Not
that long ago, the Group I ATC Coolmore Classic was the only chance an older mare
had to post a Group I win against her peers and while there are now several options
for mares against their own sex at the elite level, many racegoers still rate
the Coolmore as the pinnacle of fillies and mares racing in this country.
A look at the honour roll is a walk down memory lane and there are some names
there that have gone on to make a real difference to the breeding industry.
Dashing grey At Talaq (USA) filly Skating won the race in 1993 as a three
year-old and followed it up with a memorable win in the Group I AJC Doncaster
Handicap.
Retired from stud duties in 2013, Skating more than did her job at stud leaving
11 named foals, 10 of them winners headed by stakes-winners Murtajill, Bradbury's
Luck and Sunset Run, while her stakes-placed daughter Skates has now found fame
and fortune as the dam of unbeaten Golden Slipper favourite Vancouver.
The following year, talented Centaine filly Kapchat took the Coolmore and she
too has gone on to found a little Black Type dynasty of her own.
Kapchat left seven winners headed by Group II winner and sire Kaphero,
stakes-winner Princesa, dam of Group II winners Star of Giselle and Solicit,
and stakes-placed Wasimah, the dam of slick stakes-winning filly Nayeli, who
won the Listed ATC Fireball Stakes at Randwick last week.
Diminutive filly Assertive Lass won in 1997 followed by the under-rated older
mare Shindig in 1998, both of them going on to produce Group I winners, the
former giving us leading sire Reset and the latter MRC CF Orr Stakes winner Shinzig.
Porto Roca won in 2001 and was then acquired by Darley and sent to stud in the
Northern Hemisphere where she produced Group I Dubai World Cup winner
Monterosso from a mating to champion sire Dubawi.
Blue-blooded Bollinger, a Dehere (USA) daughter of Golden Slipper winner Bint
Marscay, won in 2003 and she too headed to stud in the Northern Hemisphere for
Vinery Stud.
She produced Group II Louisiana Derby winner Friesan Fire from a mating to
champion sire AP Indy and is now back in Australia.
Vinery Stud will offer a yearling filly from Bollinger by More Than Ready (USA)
at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 314.
She's not the only Coolmore Classic winner with a yearling entered for Inglis
Easter.
Arrowfield Stud will offer Lot 275, the second foal (a filly by More Than Ready
(USA) from 2010 winner Alverta.
Kitchwin Hills will offer Lot 388, the fourth foal (a filly by Redoute's
Choice) from 2008 winner Eskimo Queen (NZ).
Yarraman Park will offer Lot 85, the first foal (a colt by Dream Ahead (USA)
from 2012 winner Ofcourseican.
The last two winners of the Coolmore Classic, Steps in Time and Appearance both
went to stud for the first time last year, the former covered by Sebring and the
latter by Lonhro.
Stay tuned for the latest chapter in one of the great fillies and mares races
this Saturday at Rosehill. Click here for Sale Mail.