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72.
Van Nistelrooy To Survive Unkindest Cut
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25/08/2002 |
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The
US$6.4 million yearling Van Nistelrooy (Storm Cat--Halory, by Halo) looks surely
to have survived the fate of fellow high-priced Ballydoyle representatives
Tasmanian Tiger and Diaghilev, by remaining undefeated after the Group 2 EBF
Galileo Futurity Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.
The veteran of three starts was a neck winner over Chappel Crescent (College
Chapel-Inshad by Indian King) with Wilful (Bering-Prickwillow, by Nureyev) a
neck further back.
Coolmore Stud announced during the week that $6.8 million Keeneland yearling
Tasmanian Tiger (Storm Cat-Hum Along by Fappiano) and 3.4 million guineas
Tattersalls Houghton yearling Diaghilev (Sadler’s Wells-Darara by Top Ville)
have been gelded and sold to race in Hong Kong.
Tasmanian Tiger could boast only a victory in a maiden at Tipperary from his 3
starts. He is a three-quarter brother to 1996 champion two-year-old filly Storm
Song winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and the Frizette Stakes
(G1).
Diaghilev, a full brother to 1999 Ranvet Stakes (G1) winner Darazari out of the
Prix Vermeille (G1) winner Darara, is the winner of two races including this
year's Group 3 Prix la Force at Chantilly. He has since finished a well-beaten
seventh behind Sulamani in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) and at his last start
was beaten 11 lengths when sixth of seven in the King Edward VII S. (G2) at
Royal Ascot.
The future for Van Nistelrooy looks much brighter. Although his wins, a maiden
at the Curragh and the Flame Of Tara Tyros Stakes (LR), have been by narrow
margins the chestnut half-brother to the high class Halory Hunter has impressed
the good judges enough to be rated at 16/1 for next year's Two Thousand Guineas
(G1) at Newmarket. The Aiden O’Brien trainee is expected to have one more
start as a two-year old in the National S. (G1) at the Curragh next month.
By: Mark Smith
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