Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday February 1

The two-year-olds take centre stage on Saturday with the Group III Lamaro's Hotel Chairman's Stakes at Caulfield and the Group III Arrowfield Canonbury Stakes and Group III Widden Stakes at Rosehill.

It shapes as an important day for Pierata, who has made an encouraging start to his stud career despite being overshadowed by his Yulong barn mate, Alabama Express.

The Listed Debutant stakes winner Coleman remains the only winner for Pierata from nine starters, although the vast majority have shown above-average ability. The $550,000 Magic Millions purchase resumes from a 15-week break in the Chairman's Stakes where he was carry a 2kg penalty.

Fearless a $220,000 Inglis Classic yearling

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pierata colt Fearless makes his first appearance since a meritorious fourth in the Group III Breeders Plate in the Canonbury Stakes for colts and geldings.

In the Widden Stakes for Fillies, Pierata has two debutants worth watching, the TFI and Kia Ora Stud colour-bearer Pushpa and the impressive trialer Wave Breaker.

Fearless looked something a bit special when winning at the official 2-year-old trials at Randwick last September, and there was a lot to like about the way he attacked the line in the Breeders’ Plate, won by Espionage from Straight Charge and Prost.

Fearless was bought by James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for $220,000 from the Highgrove Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

He is the second foal of the Rothesay mare Matildare, whose first foal, Tycoon Jenny, is showing great promise.

After winning at Pakenham on debut last July, the daughter of Written Tycoon finished second at Caulfield and Sandown, after which she was transferred from Greg Eurell to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.  

Matildare had more trainers than wins. A $70,000 purchase for Robert Dare at the 2014 National Yearling Sale, the daughter of Rothesay won three and placed in five of her 20 starts while banking $52,600.

Consigned by Baystone Farm to the 2019 National Broodmare Sale when carrying Typhoon Jenny, Matildare was a $350,000 purchase for Aquis Farm, which got $230,000 of that back when selling the daughter of Written Tycoon as a weanling.

This is serious money, so it is no surprise that Matildare hails from a black-type-laden family. The daughter of the Vain mare National Song is a half-sister to stakes-placed Gold Anthem (Made Of Gold), the dam of the outstanding racehorse and sire Starspangledbanner, and the stakes-placed Gold Chant (El Moxie), dam of the Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas winner Amicus (Fastnet Rock).

Starspangledbanner,(image Mark Smith)

National Song is a half-sister to the AJC Australian Oaks heroine Circles Of Gold (Marscay), the dam of Haradasun, Elvstroem and Hveger, who has championed the line across the globe as the dam of Highland Reel (IRE), Cape Of Good Hope (IRE), and Out Idaho (IRE).

Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $160,000 for Matildare at the 2021 Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale. She has not been the most reliable conveyance, with two foals in her first five seasons. After foaling a Russian Revolution colt in October, she was bred back to the Newgate Farn stallion.

Matildare does not have a yearling this year, but a look at the Breednet family search reveals that several studs will be monitoring Fearless's progress. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Bella Now Second Highest Ever Australian Stakes Earner
Seven year-old Pride of Dubai mare Bella Nipotina bounced out of her Everest win two weeks ago to claim another lucrative prize when scoring a scintillating victory in the $3million ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Cambridge Stud News and New Website
Cambridge Stud have been on a winning roll and have just launched their exciting new website.
2024 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw
The all important barrier draw for the world’s richest handicap, the $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) has been held for a field which contains horses bred in seven countries and trained in four.
Speed is What Sells
There are two Group I events for three year-olds at Flemington on Saturday and both are worth $2million, but the profile of the horses engaged, many of them being colts, couldn’t be more different starting with their purchase price.
Back to Back Victoria Derby Winners for Triple Crown Hero American Pharoah
The Watson family owned South Australian nursery Mill Park is a name synonymous with serious Group I horses and in particular those bred by astute breeder Harry Perks and this winning association struck for a third time in the $2million Group I VRC Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday when Goldrush Guru saluted to join previous winners they have produced in Rebel Raider and Warning.
Fawkner Park Back to Winning Ways in G3 Rosehill Gold Cup
Since winning the Listed Albury Gold Cup in March, Fawkner Park has undergone an amazing transformation.
Switzerland Wins the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes for Coolmore
After Coolmore’s $875,000 I Am Invincible colt Home Affairs captured the Coolmore Stud Stakes in 2021, it was the turn of the $1,500,000 Snitzel colt Switzerland to do the sponsor proud in the $2,000,000 Group 1 feature at Flemington on Saturday.
Third G1 Win for Star Savabeel Mare Atishu
A year after flying home for second behind Pride Of Jenni in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), Go Racing’s pin-up girl Atishu(NZ) (Savabeel) returned to Flemington on Saturday and went one better for the Kiwi syndicators.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 2
Here is the full list of 137 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G1 Breeders Cup Turf Juvenile Colts
The worldwide winning wave of juvenile winners for Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett rolled into Del Mar in North America on Friday when talented colt Henri Matisse claimed victory in the Group I Breeders’ Cup Turf Juvenile (1m).