FIFTH TOP-LEVEL WINNER FOR LOPE DE VEGA
Ballylinch Stud's classic star Lope De Vega has now sired five winners at the highest level following the victory of Capla Temptress in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes over a mile at Woodbine on Sunday.
Team Valor's filly was bred in Ireland by Pier House Stud, she has been trained by Marco Botti but is now to join Bill Mott.
She made a winning debut over seven furlongs at Chelmsford in June, followed-up over the same trip at Newmarket in July, and then finished a two-length third to Tajaanus in the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes at the same venue.
The €26,000 Goffs Orby Sale graduate is the fourth foal out of Mrs Beeton (by Dansili), a winning half-sister to the Grade 1-placed, four-time 10-furlong Group 3 scorer Stotsfold (by Barathea).
Their dam, Eliza Action (by Shirley Heights), is a full-sister to the Cesarewitch and Chester Cup hero Top Cees and a half-sister to the Grade 1-placed Supreme Sound (by Superlative), whose double-digit tally included the Listed Winter Derby at Lingfield and the Grade 3 Hawthorne Gold Cup, both over 10 furlongs.
Sing Softly (by Luthier), the third dam of Capla Temptress, won the Group 3 Lancashire Oaks and Listed Pretty Polly Stakes and she was placed in both the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes and Group 2 Park Hill Stakes.
This makes Eliza Action a half-sister to Why So Silent (by Mill Reef), the unraced dam of Group 3 scorer Leporello, of listed race winners Polly Carew and Calypso Grant – all by Danehill – and of two minor winners who did well at stud.
Juno Marlowe (by Danehill) is the dam of Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes winner and Group 1 Irish Derby third Stellar Mass (by Sea The Stars) and of Grade 1-placed US stakes winner Marzelline (by Barathea), while Oh Hebe (by Night Shift) is the dam of Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby scorer Devious Boy (by Dr Devious).
Lope De Vega's other Group 1 stars are Belardo (sire at Kildangan Stud), Jemayel, The Right Man, and Vega Magic.
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ACCLAMATION SON EARNS FURTHER ACLAIM
Martyn Meade-trained four-year-old Aclaim enhanced his record further with a three-quarter-length victory in the Group 2 Alan Wood Plumbing and Heating Park Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday.
Last year's Group 2 Challenge Stakes winner was a half-length runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville last month and he looks likely to attract plenty of attention whenever the time comes for him to retire to stud.
He was bred by Dermot Farrington and Canning Downs, he is a son of Rathbarry Stud's influential stallion Acclamation (by Royal Applause), and out of Aris (by Danroad).
That stakes-placed half-sister to Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Again (by Danehill Dancer) is out of Cumbres (by Kahyasi), a half-sister to brilliant middle-distance runner and outstanding classic sire Montjeu (by Sadler's Wells).
Aclaim is a €130,000 graduate of the Goffs Orby Sale.
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ANOTHER SCAT DADDY REMINDER
The loss of late Ashford Stud stallion Scat Daddy (by Johannesburg) was advertised again last weekend when Seahenge won the Group 2 Howcroft Industrial Supplies Champagne Stakes over seven furlongs at Doncaster on Saturday.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained juvenile was bred by K & G Stables, he has won two of his three starts, and holds a variety of Group 1 entries.
The $750,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate is inbred 3x3 to Mr Prospector (by Raise a Native) and he is out of stakes winner Fools In Love (by Not For Love), a half-sister to dual Grade 2 scorer International Star (by Fusaichi Pegasus).
Speak Halory (by Verbatim), his stakes-placed third dam, is a half-sister to Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes winner Halory Hunter (by Jade Hunter), to Group 2 Futurity Stakes winner and Group 1 National Stakes runner-up Van Nistelrooy (by Storm Cat), and to Brushed Halory (by Broad Brush), winner of the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks.
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LAGANORE ENHANCES VALUE
Newtown Anner Stud's homebred Laganore gave her future paddocks value a big boost when taking the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes at Gowran Park on Saturday.
Her two-length victory in this nine and a half-furlong contest was her first at pattern level, her sixth win overall, and added to a listed-race success at Newmarket late last year.
The daughter of Coolmore's outstanding shuttle sire Fastnet Rock (by Danehill) is out of Lady Bones (by Royal Applause), who is a half-sister to Hong Kong Grade 1 star Blazing Speed (by Dylan Thomas).
Their dam, Leukippids (by Sadler's Wells), is a half-sister to juvenile Group 1 scorer Spartacus (by Danehill) and to the Grade 1-placed, Group 2 Gallinule Stakes winner Johan Cruyff (by Danehill).
With family connections like these, this Tony Martin-trained five-year-old has the potential to make an impact when she goes to stud.
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HIGH-CLASS APPROACH
Dalham Hall Stud stallion New Approach (by Galileo) missed out on pattern success when the James Tate-trained juvenile Hey Gaman was a neck runner-up to Seahenge in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, but hit the target at Flemington several hours before.
There his four-year-old daughter Sword Of Light won the seven-furlong Let's Elope Stakes, taking the Group 2 prize by half a length. Early last year she won a Group 3 sprint at Caulfield.
Hesket Bloodstock's homebred chesnut is trained by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, and she is out of Joyeuse (by King's Best), a stakes-placed half-sister to three sprinters of note.
Sunburnt Land (by Scenic) is a Group 1-placed Group 2-winner, Flamberge (by Exceed And Excel) is a multiple group-race scorer, and Curtana (by Exceed And Excel), is a Group 1-placed multiple stakes winner.
Their dam, Razor Blade (by Blazing Sword), another talented speedster, won eight times including one Group 3 and two listed races.
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THIRD GROUP WIN FOR LAWMAN SON
The Chris Waller-trained Libran, a son of Ballylinch Stud stallion Lawman (by Invincible Spirit), is now a triple pattern winner having taken the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes over 10 furlongs at Randwick on Saturday.
Previously a Group 2 scorer over 13 furlongs at the same venue, the Roundhill Stud-bred six-year-old was runner-up in last year's Group 1 Sydney Cup over two miles and was a multiple winner in England before heading 'down under'.
A 35,000gns graduate of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Libran is out of True Crystal (by Sadler's Wells), a winning half-sister to the stakes-placed Crystal Curling (by Peintre Celebre) and to Grade 2-winning chaser Jack The Giant (by Giant's Causeway).
His grandam is Group 3 Lancashire Oaks scorer State Crystal (by High Estate), a half-sister to Group 1 Fillies' Mile heroine Crystal Music (by Nureyev), to Group 3 winner Dubai Success (by Sadler's Wells) and to classic-placed Tchaikovsky (by Sadler's Wells).
Lawman's 21 stakes winners also include the classic stars Harbour Law and Just The Judge and additional Group 1 scorers Law Enforcement, Marcel, and Most Improved.
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CANADIAN DOUBLE FOR DARLEY SIRES
Darley stallions notched up a Canadian graded race double on Saturday with the first leg provided by Ikerrin Road in the six and a half-furlong Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes on Tapeta.
The Vito Armata-trained four-year-old was bred in Ireland by Gerard Kerin, he is a son of classic sire Iffraaj (by Zafonic), and he is out of Fantastic Spring (by Fantastic Light).
That mare is a half-sister to the blacktype-placed pair Markyg (by Fusaichi Pegasus) and Viva Hong Kong (by Lemon Drop Kid), and she is out of Spring Pitch (by Storm Cat), a half-sister to Group 1 mile star and classic sire Selkirk (by Sharpen Up).
Ikerrin Road is a £160,000 graduate of the 2016 Goffs London Sale.
The second leg of the Darley double came less than an hour later and when 2/5 favourite Quidura won the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes over nine furlongs on turf.
Gestut Fahrhof's homebred four-year-old is trained by Graham Motion, she is out of Quetena (by Acatenango) and that makes her a half-sister to Group 1 scorer Querari (by Oasis Dream) and to Group 3 winner Quasillo (by Sea The Stars).
Quebrada (by Devil's Bag), the grandam of Quidura, won the Group 2 Arag Preis (German 1000 Guineas) and Group 3 Brandenburg Trophy, both over a mile.
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WASHINGTON LEGACY
Brilliant juvenile and miler George Washington (by Danehill) sired just one foal – the blacktype-placed, winning filly Date With Destiny – and that sole representative has made a promising start at stud.
Her first foal is the Jessica Harrington-trained four-year-old Beautiful Morning (by Galileo) who justified favouritism with a two and a half-length score in the Listed EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies' Stakes over 10 furlongs at Yarmouth on Wednesday.
Now a winner of two of her 10 starts, this Newsells Park Stud-bred bay was runner-up to Shamreen in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes just 10 days before.
The mare's second foal, Janabiya (by Nathaniel), was out of the frame in a seven-furlong Newmarket maiden in July, her third is a yearling son of Lope De Vega (by Shamardal), and she had a filly by that same stallion in late March.
Date With Destiny is a half-sister to Group 3 Prix Penelope winner Ombre Legere (by Double Bed) – the dam of dual classic-placed Japanese Group 3 scorer Germinal (by Agnes Tachyon) – and to Flawly (by Old Vic), the pattern-placed dam of classic-placed French pattern winner Best Name (by King's Best).
Beautiful Morning, who is entered in next week's Group 3 www.koffy.ie Diamond Stakes at Dundalk, may stay in training as a five-year-old, and with her pedigree there is every reason to hope that she could go on to have a significant career at stud.
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SMART JUVENILE FOR EXCEL
Kildangan Stud stallion Exceed And Excel (by Danehill), whose global tally of stakes winners stood at 136 by Wednesday evening, has a potential Group 1 Commonwealth Cup candidate in Sound And Silence.
Godolphin's homebred is trained by Charlie Appleby and he justified odds-on with a three-length score in the Group 3 Prix Eclipse over six furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte.
The colt, who won the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot in June and the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York last month, was runner-up in the Group 3 Prix d'Arenberg at Chantilly 17 days before his latest success, which was just his second attempt at six furlongs.
He is out of the unraced Veil Of Silence (by Elusive Quality), and as that mare is a daughter of Gossamer (by Sadler's Wells) – the classic-winning full-sister to classic and Breeders' Cup star and Group 1 sire Barathea – the colt could have a stallion career in his future.
Gossamer is also the dam of Group 1 Racing Post Trophy scorer Ibn Khaldun (by Dubai Destination) and she was out of the Group 1 Prix de la Foret heroine Brocade (by Habitat).