Oratorio
The South African breeding community is abuzz with the news that Avontuur stallion Oratorio currently tops two of the three European sires logs. The former champion racehorse registered another three stakes winners this weekend.
The exciting son of Danehill arrived on transfer four months ago from Coolmore in Australia, from where he was acquired in what is increasingly seen as one of the major coups for SA horseracing in recent years.
Oratorio is also creating some rather pleasant headaches for the Avontuur marketing team as he continues to rack up the stakes winners all over the world. He stands on 33 stakes winners as we go to press, but that figure grows virtually week by week,so don’t hold your breath or print any glossy brochures!
Oratorio current heads the European sires tables in terms of races won and Black Type winners. He is fourth on the overall behind Galileo, Oasis Dream and Dansili in terms of prize money earned.
His three stakes winners (two in England one in Italy) this weekend included Scream Blue Murder who won the Listed EBF Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Kilvington Fillies’ Stakes over 1200m at Nottingham, her second win from five starts and her first black type success.
The Tommy Stack trained three-year-old was bred by the partnership of Annalee Bloodstock and Rockhart Trading Ltd. She is out of the mile stakes winner Holly Blue (by Bluebird) and her siblings include the Mike De Kock trained triple South African Gr 2 winner Gibraltar Blue (by Rock Of Gibraltar).
Oratorio completed a big-race double just minutes later when six-year-old Eton Forever won the Listed Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes over 1400m at Haydock. This was his second black type success.
The gelding was bred by Brid Cosgrove and is trained by Roger Varian. He is out of True Joy (by Zilzal), and is a half-brother to the mile stakes winner Nans Joy (by In The Wings). The stakes hat trick was completed In Italy when the 4yo filly Sciolina, by Oratorio out of the Carson City mare Grigora, won the Premio Tradolina at Cappanelle in Rome.
Oratorio was introduced to invited guests at a luncheon at the beautiful wine estate and stud farm outside of Somerset West on Thursday this week. All enquiries to Pippa Mickleburgh on [email protected]
