SA filly’s date at Royal Ascot
Sweet Sannete denies Horse of the Year Sacred Kingdom a record breaking victory in the Gr3 Hong Kong
The South African bred Sweet Sanette, a recent conqueror of champion Sacred Kingdom, has been invited to take part in the prestigious G1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. The King’s Stand Stakes, run over 1000m, is the first British leg of the Global Sprint Challenge and attracts some of the world’s finest sprinters.
This year, the race will be run on 14th June, and promises to be cracking event, with many of the world’s top sprinters lining up in the race.
Sweet Sanette, who has won four races in Hong Kong and over HK$5.6 million in prize money, promises to be a highly sought after broodmare prospect once her racing days are over. By the successful broodmare sire Jallad, she is out of the National Assembly mare, Scented Samantha is out of champion filly Scented Royal. The latter in turn is out of G1 Garden Province winner Diorissimo. Scented Samantha is currently in foal to Captain Al (the resulting foal will be bred on the same lines as top filly Trinity House) and she has a Trippi filly foal.
She is due to be covered by Jet Master next season.
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Top mares for young stallion
Mambo In Seattle
The well bred and well performed Mambo In Seattle is one of the most exciting stallion prospects to retire to South Africa for many years. Beaten a whisker in the prestigious G1 Travers Stakes, he is son of the now pensioned sire Kingmambo, sire of champion sires King’s Best, King Kamehameha and Lemon Drop Kid. Mambo In Seattle is not only closely related to Lemon Drop Kid, he is also from the same family as leading sires A P Indy, Al Mufti and Raja Baba.
Understandably, he has proved very popular in his first year at stud. His first book of mares included the likes of Colonial Girl (G1 Gold Cup), Niteinthewoods (dam of G2 winner Winterinthewoods), Streak To Fame (dam of SW Burmese Cat), and Arabian Jazz – a daughter of champion racemare Arabian Lass.
What is also interesting, is that his first mates include a number of mares by his close relation Al Mufti, and this could prove a very interesting mating.
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Spectrum daughters again to the fore
Highlands Farms’ Spectrum is proving to be a highly successful broodmare sire. He was recently represented by a big race double as a broodmare sire when Moonlight Cloud (Invincible Spirit) won the G3 Prix Imprudence and Cedarberg took out the G1 Tancred Stakes. It is a testimony to the global influence of Spectrum’s daughters that Moonlight Cloud’s win came in France and Cedarberg’s in Australia! Moonlight Cloud, who is very highly rated by trainer Freddie Head, is likely to run next in the G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas , where she should be a major runner. The 3yo filly, to date, has won three of her four starts.
Spectrum is also the maternal grandsire of dual G1 winner Dutch Art, who has made a very promising start to his stud career. Dutch Art’s very first runner Miss Work of Art won on debut by over three lengths, and she looks like a smart future prospect.
Other G1 winners produced by Spectrum mares include Winchester (Manhattan Hcp) and Prince Kaapstad (Easter Handicap).
Spectrum is also damsire of last season’s very fast British 2yo filly Electric Waves (winner of the G3 Cornwallis Stakes).
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Horror stories
I was astounded to hear a story about a Gauteng trainer, who, convinced that one of his horses was unmanageable, decided to send her to the knackers yard. The filly’s owner, understandably, opted to change yards, and sent the horse to a smaller yard. The filly has, following the move, won four races and proved to be a game and consistent performer.
Horses give owners and trainers their all, and it is very sad to think that this is not always reciprocated by humans. It is the responsibility of connections to look after their horses, not just dispose of them if they behave badly. With organizations such as REHORP (Re-Homing of Race Horses Project), there are no excuses for people who neglect their horses.
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Frankel needs to buck history
The unbeaten Frankel, the joint rated 2yo of last year, made a stunning 3yo debut on Saturday, when he skated home in the G3 totesport.com Greenham Stakes by six lengths. The son of Galileo is now a hot favourite to win the 2000 Guineas next month.
However, recent Greenham winners have an atrocious record in the 2000 Guineas. The last horse to complete the Greenham/2000 Guineas double was Wollow (like Frankel trained by Henry Cecil) in 1976. Since the turn of the century, not a single Greenham winner has gone on to classic success!Having said this, Frankel is clearly an exceptional colt. Unbeaten in five starts, he won the G1 Dewhurst Stakes last year over the very talented G1 winner Roderic O’Connor and he looks to be a real champion. It has been suggested that Frankel could start as short as 2-5 for the first English Classic.
It is worth noting the dominance of Frankel’s sire, Galileo, in the betting for the English classics. His sons, Frankel and Roderic O’Connor head the betting for the 2000 Guineas, whilst a Galileo filly, Misty for Me, is fourth favourite for the 1000 Guineas. There are two Galileo fillies in the first five for the betting for the 2011 Oaks, whilst Frankel and fellow Galileo colt, Seville, are first and second favourites for the Investec Derby.
