THREE-year-old filly Minding’s sensational win in Friday’s Gr1 Investec Oaks over 2400m at Epsom Downs delighted her connections, on-course enthusiasts and fans around the world.
Adrian Todd (CTS MD) and Amanda Carey (CTS Sales Manager) are all smiles after Minding’s win
The Cape Thoroughbred Sales (CTS) team of Adrian Todd (MD) and Amanda Carey (Sales Manager), guests of Investec at Epsom, were among the first to pop champagne corks.
CTS will be offering a relation to Minding (IRE) catalogued for next Friday’s Mare and Fillies For Stud Select Sale at Highlands Farm.
They’ve been holding thumbs all week that the Aidan O’Brien-trained chestnut would confirm the hype around her with a victory.
Aidan O’Brien’s remarkable record as a trainer of Classic winners was given further embellishment with Minding’s win – his sixth success in the Epsom fillies’ Classic.
Ridden by Ryan Moore, she overcame trouble in running and having to be snatched up soon after turning into the straight, and scored by one and three-quarters of a length and eight lengths from Architecture (12/1) and Harlequeen (14/1).
In doing so, Minding became the first winner of the QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Investec Oaks double since Godolphin’s Kazzia pulled it off in 2002. In between the two Classic wins she also finished a close second in the Group One Irish 1,000 Guineas, despite banging her head on leaving the stalls.
Aidan O’Brien
O’Brien, who trains the winner for Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor, said: “She’s an incredible filly to win the Guineas the way she did, then go to the Curragh at short notice when it didn’t work out for her, and then come here. She has speed, class, stamina and a great mind.
Minding is from a family more noted for speed than for their ability to stay beyond 10 furlongs and this was perhaps the biggest concern for her supporters coming into the race.
The distance proved to be no problem whatsoever. Minding won in spectacular style under jockey Ryan Moore after suffering interference on the home bend, dropping out to last and storming through despite that to win going away.
Minding is a daughter of champion sire and Investec Derby winner Galileo, out of the high-class filly Lillie Langtry, who won over a mile, but not beyond.
Todd commented: “CTS is ecstatic with this win. What a filly, what a race this was. May I point everyone to Minding’s sibling Elisium, Lot 5 at next week’s sale. Blood like this coming into the South African breeding community can only bode well for our industry.”
The brilliant Minding
Elisium (GB) is a grey mare by Proclamation (IRE from Hiwaayati, the granddam of Lily Langtry who is the dam of Minding. Elisium will be sold in foal to Wilgerbosdrift’s promising stallion Flower Alley (Distorted Humor, who sired a Gr3 winner in the US a fortnight ago.
With classic speed and stamina in Minding’s damline now proven beyond any doubt, Elisium will be worth her weight in gold.
Minding herself is by the phenomenal Galileo, the sire of 56 Gr1 winners around the world and considered by many to be the world’s best stallion.
If Elisium is to be the cream at the CTS Sale, there are four Galileo cherries on top in the form of broodmares Exotic (Lot 7, in foal to Captain Al), Memorable (Lot 24, in foal to Querari), Cantabella (Lot 67, in foal to Captain Al) and Classical (Lot 70, in foal to Silvano).
The sale starts at 18.30 on Friday, 10 June. The catalogue can be viewed online at www.capethoroughbredsales.com
