Win For Crusade’s Half-Brother

Gr1 Middle Park Stakes winning Crusade, standing at Scott Bros, had his half-brother Sir Henry Raeburn(IRE) out of mare La Traviata win his fourth start over seven furlongs for trainer Paul Cole and owner Mr RA Green.

He has previously placed third at Newmarket. By Henrythenavigator, he is a full-brother to Cristoforo Columbo – who finished fourth in the Gr1 Middle Park Stakes, second in the Gr2 Railway Stakes and third in the Gr2 Coventry Stakes.

Trainer Paul Cole comments on his website about Sir Henry Raeburn, “We always thought a fair bit of him last year. He is a full brother to Christoforo Colombo and it will be interesting to see how he goes this year.”

La Traviata (pictured left) by Johannesburg has had four foals; as a maiden she visited Sire Of Sires Mr Greeley which produced Crusade, and she subsequently was covered three times by Henrythenavigator. A filly produced in 2011 named Ms Cha Cha remains unraced.

La Traviata has a Galileo following and once again is in foal to the great son of Sadlers Wells that sired Frankel and Igugu.

Crusade has let down magnificently at Robin Scott’s Highdown Stud in Nottingham Road. A stallion with an easy going temperament, his fertility is incredible and first foals are all stamped accordingly; black individuals with no white markings like their sire.

Crusade has been Equinome Speed Gene Tested and it reflects a “C:C” result, implying that he is likely to produce speed horses as his pedigree and race record strongly suggest.

He had six starts in England, winning twice including the Gr1 and placing once in a Gr3. Crusade also competed in the Breeders Cup Juvenile, but was badly interfered with and finished fifth subsequently.

Crusade’s win in the Gr 1 Middle Park Stakes saw him defeating a strong field of horses that included four Gr2 winners, including Capar Netscher who is a three-time Gr2 winner.

Mr Greeley(USA), himself by Gone West out of Long Legend by Reviewer(USA), has produced over 14 Gr1 winners at stud in both America and Europe and almost 60 Stakes winners – in 2008 he stood for a fee of $125,000.

Sadly Mr Greeley who stood at Gainesway, succumbed to Laminitis in 2010 at the age of 18. A Sire-Of-Sires, he has produced the likes of Cluster Of Stars, What A Name, El Corredor, Greeley’s Galaxy, Horse Greeley, Nicole H, and Belgravia, as well as Whywhywhy – the sire of Gr 2 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf winner Nownownow in 2007.

Crusade’s dam La Traviata out of Piedras Negras by Unbridled(USA), is in turn out of a Devil’s Bag(USA) mare. La Traviata won three races at three years old in America including the Gr3 Victory Ride Stakes at Saratoga and the Post Deb Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Crusade stood for a fee of R20 000 during the 2014 breeding season, his second season at stud.