Another potential classic star for New Approach
DERBY hero and Darley stallion New Approach (by Galileo) wasted no time in establishing himself as a sire of classic stars and he may have another one in 2020 if Military March lives up to the potential he showed last weekend.
The Godolphin homebred is trained by Saeed bin Suroor, made a winning debut over seven furlongs at Newmarket in July and then maintained that perfect record with a game half-length defeat of Al Suhail in the Group 3 Darley Autumn Stakes over the Rowley Mile on Saturday, the pair pulling seven lengths clear of the third.
There was a lot to like about the performance, the colt holds an entry in next week's Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster and he looks like a top-class middle-distance prospect in the making.
Military March's string of successful siblings include his pattern-placed, Ulster Derby-winning full-brother Clongowes and he is out of the former Bin Suroor-trained star Punctilious (by Danehill).
The best of her six wins came in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, she also won the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes and landed the Group 3 Musidora Stakes by six lengths. She was a half-length runner-up in the Grade 1 E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, chased home Ouija Board in the Group 1 Irish Oaks and finished third behind that same star at Epsom.
Robertet (by Roberto), the grandam of this rising star, also had plenty of stamina and the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville winner's string of blacktype placings featured third in both the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak and Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier over 15 and a half furlongs.
It would appear that Military March is all but guaranteed to stay a mile and a half.
Also, given his grandam's stamina and that his dam's siblings include Risk Seeker (by Elmaamul), who ran away with the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes over two miles, it is likely that the St Leger distance will be within his compass.
New Approach already has seven Group 1 stars to his name among a total of 49 stakes winners, and counting, a list that features 2000 Guineas scorer and juvenile champion Dawn Approach, Oaks heroine and St Leger runner-up Talent, and last year's Investec Derby star Masar who has joined his sire on the roster at Dalham Hall Stud for 2020.
---
Feliciana one to note for Vega
BALLYLINCH Stud's Lope De Vega (by Shamardal) has had another outstanding year and his tally includes a filly who could become well-known in 2020.
The Ralph Beckett-trained Feliciana De Vega ran twice a juvenile in 2018, scoring by six lengths over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in early November and then taking a seven-and-a-half-furlong listed contest at Deauville by four and a half lengths.
She missed the classics, finished third in a listed contest on heavy ground on her seasonal reappearance in August, disappointed at Saint-Cloud two months later, but then stormed home to a three-length win in the Group 3 Darley Stakes over nine furlongs at Newmarket on Saturday.
The mid-February-born bay was bred by Ed's Stud Ltd, she is an €85,000 graduate of the Goffs Orby Sale and is the first foal of a mare whom many Irish racegoers will remember.
Along Came Casey (by Oratorio) was trained by Dermot Weld, won her maiden and a handicap over nine and a half furlongs at Gowran Park, then added both a listed win over that course and distance and another one over a mile at Leopardstown, these four wins achieved by an aggregate of 13 lengths.
She came within a head of beating Fiesolana in the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes over seven furlongs at Fairyhouse, was only beaten by half a length when runner-up to Declaration Of War in the Group 3 Diamond Stakes over 10 and a half furlongs at Dundalk, and also picked up third place in the Group 3 Meld Stakes at Leopardstown.
Her second foal is the 200,000gns Book 2 graduate Abnaa (by Dark Angel), who has finished out of the frame in two starts for Brian Meehan, she had an Oasis Dream (by Green Desert) filly in 2018 and another son of Dark Angel (by Acclamation) at the end of February this year.
The mare's siblings include Hallie's Comet (by One Cool Cat), a one-mile Listowel handicap winner who was blacktype-placed at Chantilly, Saint-Cloud and the Curragh, and her grandam is Secretariat's Fire (by Secretariat), who is a half-sister to two horses of particular note.
Dowsing (by Riverman) won the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock and had some success as a stallion, whereas Fire The Groom (by Blushing Groom) won the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes before going on to become the dam of the European sprint champion and successful sire Stravinsky (by Nureyev).
There are many other Group/Grade 1 horses to be found in this family if you go back another couple of generations and follow its various branches, but there is more than enough in just the first few to demonstrate why Feliciana De Vega is both a well-bred filly with the potential to reach higher levels on the track and one who could later go on to a notable career at stud.
---
Emperor filly gets big value-boost
COOLMORE's former juvenile star Holy Roman Emperor (by Danehill) has compiled a notable record at stud with three European classic winners among 13 Group 1 stars on a career roll of honour that, to Thursday night, stands at 84 stakes winners.
Richenza became the latest addition to the Castlehyde Stud resident's blacktype tally when she took the Listed Dubai British EBF Boadicea Stakes over six furlongs on soft ground at Newmarket on Saturday, her first win at that level.
The Ralph Beckett-trained four-year-old was bred in France by Haras du Thenney, she is a 42,000gns graduate of the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, has been listed-placed at Salisbury and Ayr and has won three races, from 16 starts, by an aggregate of nine lengths.
The capable sprinter is the first foal of Nantha (by King's Best), who was a half-length runner-up in the Group 3 Premio Dormello over a mile at San Siro as a juvenile, and her grandam is the 10-furlong listed scorer Nashatara (by Nashwan).
That mare's half-brother Mad Rush (by Lemon Drop Kid) won a 12-furlong listed contest at Goodwood and was only beaten by a short-neck when runner-up in the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay over three furlongs farther.
It may seem odd that a sprinter could boast such relations and yet Richenza is not the first one of note in her family.
Her third dam, Revonda (by Sadler's Wells), was a full-sister to the Group 3 Greenham Stakes winner Yalaietanee, half-sister to Group 3 Molecomb Stakes heroine Sahara Star (by Green Desert), and out of the Group 1 July Cup runner-up Vaigly Star (by Star Appeal).
The latter was a half-sister to the Group 3 Palace House Stakes winner and Group 1 July Cup runner-up Vaigly Great (by Great Nephew), whereas Sahara Star is, of course, both the dam of Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes winner Land Of Dreams (by Cadeaux Genereux) and grandam of five-time Group 1 star Dream Ahead (by Diktat).