Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday December 31

Isotope has looked a Group 1 winner in waiting from the time she became the talk of the town with a dazzling 10-length romp on debut at Doomben in April last year.

The Tony Gollan-trained daughter of Deep Field backed that up with another dominant performance at the Sunshine Coast before facing defeat for the first time when second to the top-class Rothfire in the Group 1 BRC JJ Atkins Stakes.

That remains her only start at the elite level to date. Isotope has had her ups and downs since.

In the $2million Magic Millions 3yo, Guineas Isotope was in a challenging position when she clipped the heels of Away Game, dislodging jockey Ryan Maloney.

Sydneysiders had a taste of Isotope's talent when defeating Odeum and Bella Nipotina in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes at Rosehill before narrowly going down to Wild Ruler in the Group II Arrowfield Sprint.

Isotope wins the Darby Munro stakes (image Steve Hart)

More drama was to follow when Isotope underwent surgery for colic in June.

The Black Soil Bloodstock colour-bearer has been on R and R and makes a belated seasonal debut in Saturday's Listed Nudgee Stakes (1200m) for fillies and mares at Doomben.  

Bred by Daandine Stud, Isotope was a $170,000 purchase by Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock/Black Soil Bloodstock at the 2019 Magic Million Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Advertisement

She is the first foal of the useful Choisir mare Great Dansaar who won three races for Bjorn Baker before finishing her career battling around North Queensland.

Isotope was a $170,000 Magic Millions yearling

At the conclusion of her 27-start career, Great Dansaar was consigned by Three Bridges to the 2016 National Broodmare Sale where Daandine Stud/Boomer Bloodstock P/L (FBAA) had the final say at $80,000.

The timing could hardly have been better. After a fast-finishing second in the Golden Slipper, her half-sister Yankee Rose had just won the Group 1 ATC Sires' Produce Stakes.

A bargain-basement $10,000 yearling purchase by Darby Racing, Yankee Rose added the Group 1 ATC Spring Champion stakes at thee. The daughter of All American was sold to Japan, where she was later joined by another Darby Racing overachiever, She Will Reign.

The Japanese value racetrack performance over everything, and it has been serving them well.

The Tasmanian icon Mystic Journey is another heading to the land of the rising sun.

Not that Yankee Rose lacked depth to her pedigree.

Her yearling price was an anomaly as her siblings all found favour in the sales ring. They included her $500,000 half-brother by Redoute's Choice at Easter this year and her $460,000 half-sister Miravalle  (Redoute's Choice), who became the second stakes winner for her dam Condesaar when capturing the Group III Kembla Grange Classic.

A daughter of the dual Group 1 winning two-year-old Xaar (GB), Condesaar failed to impress the track. Her two starts resulted in an 8 of 14 at Muswellbrook and 12 of 14 at Cessnock.

A half-sister to the Group 1 New Zealand Derby winner Redoute's Dancer (Redoute's Choice), Condesaar is a granddaughter of the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks winner and Group 1 Irish Oaks runner-up Condessa (Condorcet).

This is one of the many successful branches of the Simon's Shoes family.

Great Dansaar is shaping up as an excellent buy for Jan Clark's Daandine Stud.

Darby Racing purchased Dansaar's Winning Rupert filly for $90,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions.

Named Rupertaar, she has won three of four for Bjorn Baker, the latest coming at Gosford on Wednesday.

If Darby went drilling where they struck oil before, the same can be said of Black Soil, who shelled out $450,000 for Great Dansaar's Sebring colt at the Gold Coast in January. He has been named Prince Of Plenty and is also trained by Tony Gollan.

So, the hopes must be high for the fourth foal of Great Dansaar, a Spirit Of Boom filly in the Daandine draft heading to the Gold Coast in January.

Great Dansaar is a dream broodmare. Isotope was born on September 4, the latest Great Dansaar has foaled with her following four foals born in August.

The daughter of Choisir produced a full brother to Isotope on August 16.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Racing Australia Issue a Statement on Black Type
Racing Australia Chairman Rob Rorrison has released the following statement. 
Magic Fillies Set to Clash in $250,000 MM Debut
Another piece of the Magic Millions puzzle will fall into place at the Gold Coast on Friday night with the running of the $250,000 Magic Millions Debut 2YO Plate (1000m) that features three well bred fillies from major stables that have been impressive at the trials.
Pretty Powerful Continues Winning Run for Yes Yes Yes
The last foal of blue hen Pretty Penny, Pretty Powerful returned for a new campaign as a gelding at Warwick Farm on Wednesday and he made it a winning return.
First Win for $1million Jet
He was bought for $1million at Magic Millions with stallion potential in mind, but Zoustar three year-old Jet found the winner’s circle for the first time at Warwick Farm on Wednesday as a gelding.
Rebel Dane Magic Trio Highlight the Passing of Time
With a Golden Slipper winning Champion 2YO in Fireburn coming from just his second crop of foals, Rebel Dane was an under the radar sire that found fame in a rush, but as so often happens it takes a very long time for that achievement to follow into the sale ring.
Inglis Digital year concludes on a high - Two Mares Sell for $140,000
Two well-related mares stole the show in today’s Inglis Digital December (Late) Online Sale, selling for $140,000 each in the final auction of 2025.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday December 17
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Mick Dee Chasing More Kiwi Glory
Expat jockey Mick Dee is set to return to one of his happiest hunting grounds, Ellerslie, with a full book of rides on Boxing Day headed by El Vencedor in the Gr. 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m).
The Remarkable Rise of Zambardo
The one time scruffy weanling that emerged to challenge the mighty Via Sistina (IRE) in the Group I VRC Champions Stakes was one of the finds of the spring, how far can he go?
Vote for Your Favourite Foal of 2025
We thank everyone for their participation in this year’s Foal Gallery with an amazing selection of babies from all over Australia and New Zealand making it a real showcase for breeders big and small and the task of selecting just six for our audience to vote for is not an easy one.