KZN’s St Petersburg(AUS) Produces Gr 1 Winner In Australia

St Petersburg(AUS) has sired a Grade 1 winner in Australia with Solzhenitsyn(NZ), a bay gelding out of Tri Victory(NZ) by Victory Dance(IRE). Solzhenitsyn won the Gr 1 Toorak Handicap in Australia at Caulfield over 1600m on 13 October, on turf in good going for a stake of A$400 000.

Named after a Russian novelist and activist, Solzhenitsyn won by a long neck from Spirit Song (by Invincible Spirit) and Yosei (Invincible Spirit). Solzhenitsyn is a previous winner of the Gr 3 Labour Day/Lord Mayors Cup, and the Strawberry Road Handicap Listed, as well as placing third in the Gr 1 Invitational Stakes. He is trained by Robert Heathcote, and ridden by Corey Brown, bred in New Zealand by the Grande Vue Lodge Syndicate.

St Petersburg has another talented son in South Africa named Blushing Peter (out of Elegant Blush by Jallad), who placed third in the Gr 3 Protea Stakes earlier this year behind War Horse. Trained by Sean Tarry, he is bred and owned by Mr Crabbia.

St Petersburg is the only son of Nureyev standing in KZN, out of the mare Miss Bold Appeal by Valid Appeal. A very good-looking, muscular dark bay stallion with an outstanding temperament, he is a half-brother to Triple Gr 1 winner in the USA, Jersey Girl as well as 8-time winner Partition and sire Bold Expectation in Australia. He belongs to the immediate family of Two Year Old USA Champion sire Foolish Pleasure, Beldale Lustre, Valid Expecations and Little Expectations.

A stallion that stood privately prior to relocating to Summerhill Stud, he has produced winners (and Stakes Winners) in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

His first South African progeny are racing their first season and have already produced Blushing Peter who has placed eight times, including third in the Gr 3 Protea Stakes and fourth in the Gr 1 SA Nursery.

St Petersburg has had 11 runners and 12 places in first South African crop to race with a ratio of 9.5% Stakes-winners to runners and 8% Two-Year-Olds Stakes winners to runners. He exceeds 50% winners to runners and average earnings in excess of R260,000.

St Petersburg won three races In Australia at age 3, 1000-1200m and placed twice. His wins include the Gr 3 VRC Chivas Regal Stakes (1200m) and the SAJC Fraar Handicap (1000m). He placed fourth in the Gr 1 VRC Lightening Stakes (1000m) and Gr 2 Ascot Vale Stakes (1200m) before a tendon injury prematurely ended a career that was going onto great heights.

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