Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday August 24

Arrowfield and Darley Studs will be hoping the career of Dubai World Cup hero Animal Kingdom (USA) mirrors that of another World Cup winner, Street Cry (IRE).

Street Cry (IRE) spent four seasons shuttling to Darley Stud before staying in Kentucky for two years.

With success on both sides of the equator, he returned the conquering hero with a fee to match.

After standing at a fee of $16,500, the son of Machiavellian was bumped up to $110,000 and the year after that $137,500.

One of the mares that visited him that year was Hold To Ransom (USA).

A $95,000 Keeneland September Yearling sale purchase, Hold To Ransom (USA) proved a very useful performer on the track highlighted by 5-length triumph in the Listed Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The daughter of Red Ransom (USA) has proved just as affective in the breeding barn.

Her first foal was the dual Group III winner Retrieve (Rahy) who was runner-up in the 2011 Group I Rosehill Guineas to Jimmy Choux and to Shamrocker in the Group I AJC Australian Derby.

Believe it or not, Retrieve is still plying his trade around Great Britain.

Last week the 10yo finished down the track in a restricted race at Bath. He did win a claimer on the all-weather at Wolverhampton in June, one of five starts he made that month.

The second foal of Hold To Ransom (USA) was the Exceed And Excel filly Reparations who kept her dam’s record perfect with three Listed Stakes wins in Melbourne for Lee and Anthony Freedman.

The result of Street Cry’s mating with Hold To Ransom (USA) was Abduction who won two of 11 starts including the Listed Reginald Alen Quality at Rosehill.

She was also second in the Group II Wakeful Stakes and fifth in the Group I Victoria Oaks.

Three years later, Godolphin sent Hold To Ransom (USA) to Animal Kingdom (USA) in his first season.

The result is Animalia who will be vying to become his sires first stakes winner in Australia and his dam’s fourth, when he contests Saturday’s Group III Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).

Animalia earned his place off the back of a facile 7-length win at Gosford at his most recent start.

The Ming Dynasty is chockful of quality with any number of progressive types and shapes as every bit as competitive as the other 3yo stakes race on the card, the Group II San Domenico Stakes.

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.