International News For KZN This Week

International News For KZN This Week

News in from Coolmore is that Crusade’s talented half-brother by Henrythenavigator – G2 Railway Stakes runner-up Cristoforo Colombo – will be competing in the Gr 1 2000 Guineas. Following a post-racing gallop at the Curragh on Sunday evening, trainer Aidan O’Brien confirmed that three of his star Henrythenavigators were bound for the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 4, including KZN’s new sire acquisition’s half-brother.

O’Brien told the Press Association: “The three Henrys (sons of Henrythenavigator) – Cristoforo Colombo, Pedro The Great and George Vancouver – all worked well and we are really happy with them. All three of them will run in the G1 2,000 Guineas.”

Vaughn Marshall has said that Crusade has settled in very well at his temporary home, until he makes the trip up to Scott Bros to begin his stallion career. “Crusade has settled in very well and he is a very nice horse – he is looking magnificent now and he has done very well since coming out of quarantine. He is only just cantering just to keep him occupied until he moves. He is a very handsome looking horse and has a lovely temperament – he is looking magnificent at this stage, he really is. I am really happy with him.”

St Petersburg has had yet more Gr 1 success with his son in Australia, Solzhenitsyn – when he ran third in the Gr 1 Canterbury Stakes in Rosehill over 1300m. Running on good going on turf, he was just a length short of the winner, Pierro. Already a Group winner, Solzhenitsyn made the news last year after winning the Gr 1 Toorak Handicap, the Strawberry Road Listed and Lord Mayors Gr 3 Cup. He has also placed in a Gr 1 and Gr 2. St Petersburg, a son of Nureyev, stands at Summerhill Stud.

Spectrum makes the news once again – as both a sire-of-sires and broodmare sire in Australia and France. On 23 March Fancy Feet, a three year old chestnut filly placed in the Listed Natasha Trophy over 2200m in Australia, a short-neck to the winner Moreish (More Than Ready) over Turf in dead going. Fancy Feet is out of Colourband by Spectrum.

Fabriano by Golan (himself by Spectrum) came third by a nose Albury Cup Listed in Australia over 2000m at the Albury course. Out of a Volksraad mare Florete, he ran a courageous race to a narrow defeat by Niblick (Encosta De Lago).

At the French racecourse Saint-Cloud over the weekend, the Prix Altipan Listed over 1600m was run in heavy going over turf, and saw Zack Hope, out of Afaf by Spectrum, finish second by half a length to Celebrissime (Peintre Celebre). Zack Hope is by Araafa.

The big Dubai World Cup race meeting is looming large, and Mikedekockracing.com reports of KZN-bred The Apache lining up for the Gr 1 Dubai Duty Free over 1800m. Mike De Kock is quoted as saying “He has done nothing wrong in his two starts, winning the first one and then just touched off on Super Saturday. This looks a hot race but I think he has improved again over the last three weeks and he will run a solid race.” Bred by Scott Bros, The Apache has a full-sister (by Mogok out of Apache Rose) available at the upcoming Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale from the Scott Bros, named Bold Pocahontas.

Igugu, raised and grazed at Summerhill Stud will be in the line-up as well. “She has improved with each of her two starts and hopefully we have sorted out the hormone issues which were making it difficult to train her as we would have liked. She is certainly a lot fitter this time but this is obviously the strongest race she will have contested in Dubai. Hopefully she can bounce back to something like her best.”

A son of Second Empire – who stood in KZN until his passing at the end of 2011, Star Empire competes in the Gr 3 Dubai Gold Cup over 3200m on the evening. “He is another probably just short of the mark class-wise but he is as honest as the day is long and will give his best as always.”

– Extract coolmore.com
             mikedekockracing.com