Siyouni’s Aylmerton emerges as a serious Slipper contender
Stylish winner of a mid-week maiden at Canterbury at his only other start, Aylmerton may well prove to be special. A well grown, powerful, mature colt of quality, he very much resembles his France-based sire and has an exceptionally strong female pedigree.
Bred in NSW by Dr David Chaikin at his Woodpark Stud south of Sydney, Aylmerton gained his name from a small town near the stud but was conceived in France when Chaikin sent his US-bred mare Aloona (Smart Strike), a winner in France over 1850 metres, to leading young sire Siyouni (Pivotal) to Southern Hemisphere time.
Siyouni, foaled in 2007, was bred and raced by the Aga Khan and was rated one of the best two-year-olds in Europe in 2009, capturing the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Gr 1, 1400m) at Longchamp and the Prix la Fleche (Listed, 1000m) at Maisons-Laffitte as well as finishing second in two black-type contests, the Prix Robert Papin (Gr 2, 1100m) and the Prix la Rochette (Gr 3, 1400m).
He failed to win in six starts as a three-year-old but was runner up to Dick Turpin (Arakan) in the Prix Jean Prat (Gr 1, 1600m) at Chantilly and registered two other stakes placings.
Retired to his owner’s Haras de Bonneval in Normandy in 2011, Siyouni quickly established himself as one of the leading sires in France, his 20 stakes winners to date representing an exceptionally high 8.4 per cent of his starters.
Siyouni has stakes winners in Britain, France, Germany, Qatar and now Australia headed by multiple Group One winner Ervedya and Coronation Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Laurens plus another ten Group winners.
By Pivotal (Polar Falcon), one of Britain’s best and most versatile sires of recent years, Siyouni is out of a Danehill (Danzig) mare Sichilla so expect more Australian breeders to book mares to him for Southern Hemisphere time coverings in 2018 if the Aga Khan cannot be persuaded to shuttle him to Australia this year or next. Siyouni’s service fee in France this year is €75,000.
Breeding buffs will be impressed by the depth of quality and diversity of Aylmerton’s female pedigree.
His maternal grandsire Smart Strike (Mr Prospector) was champion sire in North America in 2007 and 2008 and among his well over 100 stakes winners are US Horse of the Year and now leading sire Curlin, champion English Channel, Lookin At Lucky plus a string of other major winners.
Aylmerton’s second dam Altana (Mountain Cat) failed to win but produced three winners, including Group Three winner Galatee (Galileo), dam of high-class performers Dartmouth (Dubawi) and Manatee (Monsun) and Listed winner Gaterie (Dubai Destination).
Stakes placed Albertine (Irish River), third dam of Aylmerton, comes from a top French family being the dam of Arcangues (Sagace), Agathe (Manila), dam of Aquarelliste (Danehill) and other important winners while other notable members of the family include Classic winner Cape Verdi (Caerleon) and stakes-winning sire Ashmore (Luthier).
To follow Aylmerton his dam Aloona has a 2017 filly by Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock) and she was covered last season by Astern (Medaglia d’Oro).
Aylmerton is linebred 5m x 3m to Mr Prospector (Raise A Native), 5m x 5m x 6m to Northern Dancer (Nearctic) as well as carrying a distant double of the brothers His Majesty (Ribot) and Graustark (Ribot). His pedigree and racing style suggest Aylmerton should run at least 1600 metres and his cosmopolitan blend of bloodlines should make him an appealing stallion prospect.