GERRY Burke in Glidawn Stud has built quite a reputation for himself as a purchaser of good value foals, fillies being something of a speciality over the years, and selling them on as yearlings. I can only imagine the homework he puts into perusing the sales catalogues, not only in Europe but also in the USA where he has often found real gems.

In Book 2 of this year’s Tattersalls October Sale his draft of three includes a filly by The Factor (War Front) out of Crescent Moon, a daughter of Seeking The Gold (Mr Prospector). The latter is broodmare sire of a huge number of Group and Grade 1 winners, Lord Nelson, Point Of Entry and Blame being among the best.

Fillies out of daughters of Seeking The Gold who have made their mark include Better Lucky (Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes and First Lady Stakes), Take Charge Brandi (Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and Starlet Stakes), Lighthouse Bay (Grade 1 Prioress Stakes), Questing (Grade 1 Alabama Stakes and CCA Oaks) and White Moonstone (Group 1 Meon Valley Fillies’ Mile). Can Lot 1020 in Book 2 join them?

The fact that Gerry picked up this daughter of The Factor for a song at Keeneland back in January is a bonus, but now he can celebrate the fact that the pedigree page already has an update and is likely to have another soon.

Purchased as a half-sister to four winners, including the stakes-placed Lake Victor (Langfuhr), that number has risen to five with the debut success in Japan of the yearling’s two-year-old half-brother. Named Jasper Jack, this son of Declaration Of War, like The Factor a son of War Front (Danzig), was hugely impressive when winning over nine furlongs at Niigata and he went into a lot of notebooks as a potential group horse. Bred by Camas Park Stud, Jasper Jack was sold through Paramount Sales as a yearling at Keeneland for $175,000.

The likely update – and hoped for sixth winner for Crescent Moon – would be a victory for her three-year-old daughter Seek The Moon (Giant’s Causeway) who was placed on just her third start last weekend, and with continued progression a win looks most probable.

Crescent Moon was purchased by Camas Park, through Blandford Bloodstock, for $240,000 in 2013. That year her half-brother War Command, a son of the aforementioned War Front, won the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, Group 2 Futurity Stakes and Group 2 Coventry Stakes. He has his first crop racing this year and his 11 winners to date include the Mark Johnston-trained listed winner Victory Command.

The Factor now stands in Japan after making a good start to his career in the USA. His first crop are just four-year-olds and include Grade 1 winner Noted And Quoted, current stakes star and Grade 2 winner Bound For Nowhere, and Illinois Derby winner Multiplier. Here in Ireland we know him as the sire of Bandua, Grade 1 placed in the Secretariat Stakes and surely a Group 1 winner in waiting for Dermot Weld.