SIOUX Nation, a son of Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) and winner of the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at two after bagging the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, got the perfect start to his new career as a stallion. His first runner, in the first Irish juvenile race of 2022, won in some style, and she is certainly a filly worth following.

Racing for John Kirkland and trained by Jessica Harrington, Ocean Quest was bred by Dr Tan Kai Chah who has a long association with Jim and Geraldine Ryan of Milltown Stud. The couple were on hand at the Curragh to see Ocean Quest win, and they and Dr Chah must be happy that the filly’s dam, Gold Zain, was withdrawn from the Goffs February Sale this year.

Catalogued from the Irish National Stud, she had obvious appeal. A winner in Italy, the daughter of Aqlaam (Oasis Dream) was covered last year by Raven’s Pass (Elusive Quality), and would be due to foal shortly.

Her first produce was last year’s three-time two-year-old winner Rhythm Of Zain, a son of Dragon Pulse (Kyllachy). The now Irish National Stud sire raced for Dr Chah and at two was trained by Mrs Harrington, winning the Group 2 Futurity Stakes from subsequent Group 1 winner Parish Hall, before then being beaten half a length by Power in the Group 1 National Stakes.

Now with two winners from her first two foals, and with a yearling filly on the ground by El Kabeir, also by Scat Daddy, Gold Zain has great value. Her dam is one of five winners, all of her runners, produced by Zain Al Boldan (Poliglote), a stakes winner.

Classic winner

Zain Al Boldan is the dam of the Group 2 Mehl-Mulhens Rennen-German 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Dream (Poet’s Voice), and this resulted in her being upgraded in the quality of sires she visited. Consequently, she is now dam of a second stakes winner, last year’s Group 3 winning two-year-old Who Knows (Siyouni).

Zain Al Boldan raced for Jaber Abdullah and was trained by Mick Channon. She won three times and her biggest success was in the Listed Oaks Trial Stakes at Lingfield. She was placed in the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket and was sold for €48,000 at the Arqana December Sale in 2015.

That was her third visit to a sale ring. Bred in partnership by Tweenhills Stud, she was sold as a foal for 11,000gns and next appeared at the 2010 Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale from Kilminfoyle House Stud, selling to Gill Richardson for €19,000.

One of a pair of stakes winners from the dual listed winner Carla (Cardoun), Zain Al Boldan is a half-sister to the Group 3 Prix Edmond Blanc winner Svedov (Exit To Nowhere) who was also placed in four other group races. Carla is a half-sister to another horse who won the Prix Edmond Blanc, the gelding Golani (Nikos).

Golani and Carla are siblings to Topira (Pistolet Bleu) who won a couple of times and she is the dam of Never Forget (Westerner) who won the Group 2 Prix de Malleret, and she is dam of the Grade 1 chase winner and Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle runner-up, Top Notch (Poliglote).

Sioux Nation has some 160 juveniles to represent him, and Aidan O’Brien this week told me he was keen on a colt by the stallion that he trains. Odds-on to be champion first season sire, Sioux Nation stands for €10,000 this year. Breeders who are using him at that price could end up having secured a bargain.