Three Quarter Sister to Aqua d'Amore on Offer at Karaka

New Zealand's Curraghmore Stud will offer a three-quarter sister to Saturday's emphatic Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m) winner, Aqua d'Amore (Danehill x Romantic River), at next month's New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse, Aqua d'Amore proved too good for the highly rated Malcolm, a half brother to Fields Of Omagh, dashing clear at the 200 metres to record an easy 2� length victory.

Saturday's triumph by Aqua d'Amore is the second stakes victory by the mare since New Zealand Bloodstock's National Yearling Sales catalogues went to print. Aqua d'Amore, owned by John and Sue Magnier, was also successful in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (2100m) at Sandown on November 19.

Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore Stud will offer a filly by exciting first season sire, Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill x Offshore Boom), from the Irish River mare, Romantic River, who is also the dam of consistent Hong Kong performers, Green Century (Danehill) and Greenessy (Hennessy), in addition to Aqua d'Amore.

Rock Of Gibraltar, a seven time Group One winning son of Danehill, is well represented at Karaka 2006, with 16 yearlings from his first crop to go under the hammer at the Premier Sale, 6 of which are through the Curraghmore draft.

Meanwhile, in Melbourne, the Mathew Ellerton trained filly, She Will Be Loved (Startegic x Katie O'Neill) was successful at Flemington in the SV Festive Season Two-Year Old event over 1100m.

Sold at this year's New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, the filly fetched $110,000 and a half brother by Anabaa is to be offered by the Bax family's Blandford Lodge at Karaka 2006.

She Will Be Loved is a half sister to former Peter Moody trained mare, Mya (Desert King), who was stakes placed, while the filly also comes from the family of Australasian Oaks runner up, Star Of Gretchen; Group 2 winner, Silky Red Boxer; and former Hong Kong star, All Thrills Too.