Monday, 4 August 2008: It was a notable weekend in the Northern Hemisphere for stallions that have previously been on the shuttle to Australia, highlighted by European Group 1 winners to Anabaa and Catcher In The Rye.
 | Catcher In The Rye
Photo by Racing and Sports | |
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Anabaa had his latest Group 1 winner when three-year-old filly Goldikova took her overall record to four wins from just seven starts in winning G1 Prix Rothschild (previously Prix D'Astartre) over 1600m at Deauville in France.
Goldikova (ex Born Gold, by Blushing Groom) was previously a Group 3 winner this season and her trainer Freddy Head believes the filly may well be a champion in the making.
Anabaa (by Danzig) is a notable absentee from the shuttle arrivals this year, having been part of Widden Stud's roster since 1997, where he has covered a total of 800 mares in that time.
Among his Australian conceived progeny are the Group 1 winners Headturner, Imanabaa, Teranaba, Yell and
Virage De Fortune, who last year became the most expensive thoroughbred ever sold at public auction in Australia when knocked down for $3.4million as a broodmare (the price was bettered this year by Milanova at $5million).
Former
Coolmore shuttler Catcher In The Rye landed his first Group 1 winner when Rosenreihe took out the German Oaks (2200m) at Dusseldorf on Sunday.
From the Be My Guest mare Rosengeste, Rosenreihe had previously been runner up in the G2 German 1000 Guineas.
Catcher In The Rye is a son of Danehill who shuttled to Australia in 2004 and 2005, covering books 103 and 68 respectively off a fee of $5500.
His first Australian crop have just turned three and include the stakes winner Rhyno Chaser.
Also in the news again at the weekend was Darley's former shuttler Street Cry, sire of the outstanding US mare Zenyatta ( ex Vertigineux, by Kris S).
The four-year-old made it seven wins from as many starts when taking the G2 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar on Saturday.
A $US60,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2005, Zenyatta's earnings are now just short of the million dollar mark and she is already a dual Grade 1 winner this year.
The four-year-old mare proved too strong for Model, a daughter of another former shuttler in Giant's Causeway.
Zenyatta is a member of the Dubai World Cup winner Street Cry's first American crop, which also includes G1 Kentucky Derby hero Street Sense, a first time shuttler to Darley Australia in 2008.
Street Cry shuttled to Australia on four occasions (2003 to 2006) and his progeny from those matings include stakes winner Sarthermare and the highly promising Mark Kavanagh trained three-year-old Whobegotyou.
Galileo no longer is a member of
Coolmore's shuttle to Australia, but he is the headline act in Europe this season, being the clear leader on the General Sires list.
His tally was added to when Sixties Icon (ex Love Devine, by Diesis) took out the G3 Glorious Stakes (2400m) at Goodwood on Friday.
The race was in fact a trifecta for progeny of former southern hemisphere shuttlers, as Galileo provided the runner-up Galactic Star (ex Balisada, by Kris), while Montjeu sired the third placed Lion Sands (ex Puce, by Darshaan).
Galileo had another Group 3 winner last week when his daughter Gravitation (ex Guaranda, by Acatenango) took out the Lillie Langtry Stakes (2800m) at Goodwood.
Galileo made five trips to Australia between 2002 and 2006.
Another of
Coolmore's previous shuttlers, Orpen, provided the G2 Vintage Stakes (1400m) winner Orizaba (ex Jus'chillin', by Elbio) at Goodwood last week as well.
Orpen (by Lure), shuttled to Australia from 2000 to 2003 and his southern hemisphere bred progeny include the stakes winners Goin To Jackson and Sea Saint.
