IN a little over an hour at the weekend, on Oaks day at San Siro racecourse in Milan, Nachtrose (Australia) won the Group 2 Oaks d’Italia, followed by victory for her relation, the four-year-old Norge (Dylan Thomas), in the Group 3 Premio Del Giubileo. Both fillies were bred by Ursula and Jurgen Imm, and were foaled in Ireland.

Nachtrose, a winner in Germany at two, was making just her second start in the classic for fillies, and she is now likely to step up in class and tackle the Group 1 Preis der Diana-German Oaks.

She was emulating her dam with the weekend success, as Night Of Magic (Peintre Celebre) gained the only win of her career in the Italian Oaks. This is a family that consistently produces top-class runners, some of which are known to Irish racegoers too.

Nachtrose is the fifth winner produced by Night Of Magic, and that mare’s first foal was the leading racemare Nightflower (Dylan Thomas), a champion in Germany at three and four when she won successive stagings of the Group 1 Preis von Europa.

Melon

Night Of Magic is a daughter of Night Teeny (Platini), and the latter is the third dam of the other weekend group winner, Norge. Night Teeny’s recently retired son Melon (Medicean) made a name for himself as a Grade 2 winner over hurdles and fences, including the Red Mills Chase, and he was twice runner-up in the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

It is quite a noteworthy achievement for Night Teeny that three of her daughters have produced Group 1 winners on the flat. We know about Night Of Magic, while her group-placed full-sister Neele (Peintre Celebre) is the dam of two Group 1 winners, Nymphea (Dylan Thomas) and the German Derby winner Nutan (Duke Of Marmalade). Finally, Nuit Polaire (Kheleyf), a winner in France, is the dam of Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner Intellogent (Intello).

Half of Neele’s eight winners won stakes races, and among them was Nazbanou (High Chaparral). She won a listed race in Italy, but 2022 is her year at stud, being the dam of Norge, her first foal, while her second progeny is the three-year-old Nerik (Ruler Of The World), winner of a listed Derby trial in Germany recently.