It is an absolutely fascinating renewal Of The Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday with a couple of Mill Park graduates returning home as conquering heroes, a few fillies with strong staying credentials and a couple of colts with pedigrees that would not be out of place in derbies at Epsom or Tokyo.
The latter includes the Arrowfield homebred Miyake and the boom European import Russian Camelot (IRE).
The Chris Waller-trained Miyake is a son of the legendry Japanese stallion Deep Impact out of Group II winning Street Cry mare Star Fashion who is a daughter of the outstanding mare Elegant Fashion (Danewin) who is a granddaughter of The Queen’s French Oaks and English One Thousand Guineas heroine Highclere who is also the granddam of Deep Impact’s dam Wind In Her Hair.
We hope we are not falling for the hype, but we like the Danny O’Brien-trained Russian Camelot (IRE).
Consigned by Camas Park Stud, Ireland to the 2018 October Yearling Sale Book 1, Russian Camelot was purchased by agent Jeremy Brummitt on behalf of some of Danny O’Brien’s clients for 120,000 guineas.
The son of Camelot (GB) has plenty against him on Saturday. For a start, in just four starts he has won nothing more than a maiden at Ballarat over 1400 metres and a benchmark 64 over 1600 metres at Pakenham.
Also, being bred to northern hemisphere time he is giving the locals upwards of six months in age and has had an interrupted preparation.
A few positives. He is a son of the champion racehorse and sire Camelot (GB) and his trainer knows how to prepare a stayer.
A 4-time Group 1 winner including the English and Irish derbies and the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Camelot fits the profile of stallions that have historically struggled in recent times for the support of breeders in Australia.
Even so, it was a surprise when he disappeared off the Coolmore roster after just one season.
Even his sire, the imperious Montjeu, was shunned in Australia before finding his southern hemisphere home in New Zealand where he sired the outstanding Tavistock whose daughter Toffee Tongue won last week’s Group 1 Schweppes Oaks.
New Zealand was also the southern hemisphere home of Cape Cross (IRE) who made his name at Cambridge Stud before earning a spot on the Darley roster in Australia.
Cape Cross (IRE) is the sire of Russian Camelot’s dam Lady Babooshka who was unraced but comes from a family we recently highlighted through the success of Windsor Park Stud’s wonderful broodmare Polish Princess (GB).
They are descendants of Meon Valley’s blue hen Reprocolor who had been purchased for 25,000 guineas by agent Richard Galpin, on behalf of Weinfeld family at the 1977 Tattersalls December yearling sale.
The daughter of Jimmy Reppin won three stakes, the Group III Oaks Trial Stakes, Group III Lancashire Oaks and Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket and placed in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks.
Reprocolor left a wonderful legacy in 18 live foals, which included five stakes-winners before her death at the age of 32.
Among her best was Cezanne the winner of the 1994 Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes while daughter Colorspin won the1986 Irish Oaks and Bella Colora captured the Group II Prix de l’Opera.
Both Colorspin and Bella Colora became exceptional broodmares.
Colorspin produced Group I winners Opera House (King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and successful sire in Japan), Kayf Tara (twice winner of the Ascot Gold Cup and multiple champion National Hunt sire, and Zee Zee Top (Group 1 Prix de l'Opera).
Bella Colora’s is the dam of four stakes winners including the multiple Group II winner Stagecraft and his Listed stakes-winning sister Balalaika (Sadler’s Wells) who is the dam of Russian Camelot’s mother Lady Babooshka as well as her Group II winning three-quarter brother Alkaadhem (Green Desert).
