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Cheveley Park Stud's champion stallion Pivotal had a notable double half a world apart on the weekend.
At Caulfield on Saturday the Tony Noonan-trained 4yo mare Sussuro won her first race since scoring a Moonee Valley in September 2010 when she captured the Travis Harrison Cup (1600m).
Then at The Curragh on Sunday the John Gosden-trained Izzi Top earned her first Group 1 victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes.
A $150,0000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale graduate, Sussoro is a daughter of the high-class racemare Hoh Dear who was purchased by Badger's Bloodstock on behalf of Paul Makin for $200,000 guineas in 2005.
She
was carrying a filly (Kissing The Camera) by champion stallion Galileo who
would become a Listed stakes-winner.
Winner of a Grade 3 race at Woodbine and a Listed race at Newmarket Hoh Dear (Sri Pekan) also finished second in the Cherry Hinton Stakes (G2) at Newmarket. Makin put Hoh Dear to Pivotal and sent her to Australia where she was mated with Starcraft northern hemisphere time. The resultant foal Three Sugars is a winner in England.
Sadly, Hoh Dear died a fortnight after foaling Three Sugars.
The 4yo mare Izzi Top, who was third in last year's Epsom Oaks, was bred by Meon Valley Stud and descends from its wonderful foundation mare Reprocolor.
Her dam Zee Zee Top (Zafonic) won the Prix de l'Opera (G1) and placed in the Pretty Polly Stakes nine years before her daughters success.
Zee Zee Top is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winning brothers Opera House (Sadler's wells) and Kayf Tara.
Gosden revealed there was a link between his stables and the filly that the race was named after.
"It's great to win this race because Pretty Polly was trained where I train now (Clarehaven Stables, Newmarket)," Gosden said
"She was a champion race-mare and won over a range of distances."
Of the winner Izzi Top, Gosden said: "William (Buick) said she didn't like the ground, but not many like it that soft.
"A mile and a quarter is her trip and she tends to pull herself up when she hits the front - she got a bit idle there in the last furlong.
"We'll look at races like the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood and the Prix de l'Opera in France.
"We may think about the Breeders' Cup, too.
"The best work she has ever done has been in the last few weeks."
Pivotal(pictured) came close to notching a double in Australia on Saturday when Sheikh Mohammed'sstriking chestnut Peck flew home to finish third over 1900 metres at Rosehill Gardens. The Peter Snowden trained gelding is testing the patience of punters however his day must come soon.
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