Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday June 23

We are down to the final Group 1 of the season, the Sky Racing Tattersall's Tiara (1400m) for fillies and mares at Eagle Farm on Saturday, and as the betting suggests, it's a wide-open race.

Chain Of Lightning arrived at the Peter Moody stable with wins at Inverell and Armidale for Stirling Osland.

Chain Of Lightning wins the Cockram Stakes (image Grant Courtney)

The Stuart Ramsay homebred daughter of Fighting Sun added wins at Caulfield and Flemington before keeping her record at a perfect five for five when defeating a class field of mares in the Group III Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last August.

Three weeks later, Chain Of Lightning finished third behind Zapateo and Lavish Girl in the Group III How Now stakes before bouncing back to win the Group II Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield in October.

Never a factor in the $10,000,000 Golden Eagle won by stablemate I Wish I Win, Chain Of Lightning had fifteen weeks off before reappearing with a third to Lofty Strike and Uncommon James in the Group II Rubiton Stakes at Sandown.

Those two fought out the finish of the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate, with Chain Of Lightning clocking in eighth.

That was the start of five consecutive Group 1 contests for the 4yo mare, which took in the Newmarket Hcp, William Reid Stakes, Robert Sangster Stakes and Stradbroke Hcp. While she failed to place in any of them, neither was she disgraced.

She had little luck when fourth in the Sangster Stakes, less than a length behind the Tatt's Tiara second favourite Ruthless Dame.

The proprietor of Turangga Stud, Stuart Ramsay, bred Chain Of Lightning, her sire Fighting Sun, and dam Magic Art.

A $180,000 Magic Millions purchase for Gai Waterhouse and James Harron, Fighting Sun won at Rosehill on debut before adding the Listed Canonbury Stakes on the same track.

Chain Of Lightning can she credit her sire with a posthumous Group 1? (image Grant Courtney)NNN

Unfortunately, the second crop son of Northern Meteor came out of the race with a career-ending injury.

Advertisement

Fighting Sun spent six seasons at Sun Stud before colic claimed him.

Chain Of Lightning comes from his fourth crop and is his standout performer.

The Peter Moody-trained mare is the best of two winners from as many to race for the winning Perugino mare Magic Art.

Like her daughter, Magic Art was trained by Peter Moody and carried the green, white braces, yellow hooped sleeves and cap. Her lone victory in four starts came in a Bairnsdale maiden and placed at Morphettville and Kilmore.

A daughter of the Group III Magic Night Stakes winner Mardi's Magic (Kenny's Best Pal), Magic Art sold at the Inglis July (Late) Online Sale for just $3,250 carrying a filly by Better Land.

Magic Art has a yearling colt by Magna Grecia (IRE), which was a $375,000 purchase for Freedman Racing / Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Davali Thoroughbreds draft at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

The $375,000 Magna Grecia (IRE) half-brother to Chain Of Lightning

Blue Ruby (Lonhro), a half-sister to Magic Art, is the dam of Glint Of Silver (Rubick), who won the Group II MRC Autumn Stakes at Sandown in February.

Mardi’s Magic is a sister to Surrealist, the dam of five-time Group 1 winner Racing To Win, Group III winner Purrealist, and Pinocchio, the dam of Classique Legend and Athero. 

Chain Of Lightning traces back to arguably the most influential mare in history, La Troienne (FR), through her great-great-granddaughter Hula Bend (Never Bend), dam of Group 1 AJC Doncaster Handicap winner Hula Chief and Group 1 STC George Ryder Stakes winner Hula Drum. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Lightning Strikes in Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes
Despite her last start win in the Group III Birthday Card Stakes and superior wet track form, the market disregarded the 5-year-old Fighting Sun mare Chain Of Lightning in Saturday's $3.000,000 Group 1 James Squire T J Smith Stakes (1200m) and paid the price.
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?
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).
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.
Chain of Lightning Retired to Stud
Yulong purchased Group I ATC TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain of Lightning at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale this year for $2.5million and after two below par runs this spring, the $2.7million earner will now be retired to stud.
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.
Chain Of Lightning Makes it Five for Five in Cockram Stakes
Two four-year-olds with perfect four-for-four records went toe to toe in Saturday’s Group III WW Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, and the outsider prevailed.
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.
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.
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.