Argentia (AUS)
Argentia (AUS)
2 f Frankel – Princess Coup by Encosta De Lago
O: Fairway Thoroughbreds (Mgr: J Camilleri)
T: Anthony and Sam Freedman
S: 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale V: Evergreen Stud Farm P: James Harron Bloodstock, $670,000
W: Phillip Jacobsen 2YO Handicap, 1100m, June 5, Flemington
If you read Trevor Marshallsea’s excellent pedigree column in yesterday’s edition of ANZ Bloodstock News, you may already know a fair bit about our regally-bred Maiden of the Week, Argentia (2 f Frankel – Princess Coup by Encosta De Lago).
A daughter of four-time Group 1-winning mare Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago), Argentia impressively landed this high-profile two-year-old Flemington contest by one and three-quarter lengths from Viviane (Written Tycoon), who is out of the Group 1-placed mare Curtana (Exceed And Excel), with Invincible Caviar (I Am Invincible), the latest of Black Caviar’s (Bel Esprit) progeny to grace the track, another half-length back in third.
Ridden patiently by Mark Zahra, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Argentia settled towards the rear of the ten-runner field, between runners, before being eased into clear running at the 300-metre mark.
Argentia then showed an impressive turn of foot to claim the lead at the 100-metre mark and drew clear to score easily in the shape of a really promising filly.
A Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) campaign now looms for Argentia, who has earned herself a short break ahead of the spring.
“She’s come through really well,’’ co-trainer Sam Freedman told Racing.com at the weekend. “She’s a filly that we’ve always had a lot of time for but we probably thought the 1100 (metres) could be a bit sharp for her down the straight the first time, but good horses can overcome that sort of thing.
“We’ll put her away for a little bit. She won’t have long off. We’ll keep her boxed at night and looking well.”
Bought for $670,000 at last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Argentia is the eighth foal out of Princess Coup, who placed in eight elite-level contests to go with her four Group 1 successes.
Having finished her race career with a record of 12 wins from 33 starts, earning over $3.6 million in prize-money, Princess Coup was purchased by Evergreen Stud’s Tony Bott for $3 million from the 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Winter Broodmares Sale.
The best of her progeny so far is her second foal Thewizardofoz (Redoute’s Choice), a winner at Group 3 level in Hong Kong, although it would take a brave punter to bet against Argentia going on to achieve greater feats.
There is still plenty of excitement to come from Princess Coup’s progeny, as she has a yearling colt by Sebring (More Than Ready), a weanling filly by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) and is currently in foal to Dundeel (High Chaparral).