Irlanda

IrishThoroughbred Marketing Racing & Breeding Newsletter 4^th March 2008

HEATSEEKER IS HOT STUFF

Irish-bred horses continued their fine run of form in North America when Heatseeker scored his biggest career win to date in Sunday’s Santa Anita handicap (Gr 1). Racing behind the early speed, Heatseeker ran to the lead turning for home and ran on strongly to score. Go Between was second ahead of Champs Elysees (5 h Danehill – Hasili, by Kahyasi).

“It’s a nice feeling to win this race and I hope it’s the start of big things for this horse," said winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. "I don’t have a firm plan (as to what’s next), but we’ll be hoping to look for bigger things now. There are plenty of races left this year. There are a lot of places to run, a lot of things to prove. The Breeders’ Cup Classic would be a long-range goal. It’s a big thrill to win this race.”

Third to George Washington in the 2005 National Stakes (Gr 1) at The Curragh, he has now won six of his 15 races and earned $930,223, for owner Willie de Burgh.

Heatseeker (5 g Giant’s Causeway – Rusty Back, by Defensive Play) was bred by Rick Barnes and sold for 90,000 euros at the Goffs Orby yearling sale.

INSTANT RECALL

The Frank Dunne-bred Instant Recall landed a valuable prize last Thursday when squeezing home in the Al Quoz Sprint at Nad al Sheba. Registering his third win at this years Carnival, Instant Recall (7 g Indian Ridge – Happy Memories, by Thatching) edged out Calrissian (4 g Efisio) in a driving finish to this six-furlong contest with Munaddam (6 g Aljabr) in third.

Indian Ridge stood at the Irish National Stud in County Kildare before his sad death in 2006. His son Indian Haven, winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas, now stands at the Irish National Stud where his 2008 fee is advertised at 6,000 euros.

NEW STALLION FOR WEXFORD

Steeple Stud in County Wexford has welcomed a new addition to their stallion ranks. Medaaly, winner of the 1996 Racing Post Trophy will take up stud duties under the care of Don Cashman and Talitha Doran. The son of Highest Honour is already the sire of the high class Cheltenham and Grade 1 winner Sky’s The Limit and the leading 2007 hurdler in France, Shekira. For enquiries please call +353 86 8702476.

SHUTTLE SUCCESS

Irish based shuttle sires enjoyed Group success in Australia at the weekend. Coolmore stallions Choisir (Hurried Choice, Challenge Stakes – Gr 2) and Galileo (Gallant Tess – Breeders Classic – Gr 2) were on the mark and follow on from Danehill Dancer’s highly promising three-year-old Light Fantastic, who is one of the favourites for this Saturday’s Australian Guineas.

YOUNG STALLIONS PROVING FERTILE

Pat Fitzsimons of Oak Lodge Stud has reported that the first three mares covered by Heliostatic have all been scanned in foal. “Heliostatic has settled in really well to his new role at Oak Lodge and we are delighted with his results to date and indeed with the support that breeders have shown,” Fitzsimons says.

A Group winning son of Galileo, sire of the Champion Two-Year-Olds Teofilo and New Approach, Heliostatic was also trained by Jim Bolger. He was retired to stud for this season but his full-brother Soldier of Fortune, the impressive winner of last year’s Irish Derby, will continue to race for Ballydoyle in 2008. Heliostatic’s fee for 2008 is 6,500 euros.

Last year’s Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner Dark Angel has also adapted well to life as a stallion and has already had three of his mares scanned in foal. The son of brilliant first season sire Acclamation stands at Morristown Lattin Stud at a fee of 10,000 euros (1st October).

FIRST EUROPEAN ENCOSTAS ARRIVE

The first foals from the first European crop of leading Australian sire Encosta de Lago have arrived. The first known is a colt out of Longfield Stud’s Moon Seeker (Desert King) that was born early last week. The mare is from the successful Moyglare Stud family of Champion and Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow.

The Group One winning son of Fairy King was resident at Coolmore in Ireland for the 2007 season, but usually stands at Coolmore Australia. Retired to stud in 1997, Encosta de Lago has sired Group 1 winners at distances from five furlongs to a mile and a half and he is one of the most commercial stallions in Australia, his yearling daughter out of Almighty Sister topping the Melbourne Premier Sale on Tuesday at $490,000.