By Tom Frary
There must be something in the air at Haydock this month as Opulence Thoroughbreds and Teme Valley's newcomer Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}–Avon Breeze {GB}, by Avonbridge {GB}) became the second TDN Rising Star on Thursday's evening fixture and the third in the last three meetings at the Merseyside venue. Unleashed by Andrew Balding having brought enough attention at April's Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale to fetch £125,000, the 5-1 shot proved a handful for Ray Dawson going to post and in the early stages before establishing a lead before halfway in the five-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Novice S.
When Dawson got serious a furlong out, the relative of the Listed Rose Bowl S. winner Saigon (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) showed his true mettle to surge to a four-length success from the Karl Burke-trained Instant Recall (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), with half a length back to All Is Fair (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}) from the David Loughnane stable. “It's a shame that Royal Ascot is next week,” Dawson said of Aclaim's second TDN Rising Star, after Cachet (Ire) who achieved fame as last year's G1 1000 Guineas heroine.
Smart debut! 👀
Purosangue has some engine and does it very nicely on racecourse introduction as the Aclaim colt lands the @BritishEBF Novice Stakes in style for the Ray Dawson and @andrewbalding2 team 🏆 pic.twitter.com/glJ33DXGiy
— Haydock Park Races (@haydockraces) June 15, 2023
Pedigree Notes
The dam Avon Breeze may not have made it to black-type level, but she won 10 of her 52 starts in the North of England from five to six furlongs and achieved an official rating of 92. Purosangue is only her second runner, while her yearling colt by Eqtidaar (Ire) was sold for 22,000gns to Hegarty Bloodstock at the Tatts December Foal Sale. The family's most notable performers under the first three dams are the aforementioned Saigon, who was also runner-up in the G3 Horris Hill S. and third in the G2 Mill Reef S., and Tabaret (GB) (Bertolini) who took the Listed Roses S. and was third in the Listed Windsor Castle S.
3rd-Haydock, £9,999, Novice, 6-15, 2yo, 5fT, 1:00.06, g/f.
PUROSANGUE (GB), c, 2, by Aclaim (Ire)
1st Dam: Avon Breeze (GB), by Avonbridge (GB)
2nd Dam: African Breeze (GB), by Atraf (GB)
3rd Dam: Luanshya (GB), by First Trump (GB)
(£35,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK; £125,000 2yo '23 GOUKB). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $6,837. O-Opulence Thoroughbreds & Teme Valley; B-Hellwood Stud Farm & R C Dollar (GB); T-Andrew Balding. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
