Blood of Champions Wins on Derby Day

Tara Madgwick - Monday November 6
The three year-old division this spring has offered a fast changing picture with colts that star one week relegated to also rans the next, but our two Group I winning heroes on Saturday have the bloodlines to make an impact far into the future.

Merchant Navy - Grant CourtneySince the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes was created in 2006, the race has already produced three Group I producing sires in Northern Meteor, Star Witness and Sepoy with a further three winners Zoustar, Brazen Beau and Flying Artie all now standing at major farms.

This year's winner Merchant Navy is set to follow in their footsteps being by champion sire Fastnet Rock, a noted sire of sires, from the Group II winning Snippets mare Legally Bay, also the dam of his Group II winning full sister Jolie Bay, who was second in a Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes.

A $350,000 Inglis Easter purchase for his former trainer Ciaron Maher from the Segenhoe draft, his pedigree is Black Type all the way tracing back to influential broodmare Gypsy Moss (IRE) and his next two dams after Legally Bay are by revered sires Last Tycoon (IRE) and Twig Moss (Fr).

It's a diverse speed pedigree that will hold huge appeal for broodmare owners and he would be a fitting candidate to be the first son of Fastnet Rock to stand at Coolmore, who part own the colt.

Ace High - Grant CourtneyThe Group I VRC Victoria Derby has produced its share of sires with Blackfriars and Blevic the best of them in recent times, while horses such as Elvstroem, Nothin' Leica Dane, Arena, Helenus, Rebel Raider and Monaco Consul have all left stakes-winners.

While the sprinting division of three year-olds has been a free for all, the staying colts have been dominated by High Chaparral's high class son Ace High, who won his third consecutive race when taking out the Group I VRC Victoria Derby.

That win followed on from victories in the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes and Group III ATC Gloaming Stakes.

He is a dominant colt and one with an impressive pedigree!

Foaled at Berkeley Park Stud (images Joan Faras) for his breeder Bruce Reid Racing, Ace High was an appealing foal that has grown into a powerful colt that went to Magic Millions and made $130,000 for Bell River Thoroughbreds when bought by his trainer David Payne.







By a proven sire of sires in High Chaparral, Ace High traces in direct tail female line to celebrated matriarch Natalma (the dam of Northern Dancer) and comes from the Spring Adieu branch of the family that produced the legendary Danehill.

To say it's a stallion's pedigree would be an understatement!

Throw in the fact his first two dams are by Redoute's Choice and Sunday Silence and you can see why this Derby winning colt will earn a slot on a stud roster and will also be a huge chance of achieving success.




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