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30.
Scone horse
stud's tragic trifecta
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10/09/2002 |
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Racing
& Breeding News
Brian Russell Bloodstock Media Service
Phone (02) 6543 3051, Fax (02) 6541 1022
The
accidental death of visiting sire Zafonic at the Arrowfield Stud near Scone on
Saturday was the third leg of a tragic trifecta for this leading breeding
organisation. It followed on the death in Japan in mid year of world record
setting juvenile sire End Sweep and more recently of the giant of their
breeding,Sunday Silence.
Arrowfield were half owners of End Sweep and their enterprising chief John
Messara had been able to persuade the protective Japanese Shadai Stud management
to allow a number of Australian mares to be bred to Sunday Silence to southern
hemisphere time.
Following the death of End Sweep, a Mr Prospector grandson due to have his first
Australian two-year-olds race this season, Messara pulled off another coup when
he negotiated Zafonic as a replacement. Also from the Mr Prospector male line,
Zafonic was a champion at two and three in Europe and subsequently a brilliant
sire.
The most outstanding galloper by Zafonic was on show when Sheikh Mohammed's
international Darley group paraded their four visiting stallions at the
Collingrove Stud near Sandy Hollow on Sunday. One of them is the Zafonic product
Xaar, one of the most highly rated two-year-olds in European history and also a
champion at three.
A relation of Hurricane Sky and Redoute's Choice, both resident sires at
Arrowfield, and also of the Coolmore visitor Spinning World and the quality
Victorian sires Umatilla and Masterclass, Xaar is now looking after his third
Australian book of mares. He was used at Arrowfield in 2000 and then at
Collingrove last year.
Besides Xaar, the Darley group are offering Australian breeders the use of
recently retired northern hemisphere champion middle distance performer
Fantastic Light, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Carnegie (the sire out here of
Carnegie Express and Amalfi) and Group1 English two-year-old winner Lujain.
Darley are likely to have an even more impressive representation of northern
hemisphere sires in the Hunter Valley next year following the acquisition of
Hilton Cope's Kelvinside stud complex near Aberdeen.
Racing
& Breeding News
Brian Russell Bloodstock Media Service
Phone (02) 6543 3051, Fax (02) 6541 1022 |
