Photo: Peter Rubery, Race Images
Further top-flight success on the home front and an overseas double has boosted spirits at Jamieson Park ahead of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.
Farm graduate Grail Seeker (Iffraaj) doubled her tally at elite level with her dazzling victory in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham last Saturday, her first appearance since she won the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m).
The Jamieson Park-bred and sold Holymanz then starred in Australia with his successful defence of his Coastal Classic (1700m) title at Geelong while Raging Blizzard continued his winning roll in Hong Kong to complete a memorable weekend.
Trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Grail Seeker was sold to Kakapo Lodge at Karaka for $130,000 and is out of the late Redoute’s Choice mare Starwish.
“Grail Seeker was a lovely Iffraaj filly and the mare had done well for us and also left stakes winner Deep Image,” Jamieson Park principal James Chapman said.
“Unfortunately, Starwish succumbed to laminitis in the end.”
Jamieson are still breeding from Perfect Offering, a daughter of Dubawi whose three foals to race have all been successful with the star of the brood the Almanzor five-year-old Holymanz.
He was sold to Cambridge Stud and Haras d’Etreham at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for A$400,000 and has won five races and is a multiple Group placegetter.
“We sadly lost a beautiful Wootton Bassett colt out of the mare, I got the mating right and everything else went wrong, and she’s been served by Profondo,” Chapman said.
“It’s a hard game and you need a weekend like the last one because there’s plenty of heartbreak.”
Chapman is extremely upbeat about the quality of the Waikato farm’s draft headed to Karaka later this month.
It will also be the first Jamieson consignment for Dylan Ralph, son of Group One-winning trainer Stephen, who was appointed Stud Manager last year.
Ralph expected a pair of youngsters by Wootton Bassett to command widespread attention during the Book 1 session, as well as two colts by St Mark’s Basilica.
The first of the Wootton Bassetts through the ring will be Lot 326, who is out of the Camelot mare Star Karen. She was a winner and finished third in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
“The Star Karen colt is a phenomenal horse by a sire that is absolutely flying at the moment,” Ralph said.
“The other Wootton Bassett filly is another stand-out type from a really good family, she’s a really athletic individual.”
She will be offered as Lot 600 and is out of Shamardal’s multiple Group One-winning daughter Faint Perfume who has left Australian Group winners Good Idea and Chains Of Honour.
St Mark’s Basilica will be represented by Lot 269, a son of New Zealand Oaks winner Savaria while Lot 595 is out of the Shamexpress mare Express Fantasy whose half-brother Raghu won the Karaka Mile (1600m) and placed in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).
“My favourite is the one out of Savaria and he looks like a Classic horse through and through, I can see him in a Derby in a couple of years’ time,” Ralph said.
Meanwhile, a colt in Jamieson’s Book 2 draft received a timely pedigree update from afar.
“Raging Blizzard won at Sha Tin on Sunday and that was his sixth win up there and I daresay he’ll be in some Group races soon,” Ralph said.
“We’ve got his half-brother (Lot 768) by Turn Me Loose in Book 2 so he should be another popular one.”
