Sires on Fire at Ready to Run

The outstanding spring racing in New Zealand and Australia has seen both proven and emerging sires to the fore, many of whom are represented at NZB's forthcoming Ready to Run Sale.

Last Thursday's Group 1 $1 million VRC Oaks (2500m) saw a tough performance from a very talented filly in Brazilian Pulse (Captain Rio x Sharazad) to head a Karaka Select Sale filly quinella in the coveted event.

Over her last two starts, in which she has also won the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes, Brazilian Pulse has shown that she is one of if not the best filly currently racing in Australia.

Her achievement was not only a great success for her connections but also her sire, Captain Rio (Pivotal). Already the sire of NZ Champion 2YO Il Quello Veloce, Brazilian Pulse's win was a shot in the arm for Captain Rio's sale progeny.

Captain Rio was himself a champion at two and three, with an annual Timeform rating of 122. Now standing at Westbury Stud, he has a strong hand in this year's Ready to Run Sale with 11 two-year-olds catalogued.

These include the gelding from the Centaine mare Daydream who is a three-quarter sister to Group 2 winner Fleur De Chine, the dam of Group 1 winner Tully Thunder (Lot 250). NZ Broodmare of the Year Gussy Godiva also features in the pedigree; she is the dam of Waikato Stud's new stallion Rios (Hussonet) and Group 1 AJC Derby winner Roman Emperor.

The deeds of international Group 1 winner Starcraft (Soviet Star) are well documented. A winner of five Group 1 events across four countries he looks to be leaving some of his star appeal in his progeny.

His race track performers are headlined by dual Group 1 winning colt Star Witness who won the Group 1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes last Saturday. He is also represented in New Zealand by Listed winner Singapore Sling and New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas nominees We Can Say It Now, winner of the Listed Waikato RC James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes, and current Guineas favourite Simply Brilliant.

Starcraft has one of the pin-up lots of the sale offered by Oxford Thoroughbred Services at Lot 11, the filly from Rebourne (End Sweep). Rebourne is a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Danestorm (Danehill) and Arising, the dam of Group 3 winner Shanzero (Danzero), and two other stakes performers. Dual Group 1 winner Faint Perfume (Shamardal) also features in her pedigree.

Rebourne's dam Shalbourne (Nureyev) is a half sister to the dam of two-year-old stakes winner Chickens (Danehill), the dam of the top-priced Starcraft colt in the 2010 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale which was knocked down for $360,000 by DGR Thoroughbred Services, the buyers of superstar So You Think (High Chaparral).  

New Zealand's champion sire Zabeel needs no introduction. With four more Group 1 winners last season, he has had another great spring with his sons Precedence, winning multiple Group races in Australia for Bart Cummings, and the hugely promising Maluckyday in the Hawkes' Stable who was a brilliant second in the Melbourne Cup.

Zabeel has a small but potent draft of four horses heading for next week's sale. They include Lot 231, the gelding from the winning Redoute's Choice mare Classy Choice, a half-sister to the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes winner Devil Moon (King Cugat).

Also by Zabeel are Lot 10, a filly from the unraced Green Desert mare Razgee, a three-quarter sister to four time Group 1 winner Golden Snake (Danzig) and a half-sister to five-time Group 1 winner Sayyedati (Shadeed); Lot 98, the gelding from six-time winning Last Tycoon mare, Tantamount; and Lot 471 from Mana Park, the colt from the winning Danehill mare Pedante, the dam seven winners from seven to race including stakes winner Taameer (General Nediym).

Cambridge Stud stallion Keeper (Danehill) is continuing to collect winners with further Group 1 success this season through the deeds of his Group 1 New Zealand Oaks winning daughter Keep the Peace in the Group 1 Mudgway Stakes.

Keeper has a large draft of 16 entries in the Sale. These include Lot 13, a gelding from Straight Strike mare Regal Flight who is a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Ark Regal (Star Way) and the dam of Group 2 and dual Group 3 winner Cog Hill (Star Way).

The Anna Scott Racing Stables draft also features a son of Keeper, Lot 68 from the Montjeu mare Sometimes. His second dam Somehow is a half-sister to the Group 1 Derby and dual Group 3 winning mare So Casual (Casual Lies), the grand-dam of Kaptaan (Kaapstad) who won the Group 1 ARC Blue Diamond Stakes and Group 2 placed Benedict (O'Reilly) and Venus Was her Home (Spectacular Love).  Lot 68 breezed up in a speedy 10.62 seconds.

Rich Hill Stud's Pentire (Be My Guest) is the sire of local emerging star He's Remarkable, second-placed in the Group 1 $1 million New Zealand 2000 Guineas. He is already the sire of 10 individual Group 1 winners and his progeny have won some of Australasia's biggest races including the Doncaster Mile winner Rangirangdoo and Australian Oaks winner Zarita.

Pentire has four two-year-olds in the Ready to Run Sale including Lot 293, the full-brother to seven-time winner in Singapore Ace Amigo; and Lot 341, the colt from two-time winner Julie O'Reilly by Waikato Stud's leading sire O'Reilly who is already shaping up as strong broodmare sire with Group 1 winners Daffodil (No Excuse Needed) and The Pooka (Tobougg).

Windsor Park Stud has had a lot to celebrate this spring and more success came on Saturday as their up and coming stallion Thorn Park (Spinning World) sired his first Group 1 winner, Jimmy Choux, winner of the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.

Thorn Park has a draft of seven horses in the Ready to Run Sale including Lot 2 on behalf of Diamond Lodge, the colt from Queen of the Night ((Our) Westminster) and Lot 121 from Lyndhurst Farm, the gelding from the Traditionally mare Triona, from the family of Group 1 winners Culminate (Elnadim), Eileen Dub (Storm Creek) and Captivate (Stravinsky).

Golden Slipper winner Stratum has continued his first season stud success this season with progeny including Listed two-year-old winner Eramor, the unbeaten Miss Confidential and the Peter McKay trained colt Estrato all showing winning form.

Stratum also has a small draft of three horses including Lot 433 from Esker Lodge, the colt from stakes placed Dehere mare Monterosso, the dam of four winners from four to race.

Click here to view the Breeze Up clips on New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run web-page. New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale will be conducted at its Karaka Sale Centre in Auckland on 16 & 17 November. For the latest sale news and information visit www.nzb.co.nz.