Undefeated in 2020, five year-old Dubawi stallion Ghaiyyath won his fourth Group I race overnight at York and his emergence as an elite performer this year holds plenty of interest for a number of Aussie breeders as the half-sister to his dam has been at stud here in Australia since 2009.
Read about Ghaiyyath’s latest triumph here.
Ghaiyyath is from Group I winning Galileo mare Nightime, whose stakes-placed half-sister Mermaid Island (IRE) had three unremarkable foals in Ireland before being imported to Australia to continue her stud career at Tyreel Stud for Dean Fleming.
Her first two foals bred here, Holy Cow (f by Teofilo IRE) and Ondina (f by Manhattan Rain), both earned Black Type, the former stakes-placed and the later winning a Listed race in Adelaide.
Three subsequent foals were all able to win and Mermaid Island has a two year-old filly by Press Statement called Press to Collect and a yearling filly by Shooting to Win.
Ondina and Holy Cow are both in the ownership of astute Victorian breeders Gilgai Farm, so it will be interesting to see what they can add to the mix as their stud careers unfold.
Another of Mermaid Island’s daughters Ocean Magic (by Wanted) is now back in Ireland after being sold at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for just $10,000.
She went through the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale last year in foal to young Dark Angel stallion Gutaifan and made 28,000 euros. Click to see her page.
Mermaid Island last changed hands at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when bought by Harry McAlpine Bloodstock for just $18,000.
