One To Watch - Balaklava

Mark Smith - Sunday February 25

A two-year-old maiden over 1050 metres at Balaklava seems a low-key debut for a colt whose pedigree would not be out of place in a Group 1 at Royal Ascot.

The Tony McEvoy-trained Farooq was among the first out of the gates for Jamie Kah before settling down on the outside of the pacesetting Martinique.

When Kah released the brakes, Farooq left his four rivals floundering. When the judge called a halt the son of the legendary Frankel won by a widening six lengths over Charmist (Charge Forward) with Martinique a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.


Farooq sports the silks of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum who purchased Farooq's dam Rostova through Tim Stakemire for $850,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

She was carrying Farooq at the time of her sale.

Rostova (pictured ) was a top-class racemare.

The daughter of Testa Rossa won five stakes races highlighted by the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes and Group II VRC Sires' Produce Stakes.

Rostova has a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock, a colt foal by Medaglia d'Oro (USA) and was covered by Snitzel last spring.

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