25 for Churchill
New winners
Churchill (pictured) – Bouchra (2 f ex Morzine by Miswaki) gave her sire Chuchill (Galileo) his 25th individual winner when she stayed on well to win the Hendaye Maiden Stakes (2000m) at Pau. Trained by Didier Guillemin, the two-year-old filly broke nicely from stall eight and made all under six-pound claimer Clement Merille to score comfortably by a length from Maritot (Muhaarar) with the eye-catching Almedia (Zoffany) a further neck back in third. Bred and raced by Moussa Mbacke, the filly is the ninth living foal out of winning mare Morzine (Miswaki), who herself is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Three Valleys (Dieses), with Bouchra a half-sister to winners Ski Lift (Pivotal), Try Out (Rail Link), Canasta (Charm Spirit) and Charitydream (Oasis Dream). Churchill will stand at Coolmore in Ireland in 2022 for a fee of €25,000 (approx. AU$39,000) with his first Australian-bred runners set to hit the track.
Puccini – Mapperley Stud stallion Puccini (Encosta De Lago) sired his first winner when his son Giacomo (3 g ex Tarantella by O’Reilly) got off the mark at the third time of asking in the Lance Lawson (1560m) at Rotorua. Trained by Peter McKay, Giacomo beat Sword Of Mercy (Reliable Man) by a short neck with Andromeda (Ocean Park) just a nose further behind in third. McKay, who trained Puccini throughout an illustrious racing career which included wins in the New Zealand Derby (Gre 1, 2400m) and Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m), said: “It was a good tough win, he switched off throughout the race beautifully, when he hit the front he looked around and waited for them a bit, but was strong through the line. I think he will stick at a mile next time out, but I would like to see him in better company over Christmas time in those 2000 metre three-year-old races. He still holds a nomination for the Derby.” Giacomo is the second of two named foals out of the winning O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Tarantella. Puccini stands at Mapperley Stud for a fee of $3,000 (plus GST).
New stakes winners
Battle Of Marengo – Galileo’s (Sadler’s Wells) son Battle Of Marengo sired his first stakes winner when Bridge Battlango (5 m ex Fashion Central by Dubawi) struck in the Premio Buontalenta (Listed, 1600m) at Rome. The five-year-old was winning for the sixth time in 38 starts as she defeated Haven Park (Sir Prancealot) and Deadline (Desert Prince). Battle Of Marengo, a Group 2 winner for Aidan O’Brien who finished fourth in the Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) won by his then stablemate Ruler Of The World (Galileo), stands at Élevage du Fruitier where his 2021 fee was listed at €2,200 (approx. AU$3,435).
Cable Bay – Ascot’s Placid Ark Stakes (Listed, 1200m) went the way of Flying Missile (3 f ex Magnus Missile by Magnus) as she provided Cable Bay (Invincible Spirit) with his seventh individual stakes winner. The Neville Parnham-trained three-year-old finally made the breakthrough at stakes level after successive third placings in Listed contests. Ridden by Chris Parnham, in the second of a stakes-race double for the jockey, the filly was a neck winner from Liwa (Mulaazem) with Fatale Femme (Shooting To Win) a length behind the winner in third. Flying Missile is the second foal out of winning Magnus (Flying Spur) mare Magnus Missile. Former shuttler Cable Bay stands at Highclere Stud for a fee of £8,000 (approx.AU$14,865).
Fastnet Rock – Bright Blue Sky (2 f ex Blue Blue Sky by Lonhro) justified her short $1.40 odds when making an impressive winning debut in the Fasttrack Insurance 2YO Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Te Rapa to provide Fastnet Rock (Danehill) with his 183rd individual stakes winner. The third foal out of winning mare Blue Blue Sky (Lonhro), Bright Blue Sky was a $600,000 purchase for the Te Akau 2021 Fillies’ Breeding Syndicate out of the Coolmore consignment at the Magic Millions Yearlings Sale. Second dam Napa Sky (Stravinsky) was Group 3-placed in Sydney and is a blueblood in her own right as a sister to the top performer La Sizeranne as well as a blood sister to Estelle Collection, the dam of Lankan Rupee (Redoute’s Choice). The filly has an entry in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on January 15. Fastnet Rock stands at Coolmore Australia for a fee of $165,000 (inc. GST).
Kitasan Black – Shadai Stallion Station resident Kitasan Black (Black Tide) sired his first stakes winner when Equinox (2 c ex Chateau Blanche by King Halo) made it two wins from as many starts with a victory in the Tokyo Sports Hai Stakes (Gr 2, 1800m). Trained by Tetsuya Kimura, the juvenile was following up his debut win in a newcomers race at Niigata back in August by beating Asahi (Curren Black Hill) by two and a half lengths. Tendence (Just A Way) was another three-quarters of a length away in third. Equinox is the third foal to race out of the King Halo (Shinko King) mare Chateau Blanche. His year older half-brother Weiss Meteor (King Kamehameha) was a Group 3 winner earlier in the year. Kitasan Black, Japan’s Horse of the Year in both 2016 and 2017, stood for a fee of ¥3,000,000 (approx. AUS36,365) in 2021.
Myboycharlie – My Fancy (2 c ex Fancy Green by Muhtathir) gave Myboycharlie (Danetime) a 22nd individual stakes winner when he landed the Prix Herod (Listed, 1400m) at Saint-Cloud. Trained by Pia and Joakim Brandt and ridden by Maxime Guyon, the two-year-old colt made all in the testing conditions and battled on very bravely to hold off the late challengers and beat Rose Premium (Dark Angel) by a head with the Godolphin-owned Triablist (Farhh) a never nearer three-quarters of a length further back in third. Owned by Abdullah Al Maddah, My Fancy is the third foal out of the winning mare Fancy Green (Muhtathir) and is a half-brother to the Group 1 winner Mkfancy (Makfi). Myboycharlie stood at the Jockey Club of Turkey in 2021 for a fee of €10,000 (approx. AU$15,400).
Red Hot Choice – Hot Zed (4 g ex Zedfire by Zedrich) provided Red Hot Choice (Redoute’s Choice) with a third individual stakes winner when he took out the Carbine Club Of WA Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Ascot. Now a winner of seven of his 16 starts, the four-year-old managed to narrowly get the better of Son Of A God (Playing God) with Vital Silver (Wanted) back in third. The ninth foal out of Zedrich (Zeditave) mare Zedfire, who passed away in 2019, Hot Zed is a half-brother to the Listed-placed Zetorio (Oratorio).
Reliable Man – Westbury Stud resident Reliable Man (Dalakhani) was provided with his 18th individual stakes winner when Reliable Team (6 g ex Stella Doro by Faltaat) landed the Jockey Club Cup (Gr 2, 2000m) at Sha Tin. Last seen finishing third in the Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (Gr 3, 1800m), Reliable Times defeated Ka Ying Star (Cityscape) by a long-neck with Glorious Dragon (Teofilo) another length and a quarter further away in third. After failing to make his $50,000 at the New Zealand Select Yearling Sale in 2017, the gelding was subsequently offered by Phoenix Park at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale where he was purchased by Upper Bloodstock for $430,000. Reliable Team is one of five winners out of Stella Doro (Faltaat) and she herself is a half-sister to Group 2 scorers Aquidity (Avaray) and The Sportsman (Kilimanjaro), while she is also the grandam of Listed winner Ombre Rose (O’Reilly). Reliable Man stands at the stud for a fee of $17,500 (plus GST).
Savabeel – Angelic Miss (5 m ex Angelica Hall by Guillotine) gave sire Savabeel (Zabeel) a 120th individual stakes winner when he won the Jungle Mist Classic (Listed, 1200m) at Ascot for trainer Simon Miller. Ridden by Chirs Parnham, the five-year-old mare ran out a length winner over Solaia (Toronado) with a head back to Sheza Chalmer (Vital Equine) in third. Angelic Miss is the first foal out of the Group 3-placed mare Angelica Hall (Guillotine). Savabeel stands at Waikato Stud for a fee of $100,000 (plus GST).
Sea The Moon – Moon A Lisa (4 m ex Mahamuni by Sadler’s Wells) gave her sire Sea The Moon (Sea The Stars) his 18th individual stakes winner when she won the Grand Prix de Fontainebleau (Listed, 2000m). Trained by Francis Graffard, the four-year-old mare went off an unfancied 209-10 shot but broke nicely from her wide draw and led the field from pillar to post under Hugo Journiac, battling well at the finish to beat race favourite Shalamba (Zoffany) by a head. Love Child (Dark Angel) was a further two and a half lengths back in third as the pair drew clear. Bred by Gestut Gorlsdorf, the filly was a €55,000 (approx. AU$86,000) purchase at the Baden Baden September Yearling Sale and is currently owned by Samuel de Barros. The 11th foal out of winning mare Mahamuni (Sadler’s Wells), who herself is a sister to the Irish 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner Saffron Walden, Moona Lisa is a half-sister to six winners including Group 3 winner Matchwinner (Sternkoenig) and winners Moi Lolita (Lawman) and Mandalay King (King’s Best). Sea The Moon will stand at Lanwades Stud for €25,000 (approx. AU$39,000) in 2022.
Siyouni – Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) winner Wings Of Eagles’ (Pour Moi) half-sister Orendina (3 f ex Ysoldina by Kendor) became Siyouni’s (Pivotal) 57th individual stakes winner as a sire when successful in the Prix Ceres (Listed, 1400m) at Fontainebleau. The Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained filly broke smartly from a wide berth under Eddy Hardouin, edged across to find the rail and bowled along in front with her ears pricked. Shaken up inside the final quarter-mile, Orendina quickened and stretched clear to a two-length win from Wooturn (Wootton Bassett), with third-placed Romanosa (Holy Roman Emperor) a further neck behind. The Gilles Forien homebred debuted with a fourth at Compiegne in June and raced four times before she broke her maiden over 1350 metres at Lyon Parilly last time out. Her dam Ysoldina is a half-sister to the Prix Saint-Alary (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Belle Et Celebre (Peintre Celebre), as well as the Group 2 winner Whortleberry (Starborough) and Group 3 scorers Valentino (Valanour) and Apple Au Maitre (Starborough). The Aga Khan’s Siyouni stands at Haras de Bonneval at a 2022 fee of €140,000 (approx. AU$219,000).
Tai Chi – In winning the USD Premium Preis (Listed, 2200m) at Dresden, the Toni Potters-trained Mansour (4 c ex Magic Tilla by Tillerman) handed his sire Tai Chi (High Chaparral) with his sixth individual stakes winner. The four-year-old defeated Whizzair (Adlerflug) by a comfortable two and a quarter lengths with No Waltz (Wiener Waltzer) coming home another half a length further back in third. Mansour is the only winner out of Magic Tilla (Tillerman) and becomes the first stakes winner in two generations of his family. Tai Chi’s progeny is headlined by Group 1 winner Nancho, who landed the Grosser Preis von Bayern (Gr 1, 2000m) in 2019 and he is now trained in Australia by Anthony Cummings, for whom he has had one run.
Toronado – It was a great day for the Grant and Alana Williams stable with Treasured Star (3 f ex Treasured Gift by Big Brown) winning the WA Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) to provide the pair with the first leg of a stakes double at Ascot. The win also provided Toronado (High Chaparral) with his 20th individual stakes win. Ridden by William Pike, who was also enjoying a big-race double with the trainers, the three-year-old filly ran out a comfortable one and a quarter length winner over Stay Safe (Safeguard) with Devoted (Xtravagant) another length back in third. Treasured Star is the second foal out of the unraced Big Brown (Boundary) mare Treasured Gift. Toronado will stand at Haras de Bouquetot in 2022 for a fee of €8,000 (approx. AU$12,500).
Zoffany – Late Coolmore stallion Zoffany (Dansili) was provided with his 48th individual stakes winner when the Shane Fliedner-trained Hi Stranger (5 g ex Luxury Suite – Viscount) landed the Kilmore Cup (Listed, 1600m). Last seen running fourth in the Chatham Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Flemington on November 6, Hi Stranger clearly appreciated the step down in class, defeating Imperial Lad (All Too Hard) by three-quarters of a length. Tibetan (Shocking) was another nose away in third. Hi Stranger was purchased by his trainer for $50,000 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale from the Riverina Downs draft in 2018 and he is out of three-time winner Luxury Suite (Viscount), who is the dam of two other winners. Luxury Suite herself is a half-sister stakes-placed pair No Smoken (Snitzel) and And Rock (Fastnet Rock). Zoffany, who shuttled to Australia for four seasons – died of liver failure at Coolmore Stud in January.
New Group/Grade 1 winners
Iffraaj – Western Empire (4 g ex Western Jewel by Jeune) ran out an impressive winner of the Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Ascot for trainers Grant and Alana Williams to provide an 11th individual elite-level success for Iffraaj (Zafonic). Ridden by William Pike, the four-year-old was an easy four-length winner over Comfort Me (Playing God) with Kissonallforcheeks (Written Tycoon) a further one and a half lengths back in third. The fifth foal out of Perth Cup (Gr 2, 2400m)-winning mare Western Jewel (Jeune), and is a half-brother to the Listed winner Western Temple (Dream Ahead). Western Jewel has two more unraced foals by Iffraaj: a three-year-old gelding named Western Knight, who is in training with former jockey Jarrad Noske, and yearling colt Western Power. She also has a filly at foot by Toronado (High Chaparral) Iffraaj will stand at Dalham Hall Stud in 2022 for a fee of £17,500 (approx. AU$32,500).