The veteran stallions Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) each sired a new Group 2 winner Down Under at Eagle Farm on Saturday. First to strike was Irish Sequel (Ire), formerly known as Bashiyr (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the Northern Hemisphere, for trainer Chris Waller. Waller is currently in the UK overseeing the preparation of crack sprinters Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) and Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) for their Royal Ascot bids.
The gelding, the 70th group winner for his sire, clawed his way to a head victory in the A$200,000 G2 Brisbane Cup over 3200 metres, just besting Through Irish Eyes (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), (VIDEO). The 6-year-old made his first 10 starts in Ireland and sported two victories there before catching Waller's eye for €50,000 at the 2020 Goffs Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale. Bred by His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs, he now races for a large ownership group. Successful in the June 4 Listed Winter Cup over 2400 metres at Rosehill, Irish Sequel was making his first start at the two-mile trip. His dam claimed the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial as a sophomore, and produced the Group 3-placed Balansiya (Ire) (Shamardal) as her first foal. Since foaling the winner, Baliyana (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) has the winning 5-year-old entire Balmari (Ire) (Mukhadram {GB}) and the winning Kodiac (GB) 3-year-old colt Equos Allez (Ire) to her name. A half-sister to G2 King Edward VII S. scorer Balakheri (Ire) (Theatrical {Ire}), her most recent foal is a juvenile colt by No Nay Never.
Later on the card was the A$1.2-million G2 Sky Racing Q22 (Eagle Farm Cup) over 2200 metres, and it was Teme Valley's Numerian (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who prevailed by a length over Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ), (VIDEO) for trainer Annabel Neasham. Turning into the straight on the lead, the 6-year-old gelding fended off all comers for a first group score and became his sire's 52nd at that level. Prior to racing in Australia, the son of the unraced Kantikoy (GB) (Alzao) who was bred by Annmarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading, had won the Listed Devoy S. and was placed four times at group level in Ireland. He'd trotted up by three-quarters of a length in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup on May 7. His dam has a 3-year-old colt by Kingston Hill (GB) and a 2-year-old full-brother to the winner named Montesilvano (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). This is the extended family of Classic winner and GI Breeders' Cup Turf second Milan (GB) (Sadler's Wells).
Teme Valley has enjoyed success this year in the G3 Blue Wind S. with Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who ran sixth in the G1 Cazoo Oaks behind Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) earlier this month. The filly's older half-brother and three-time Group 1 winner State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) originally raced for the operation, but was sold on and now bears the colours of the State Of Rest Partnership. He will stand for Newgate Farm in the Southern Hemisphere and Rathbarry Stud in the Northern Hemisphere at the conclusion of his racing career.
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