Chaparral highlights
Another week, another High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) highlight, or three.
If it seems that High Chaparral and his sons are dominating this column it’s because he warrants it and events of this past week underline his influence, not only via race results but also in the sales ring.
Last week the Great Southern Weanling sale saw a number of So You Think (High Chaparral) and Toronado (High Chaparral) lots in great demand. Each was represented by six sold lots with So You Think fourth on average and a top price of $200,000. Toronado’s average placed him fifth with a top price of $120,000. Two by Dundeel (High Chaparral) included one selling for $120,000.
These stats are similar to the Inglis Australian Weaning Sale in Sydney last month. So You Think was fifth on average with a top price of $200,000 while Toronado was sixth with a top price of $160,000. Dundeel was represented by a solitary lot which made $270,000.
Magic Millions’ recent Gold Coast National Weanling Sale had So You Think again fifth with a top price of $400,000. Toronado didn’t make the top ten but one lot sold for a top of $200,000 while Dundeel’s top was $80,000.
On the racetrack, the High Chaparral story continues to grow as So You Think’s Think About It is the industry’s new star. His star glowed after his solid weight-for age performance in the Kingsford Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m) but shone even brighter after a convincing victory in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m), Queensland’s jewel.
The Stradbroke was the gelding’s tenth start and ninth win, a strike–rate which is quite rare, especially considering his progress through the grades, culminating with back-to-back Group 1s. It is anyone’s guess as to where and how far he goes from here but we, as onlookers, have much to look forward to this spring.
At Sandown-Hillside, Toronado celebrated a milestone when, in the Quayclean Handicap (1300m) for three-year-old fillies, he sired the first three home, namely Extratwo, Hazel Baby and Lady Jones.
The $1.8 million winner’s prize in the Stradbroke advanced So You Think into third on the Australian Sire List to $17.32 million and with seven weeks remaining he may challenge Savabeel (Zabeel) for second place. Leader, I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), who has a $3.3 million buffer, looks like achieving a second and consecutive title.
Dundeel sits sixth and Toronado 16th but among the top twenty, High Chaparral’s three sons tops Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago) and More Than Ready (Southern Halo), each with two.
What about me?
High Chaparral’s son, Redwood, also made some noise on the Eagle Farm undercard when Antino gave his rivals a bit of a galloping lesson in the Wayne Wilson Plate (Listed, 1600m). It was the four-year-old’s first attempt at stakes class but he was unperturbed, racing well clear inside the final 200 metres to win as he liked.
Like Think About It, Antino has tasted defeat just once, in his case in nine starts, but on the evidence of Saturday’s performance he will surely add to an already first–class record.
His rise through the ranks has been confined to Brisbane and surrounds, breaking his maiden on debut at Caloundra in March last year, bolting away at his only start at three. Transferred from Adam Campton’s stable to Tony Gollan’s, he stepped out in November, repeating at Caloundra then into town for an easy Class 3 win at Doomben.
Start four, at Eagle Farm, was his first and only defeat where he was ambushed late after a slow start and being used up early. Wrapping up his second prep, he landed a Benchmark 72 at Doomben, finishing strongly from second–last into the straight after which he was spelled.
Returning in mid April, Antino’s winning streak continued with wins over 1200m, 1400m (twice) and Saturday’s weight-for-age Listed win over 1600m, all at Eagle Farm. He appears to be getting better and better and this most recent effort was his toughest assignment yet but he was just too strong.
Antino is a graduate of the 2020 NZB Ready to Run Sale and realised what now looks like a bargain price of $27,000 from John Malcolm’s Cheltenham Stable. To be fair, the profile of Redwood has taken a major upward lift this season courtesy of Sharp ‘N’ Smart, so, given his status in 2020 combined with Antino’s dam’s produce at that time, $27,000 was possibly his value although, no doubt disappointing for the vendor.
In November of 2020, his dam Mahamaya (Bahhare) had left two winners from three to race. Antino was her sixth foal. Mahamaya was an even greater bargain, changing hands two years earlier at the NZB May broodmare sale for a paltry $3,000 carrying Antino, who is her third winner.
With kudos to her purchaser, a good female-line can often re-emerge and Mahamaya had plenty to recommend her being a sister to two Group 1 performers. One is Hurrah, winner of the Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Trentham as well as a Group 3 in Sydney. Hurrah twice placed at Group 1 level also. The other is Best Gift, a Listed winner in Hong Kong who also recorded two Group 1 placings there, in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) and the Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
Their dam, Shock Attack (Inviting), won at Listed level in the Princess Mellay Stakes (1400m) and represents a family that was established by the Stead family in the Hawke’s Bay region.
Shock Attack’s dam, Octane (Reindeer), is a half-sister to Avondale Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2200m) and New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) winner, Trocane (Moss Trooper).
Shock Attack’s grandam is Cane (Lionhearted), a winning half-sister to Mary Mead (Wilkes) who is responsible for putting Sir Peter Vela’s breeding empire on the map courtesy of Mary Mead’s daughter, Richebourg (Vice Regal). The latter was purchased by Sir Peter and his brother Philip at Trentham for $65,000.
A Group 3 winner in Melbourne, Richebourg became the foundation mare for Pencarrow Stud and went on to produce Hong Kong International Cup (Gr 3, 1800m) winner Romanee Conti (Sir Tristram), herself the dam of Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) heroine, Ethereal (Rhythm), a four-time Group 1 winner.
Romanee Conti’s three-quarter sister, Grand Echezeaux (Zabeel), a Group 1 winner of the Australasian Oaks (2000m), has had an even larger influence on the breeding industry, being the dam of top class racehorse and highly successful sire, Darci Brahma (Danehill).
This line is steeped in history as Cane’s grandam is the Royal Ascot King’s Stand Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) winner, Easter Bride (Emir D‘Iran). The King’s Stand was one of her nine wins. Easter Bride is the younger half-sister to twice New Zealand Broodmare of the Year and New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Sunbride (Tai-Yang), the mare that put Te Parae Stud on the map.
Sunbride produced three Group 1 winners: General Command (Agricola), Straight Draw (Faux Tirage) plus Ilumquh (Sabaean) and is ancestress of leading sire Proisir (Choisir).
Exposure
The surprise yet accomplished win by King Colorado (Kingman) in Saturday’s JJ Atkins Plate (Gr 1, 1600m) may add some exposure to New Zealand breeders’ awareness in that Kingman has one son at stud here, King Of Comedy.
In that regard, Novara Park’s Luigi Muollo will likely be a happy man. Muollo, a pedigree maven, can tell you all sorts of statistics about Kingman (Invincible Spirit) and decided on King Of Comedy’s purchase quite early in Kingman’s steep rise in world awareness as to his ability to sire top–class runners.
King Colorado is Kingman’s seventh individual Group 1 winner and 63rd black–type winner. A four-time Group 1 and Classic winner, his record as a sire is among the best especially considering he is just 12, has five crops racing (his sixth are two-year-olds) with his best years still ahead. From 545 runners he has sired 364 winners, a ratio of 66 per cent.
Stakes winners 61 and 62 took place two weeks ago, on the same day (June 4) at Dusseldorf when Habana scored the German One Thousand Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) and Merkur won the Derby Trial (Listed, 2200m). The stallion is flying.
King Colorado represents a family discussed in Kiwi Chronicles on May 2 after Affaire A Suivre (Astern) won the Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m). At that time, King Colorado’s fourth dam, Fall Aspen (Pretense) was the ancestress of 16 individual Group 1 winners.
King Colorado is Group 1 winner 17. His dam is the UAE Listed winner, More Aspen (More Than Ready). The connection to Affaire A Suivre is that her granddam, Dance Of Leaves (Sadler’s Wells), is a three-quarter sister to Northern Aspen (Northern Dancer), King Colorado’s third dam.
Industry rumblings
Keeping with the High Chaparral theme, So You Think sired two winners at Kranji on Sunday but the industry is still reeling regarding the news from Singapore that racing will cease in October 2024. Trying to come up with a positive is impossible. In some ways, this news is not surprising as land is at premium in the tiny nation.
As for those closely connected to racing in Singapore, one can only imagine what they are going through. There are already murmurings that Australia might reduce some of its immigration restrictions so as to allow experienced horsemen and women to continue their trade. We do know that experience is becoming harder to find and perhaps there will be opportunities within a number of Australian stables.
One concern is that the October 2024 date might not eventuate. If a large number of folk simply pull the plug, racing might end sooner. Either way, Singapore’s news is not good for our industry.
Further news, out of Victoria, is that stakes are being trimmed to fill a revenue hole, again not news that is exactly welcoming so let’s hope that the announcement from Karaka, this Thursday, includes better news. Owners and trainers are past ready to learn that New Zealand stakes increases are imminent.