A union between two of the world's finest sprinters of the modern era will take place during the current breeding season when multiple Group 1 winning racemare Ortensia is covered by Emirates Park's European champion 2YO and 3YO Dream Ahead (USA).
Emirates Park nominations manager Bryan Carlson has received confirmation that three-time Group 1 winner Ortensia will be sent to five-time Group 1 winner Dream Ahead over the coming months. The mating is a 'marriage made in heaven' considering the collective feats of these two exceptional racehorses.
One of the very finest Australian racemares of recent seasons, Ortensia posted 13 very memorable victories during her unforgettable international career.
Already a Group 1 winner before heading overseas at the beginning of 2012, the acclaimed daughter of Testa Rossa proceeded to land the Meydan Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on the Dubai World Cup program that March and then the time honoured York Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) in August of the same year.
Ortensia also proved to be a brilliant winner of Glorious Goodwood's Group 2 King George Stakes during her extended overseas campaign before returning home to Australia and visiting Choisir for her first season at stud in 2013.
The selection of Dream Ahead for Ortensia's second mating brings together respective winners of Europe's most coveted open-age sprints. While Ortensia proved successful in the York Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs (1000m), Dream Ahead landed both the Newmarket July Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup over six furlongs (1200m), as well as the Longchamp Prix de la Foret over 1400 metres.
A five-time Group 1 winner, Dream Ahead also won the Deauville Prix Morny and Newmarket Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs (1200m) during his juvenile season.
"Both parties are very excited about this development," claimed Carlson regarding the decision made by Ortensia's well-known owners Alister Fraser and Emma Ridley.
"Alister considers Dream Ahead to be the finest European sprinter ever made available for stud duties in Australia and everyone at Emirates Park is delighted the horse has been chosen to serve such an internationally revered racemare."