut over 1200 metres at Pakenham on March 2 before a solid win over 1400 metres at Sandown a month later.

Three weeks later he claimed his first Black Type victory in the Listed VRC Anzac Day Stakes at Flemington.

Backed by a large group of prominent owners and breeders, including the Coolmore connection and his breeder Chris Barham, Merchant Navy  (pictured as a yearling)   has unquestionable stallion appeal

A $350,000 Inglis Easter purchase by his trainer from the Segenhoe Stud draft, Merchant Navy is a full brother to Group II winner Jolie Bay and stakes-placed Zara Bay.

He is one of six winners from the good producing Snippets Group III winner Legally Bay, a half-sister to Group I Myer Classic winner Bonaria and the Group III Illawarra Classic.

Legally Bay’s dam Decidity (Last Tycoon) is a granddaughter of Pirouette who is the dam of Group II Bloodhorse Breeders' Plate winner Twirled and Listed winner Noted.

A daughter of Planet Kingdom, Pirouette is a sister to Group I Queensland Derby winner Our Planet and Group II Warwick Stakes winner Gypsy Kingdom and a half-sister to Doomben 10,000 winner Ideal Planet.

They were all out of the Neville Begg-trained import, Gypsy Moss (IRE) who finished second to Divide And Rule in the Group I Stradbroke Handicap before defeating the champion son of Alcimedes a fortnight later in the Listed Tattersall's Cup.

Gypsy Moss had six foals by Planet Kingdom.

Besides Pirouette, Our Planet and Gypsy Kingdom there was Gypsy Planet the granddam of Blue Diamond Prelude winner Irises and Listed winner Smiling Assassin.

The final foal from the Planet Kingdom – Gypsy Moss union was Queen Gypsy who left the AJC Derby and Rosehill Guineas hero Innocent King and the Sandown Guineas winner Royal Snack.

Queen Gypsy is also the granddam of Listed winner Snippets’ Crown the dam of the Group I Flight Stakes winner Unearthly (Zabeel) who in turn the dam of Group I Schweppes Oaks winner Invest (Dehere).

Queen Gypsy’s daughter Gypsy Dollar (Zabeel) is the dam of Group III Eclipse Stakes winner Viking Hero (Elvstroem) and is the granddam of Tulloch Lodge’s very promising Ottawa Stakes winner Invincible Star (I Am Invincible).