It’s June, the month of European Classics, and it’s Bob Scarborough with the broadest grin heading into the Prix du Jockey-Club with his St Mark’s Basilica as the $3.25 Sportsbet favourite.
In scoring a decisive victory in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains when ridden by four-times French champion Spanish expatriate Ioritz Mendizabal, who retains the ride for Aiden O’Brien.
As last season leading European 2YO in winning the Dewhurst Stakes, St Mark’s Basilica was a 1.3mGns Tattersalls October Sale yearling and races in the Coolmore partnership.
In Bob Scarborough having great success in Australia as an owner and breeder, St Mark’s Basilica is by the outstanding French sire Siyouni, from the Gr3 winning Galileo mare Cabaret.
A half-brother to the 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia, from the family of Frenchpark and Pearly Shells, will St Mark’s Basilica be joining Magna Grecia in shuttling to Coolmore Australia.
Needing little introduction Bob Scarborough bred the likes of Final Card, Gold Ace, Marble Halls at Wood Nook Farm, now Spendthrift Australia, and was a Chairman of Moonee Valley Race Club.
At $8 is the magnificently bred Van Gogh, who was third in the Irish 2000 Guineas and a Criterium International winning juvenile for Aiden O’Brien, and will be ridden by Colin Keane.
By US Triple Crown hero and now top-line sire American Pharoah, he’s the family of champion Generous, being from the Oaks and 1000 Guineas winner Imagine, by Saddler’s Wells.
Across the channel on Saturday, it’s the Cazoo sponsored Derby Stakes at Epsom with Coolmore having the $2.20 favourite Balshoi Ballet, to be ridden by Ryan Moore for Aiden O’Brien.
By the all-conquering Galileo, from the Anabaa mare Alta Anna, and a brother to Zipping Classic winner Southern France, he is a duel Gr3 winner this year including the Derrinstown Derby Trial.
Another day earlier on Friday, Coolmore has thrown-up additional Cazoo Oak Stakes favourites with the 1000 Guineas second Santa Barbara being the $3.20 race favourite for Aiden O’Brien.
A half-sister to the Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Order of Australia and triple Gr1 heroine Iridessa, she is by the Derby hero Camelot from the unraced Senta’s Dream, by the influential Danehill.
The Japanese bred $5.50 Oaks second favourite Snowfall had previously won the Musidora Stakes, and is bred on the same Deep Impact-Galileo cross as the 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior.
Snowfall is out the Gr2 winning Galileo mare Best in The World, the family of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Found, with Saxon Warrior being from the Moyglare Stakes winner Maybe.
There is no doubting that the Japanese bred Saxon Warrior is now hot property, for at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale he had lots selling for $125,000, $100,000, $95,000.
It was Coolmore who raised eye-brows in purchasing ‘Europe’s most exciting and versatile sire’ in Wootton Bassett, with great news that he will be shuttling to Coolmore Australia this season.
Already Champion Sire of Juveniles, he’s a proven sire of 2yo, 3yo, 4yo’s with his stock winning from 1000m to the Classic distances, and his yearling selling for 600,000Gns, €300,000 last year.
As France’s unbeaten Champion 2YO he won the Pris Jean-Luc Lagardere of 1400m and is by the top-line former shuttler to New Zealand Iffraaj, with the proven ability to up-grade his mares.
In his Champion European 3YO sire-son Almanzor shuttling to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand, his first yearlings averaged $210,000 this year with his Lazumba colt being a $800,000 top price.
The duel Gr1 winning juvenile King’s Legacy also joins Coolmore this season, being the only duel Gr1 winning 2yo son of Redoubt’s Choice, a $1.4m yearling buy by James Herron Bloodstock.
In being from the family of Not A Single Doubt, Snippets and Oohood, he is from the stakes placed winner Breakfast in Bed, a daughter of Hussonet by Mr Prospector.
In defeating duel Gr1 winner Ole Kirk in both the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes of 1400m and Champagne Stakes at 1600m, he also won the BJ McLachlan Stakes 1200m and was third in the Golden Rose.