International News For Young Sires Byword(GB) and Golden Sword(GB)

International News For Young Sires Byword(GB) and Golden Sword(GB)

Zatsfine, a half-sister to South Africa’s exciting young sire Byword, won a good race in France on Thursday. The daughter of Oasis Dream won a smart race over 1400m at Dieppe, enhancing her future stud value in the process. She won the Prix Nicholas and has also placed second at third at Dieppe (also 1400m) and Deauville (1300m) respectively from just six starts. She is trained by Andre Fabre and was ridden by Amelie Foulon on this occasion.

Zatsfine is the third winner produced by the outstanding mare Binche – dam not only of the brilliant Byword, but also of the multiple Grade One winning filly Proviso. The latter won nine races and over GBP 1 000 000 during a magnificent career which saw her win three Grade One races. Among Proviso’s triumphs was an historic victory over males in the Grade One Frank Kilroe Mile.

Byword was an outstanding racehorse, who defeated no fewer than 22 Grade 1 winners during his career. Rated 126 by Timeform, Byword’s seven wins included an impressive G1 triumph in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot.

A grandson of Woodman and a son of one of the greatest racehorses of all time and now a leading sire, Peintre Celebre, Byword will stand his first season at Middlefield Stud this year.

Chicquita, winner of Saturday’s G1 Irish Oaks, is closely related to Summerhill Stud’s exciting young sire, Golden Sword. Chicquita’s fifth dam is Soumana – the third dam of former Irish Derby runner up and young sire Golden Sword.

The latter, whose first foals are to be born this year, is the only sire in South Africa of boom sire High Chaparral.

Chicquita, like Golden Sword, is by a Sadler’s Wells line sire (Montjeu) – so the two are clearly closely related.

Golden Sword(GB) is out of a Salse/Ahonoora mare, a very balanced and athletic individual with a good length of rein, he would have been one of the top racehorses of the world had he not raced during the time of Sea The Stars and in fact ran just two lengths off the spectacular horse himself in the Epsom Derby.

Runner up in the French Oaks, Chicquita is clearly one of the most talented horses of her generation. This is the great Lost Soul family, responsible for one of South Africa’s greatest sires – Royal Prerogative.

– Sarah Whitelaw