THIS week’s Breeding Insights column has a truly international flavour and this time we have a quick look at a recent Group 3 winner at Rosehill in Australia. This was the seven-year-old gelding Sir John Hawkwood who won A$210,000 for his victory in the 10-furlong Sky High Stakes. The winner is a son of the Derby winner Sir Percy and out of the Rousillon mare Athene.

Bred at the world-renowned Ballymacoll Stud Farm near Dunboyne in Co Meath, Sir John Hawkwood is one of nine winners from his dam, a third of which are group winners. The others to fit this criteria are Greek Renaissance and Side Saddle, a son and daughter respectively of Machiavellian and Saddlers’ Hall. Greek Renaissance earned his win in England, Side Saddle in France and now Sir John Hawkwood in Australia.