Expert Eye sold to South Africa’s Paardeberg Stud

GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) has been sold by Juddmonte to continue his career in South Africa at the new stallion operation of Paardeberg Stud.

A collaboration between British businessmen Steve Ajax and Charles Palmer in partnership with South African breeder Sally Bruss, Paardebrg Stud sits on 200 hectares in the Paarl region of the Western Cape.

Expert Eye, the sire of Chesham S. winner Snellen (GB) and G3 Dick Poole Fillies' S winner Juniper Berries (GB), is currently in quarantine in South Africa ahead of the 2024 covering season.

Paardeberg's co-owner Steve Ajax said, “South African racing has endured its share of challenges, from export/import complications and the Phumelela crash to the impact of the Covid pandemic. Nonetheless, there's a new-found optimism in the air, spearheaded by the fresh leadership at Cape Racing. Charles and I have made a deliberate choice to actively contribute to this resurgence. This commitment involves substantial investments in state-of-the-art facilities, high-quality broodmares, and a top-tier management team.”

Charles Palmer added, “Paardeberg Stud represents an ambitious undertaking, and it was imperative for us to secure a distinguished stallion as a testament to our dedication to the stud and the broader South African thoroughbred racing industry. We consider ourselves exceptionally fortunate to have acquired such an exceptional performer to serve as our standard bearer.”

 

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Snellen Provides Laroche With 20/20 Vision of Success

ASCOT, UK–This year's Royal Ascot has certainly been a successful one for a number of American owners, but Lindsay Laroche is no stranger to big-race success in Europe. The victory of Snellen (Ire) in the Chesham S. was that bit extra special for the Californian, however, as he is also the breeder of the daughter of Expert Eye (GB), who is the first foal of her dam Illumined (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}).

The seven-year-old mare raced in the colours of another owner-breeder, George Strawbridge, for whom she won twice and was listed-placed before being sold for 170,000gns at the Tattersalls December Sale in 2020. It is a family with some smart Ascot form in the book as Illumined is a half-sister to Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), whose son Novellist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) still holds the 1m4f track record, set when he won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. in 2013.

“It's such a thrill for us,” said Laroche, who had travelled to Ascot from San Francisco with his wife Deborah. “Daithi Harvey, my good friend and bloodstock manager, picked out the mare Illumined with a little bit of my help. We loved the German blood and the distance, and Expert Eye–well they seemed to work well together today at least.”

He continued, “We're very excited because we have a Blue Point (Ire) yearling filly and a Gleneagles (Ire) colt foal, and the mare has had three February 10, 8 and 12 babies, so she's a machine.”

Illumined boards at David and Tamso Cox's Baroda Stud alongside another of Laroche's mares, Princess Yaiza (Ire), who, like Snellen, was a Gavin Cromwell trainee. She won the G2 Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend in 2018.

Laroche said, “[Illumined] is in foal to Bayside Boy (Ire). There were deals required to get to New Bay (GB)! 

“But it's very exciting: a shout out to the thrill to come here to race in England, and in Ireland. We're based in California and we love the racing there but this is very, very special.

“Princess Yaiza was probably our biggest thrill until today, if not tied, as she won at Longchamp. She has a baby and another one coming.”

Another Harvey purchase, Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test {GB}), who was placed in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and runner-up in both the G2 Debutante S. and G3 Park S., will join the broodmare band next year.

In his home country, Laroche, who also races under the Highland Yard banner, has horses in training with Christophe Clement. His colours have been carried to success there by the GIII Modesty H. winner Walk Close ((Tapit) among others.

The Chesham winner's name was well chosen considering her sire Expert Eye, as she takes her title from the famed Dutch ophthalmologist Herman Snellen, designer of the Snellen Chart which features ever-decreasing rows of letters and which can be found in optician stores the world over. 

Laroche added, “People were asking before the race if I had pins and needles, but that was for her last race, the first race, when we wondering if she was any good. 

“Gavin has all these two-year-olds and they are all about the same, and he said, “I don't know if they are all good or if they are all bad.' So it was a thrill just to get here and to do this, but there were less nerves this time.”

After Saturday, one thing is pretty clear: neither Cromwell nor Laroche will need glasses to see that they have a special filly on their hands. 

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Expert Eye’s Snellen Wins The Chesham

Saturday's Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot was all about the fillies as the Gavin Cromwell-trained Snellen (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}–Illumined {Ire}, by Sea The Moon {Ger}) found the line just ahead of Pearls And Rubies (No Nay Never). Off the mark at Limerick 10 days earlier, having won her barrier trial beforehand, Lindsay Laroche's homebred was keen early tracking the leader of the stand's-side group but had plenty in reserve when committed by Gary Carroll approaching two out. Green and errant late as the 7-4 favourite Pearls And Rubies drove to the line many lengths wider out in the centre of the track, the 12-1 shot was there a head in advance of her Aidan O'Brien-trained compatriot. Golden Mind (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) and Oddyssey (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) fared best of the colts, finishing off strongly to be half a length away in a joint-third.

“The last half furlong was a very long half furlong for me–she was looking for company and started to lean a bit, but she's a very good filly,” Carroll said. “She is a little bit weak and was getting a little lonely when she started rolling. I tried to correct her in Limerick when she went like that and lost momentum. So I was going forwards and thought, 'keep going', and thankfully I hung on.” Cromwell added, “She has been nice from the word go and is progressing. I think she's going to improve as well.”

 

Richard Henry said of Pearls And Rubies, “She went to win her race and maybe got a bit lonely on her own. She has run a great race and will come on for the run. She is a sweet filly. Ryan thinks she could be very good.”

Pedigree Notes
The dam Illumined, who was a winner over 12 furlongs and was third in the Listed Foundation S. for George Strawbridge, was a 170,000gns purchase by Harvey Bloodstock at the 2020 Tatts December Mares Sale. Snellen, who becomes a landmark first black-type winner for her second-crop sire, is her first foal. She is kin to the listed scorer and G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Night Tango (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin winner Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), who is in turn the dam of five black-type performers headed by the four-times group 1-winning King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II S. hero Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) and the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Illumined's second foal is a yearling filly by Blue Point (Ire), while she also has a colt foal by Gleneagles (Ire).

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
CHESHAM S.-Listed, £100,000, Ascot, 6-24, 2yo, 7fT, 1:29.36, g/f.
1–SNELLEN (IRE), 126, f, 2, by Expert Eye (GB)
1st Dam: Illumined (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Sea The Moon (Ger)
2nd Dam: Nenuphar (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Narola (Ger), by Nebos (Ger)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-L H LaRoche (IRE); T-Gavin Cromwell; J-Gary Carroll. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $88,302.
2–Pearls And Rubies, 126, f, 2, No Nay Never–Diamondsandrubies (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs Richard Henry & Mrs John Magnier; B-Premier Bloodstock (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £21,500.
(DH) 3–Golden Mind (Ire), 131, c, 2, Galileo Gold (GB)–Sagely (Ire), by Frozen Power (Ire). (150,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Richard Fahey. £10,760.
(DH) 3–Oddyssey (GB), 131, c, 2, Ulysses (Ire)–Last Echo (Ire), by Whipper. (10,500gns Ylg '22 TADEY). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Pinnacle Thoroughbreds 3; B-Culworth Grounds Farm (GB); T-Patrick Owens. £10,760.
Margins: HD, HF, HF, HF. Odds: 12.00, 1.75, 12.00, 125.00.
Also Ran: Hot Fuss (Ire), Carolina Reaper (GB), Nemonte (Ire), Dallas Star (Fr), Warnie (Ire), Sayedaty Sadaty (Ire), Matnookh (Ire), Maymay (Fr), Content (Ire), Lightning Leo (GB), Count Palatine (Ire), La Guarida (Ire). Scratched: Quatre Bras (Ire).

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Making Waves: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Our series featuring notable success for European sires in North America, with this week's highlight being the victory of Grade I winner Shantisara (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) in the GII Hillsborough S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Robert LaPenta's Shantisara is no stranger to the winner's circle, and the 2021 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. heroine secured her first victory since 2021 with a 1 1/4-length triumph in the Hillsborough S. on Saturday (video).

Now a 5-year-old, the mare was bred by Oliver Donlon, and sold for 10,000gns as a Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up graduate in 2020. Sent to the yard of Daniele Zarroli, she made her first two starts for Ladritta SRL, winning her second, a Chantilly maiden claimer by five lengths in November of 2020. After taking a 2000-metre conditions race in December for Frederic Rossi in the colours of Patrick Dreux, she was runner-up in another conditions race, and Sol Kumin bought her before racing her once in his silks with Rossi to an eighth-place finish in the Listed Prix de la Californie on Valentine's Day in 2021.

With LaPenta and Michael Dubb added as owners, Shantisara triumphed in the GIII Pucker Up S. for Chad Brown at Arlington Park that August, before taking the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. in New York and her Keeneland Grade I later that autumn. Defeated by subsequent Eclipse champion Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) in the GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland in April, she returned with a fifth in the Fall Harvest S. there. Shantisara was second in the GIII Pegasus Wold Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational on Jan. 28 prior to the Hillsborough.

The only foal to make it to the races for Kharana (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who died in 2020, Shantisara is a granddaughter of the stakes-winning Khanata (Riverman), who was third in the G2 Pretty Polly S., while this is also the female family of champion and notable sire High Chaparral (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).

The Hillsborough heroine is one of three winners from three to race Stateside for Rathasker Stud stallion Coulsty. Of the other two, Coulthard (Ire) placed third in the GIII Green Flash H. at Del Mar.

The Doctor Is In

'TDN Rising Star' Dr Zempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) made his American bow a winning one in an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park on Friday (video). The Peter Brant colourbearer stamped his sigil on the 7 1/2-furlong turf contest by 2 1/2 lengths. It was the 4-year-old gelding's fourth win in 10 starts.

Consigned by breeder Chris Wright's Stratford Place Stud to the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, the grey caught the eye of Demi O'Byrne, who signed on behalf of Brant's White Birch Farm to the tune of 420,000gns. Ger Lyons saddled Dr Zempf to a 2 1/4-length 'Rising Star'-worthy tally over yielding going at the Curragh in June of 2021, and he was not disgraced when fourth in the G2 Railway S. there later in the month. Less than a length off of Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) in the G1 Phoenix S., Dr Zempf was unplaced behind Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket.

Back to winning ways at listed level at Leopardstown last April, he earned his first Group 3 badge with a two-length score in the Ballycorus S. two starts later on June 9. Third to 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the G2 Minstrel S. in July, Dr Zempf lost all chance in his final European appearance when rearing at the beginning of the G2 City Of York S. and trailed in eighth behind subsequent 2022 Breeders' Cup Mile third Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Gelded over the winter and switched to the Chad Brown barn, Friday was his first start in over 180 days.

Out of G3 Prix Eclipse heroine Souvenir Delondres (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Dr Zempf is followed by the 3-year-old filly Visiting Hours (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and a juvenile colt named Phoenix Passion (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}). From the same clan as G1 Sussex S. winner and sire Noalcoholic (Fr) (Nonoalco), Phoenix Passion was picked up by George Gill's Opulence Thoroughbreds for 125,000gns out of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2.

Yeomanstown Stud's kingpin Dark Angel sports a record of 23 winners from 41 to race (56%) in the U.S., and 12 stakes horses (29%). Five of his progeny have won stakes Stateside (12% of 41 runners), led by three-time Grade I winner and Gainesway sire Raging Bull (Fr), dual Grade I winner Althiqa (GB), and GI Shoemaker Mile S. hero Hunt (Ire).

Zoffany Colt Game Over KY All-Weather

The much-missed Zoffany (Ire)'s Dark Side (Ire) found a 1 1/16th all-weather contest to his liking at Turfway Park on Friday (video), eking out a slim neck victory in the Qatar Racing colours. It was the first start in America for the Brendan Walsh trainee.

A product of Ann Marshall and Frank Dunne's Hamwood Stud Unlimited Company in Ireland, Dark Side hammered for 125,000gns to David Redvers, the racing manager for Qatar Racing, as part of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2021. Consigned by Bill Dwan and Andrew Mead's The Castlebridge Consignment, he was the third most expensive Zoffany yearling to be offered at that year's Tattersalls October Sale.

Put into training with Joseph O'Brien, the Feb. 28 foal was second on debut at Cork in September, and was later sixth in a hot Curragh maiden on Sept. 25 behind future G1 Criterium International second Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and runner-up Sierra Blanca (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was subsequently second to Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) in the G3 Killavullan S. a month later. In his final Irish start, Dark Side was second again over 8 1/2 furlongs back at Gowran Park on Oct. 18.

Dark Side is one of four winners for his dam Shreyas (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who won a Group 3 in Ireland as a 3-year-old, and would later add a pair of listed victories and two more group placings at four. Her 2-year-old filly Porters Place (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) most recently sold for 70,000gns to Paddy Twomey as a Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling, and her latest offspring is a full-sister to Porters Place. He is kin to Group 1 winners and sires Youmzain (Ire), Creachadoir (Ire), and Pilsudski (Ire).

Zoffany's American strike rate stands at 25 winners from 51 runners (49%). There are also four stakes winners from those 51 (8%) for the late Coolmore sire, led by GII Hollywood Turf Cup hero Oscar Dominguez (Ire), GIII Marshua's River S. heroine Zofelle (Ire), and Zoffarelli (Ire), who won the GIII La Jolla H.

Shades Of Violet In Florida

Juddmonte stallion and GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Expert Eye (GB) gained his third American winner with Violet Gibson (Ire) in her very first start at Gulfstream Park on Saturday (video). Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the Mike Ryan homebred came calling late to win the 7 1/2-furlong affair over the firm turf by a head.

Bred in Ireland by Ryan's St. Croix Bloodstock, Violet Gibson is out of the unplaced Soul Of Houdini (Perfect Soul {Ire}), responsible for five winners from five to race, counting Saturday's scorer. Tracing to bluehen Coup De Folie (Halo) (Coup De Genie, Machiavellian, Exit To Nowhere, Hydro Calido, etc.), Soul Of Houdini's latest is a yearling filly also by a Juddmonte stallion in Bated Breath (GB).

Through Monday, Expert Eye, who has his first 3-year-olds this term, has 29 winners from 70 runners worldwide (41%) with the Flat season just around the corner. Joining Violet Gibson and Saturday's winning listed stakes second Beautifulnavigator (Ire) as his third winner of three runners Stateside (100%) is Isabel Alexandra (Ire), who landed a maiden special weight in Indiana last autumn.

Tampa Bay Royalty

Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables celebrated a winner at Tampa Bay Downs in the form of Royalty Interest (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) (video). The daughter of listed winner Dusky Queen (Ire) (Shamardal) was making her racetrack debut in Saturday's finale–a one-mile turf race, where she exploded away in the stretch to win by 3 1/4 lengths for Klarman's go-to trainer Chad Brown.

Bred by China Horse Club International in France and consigned by Henri Bozo's Ecurie des Monceaux, the bay was picked up for €50,000 out of the 2021 Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale. She is the third winner from three to race for Dusky Queen, herself a half-sister to two stakes horses, including the three-time grade/group-placed Achnaha (Ire) (Haatef). Royalty Interest's juvenile full-brother brought €10,000 out of the same sale last year from the buying entity the Six of Us, and she also has a Siyouni (Fr) yearling half-brother.

The late Le Havre, who stood at Sumbe's Haras de Montfort et Preaux before passing away last March, has a strong record Stateside. Eight of his 18 runners have won (44%), and another three have gained black-type laurels (16% of runners) in America. All three have ticked the graded stakes box, led by Suedois (Fr) in the GI Turf Mile S. at Keeneland, four-time graded heroine Rymska (Fr), and GIII Red Carpet H. victress Orglandes (Fr). The latter pair were also trained by Brown.

Honourable Mention

The breeze-up sales are nearly here, and lot 44 in the Tattersalls Craven Sale received an update last week, when his older half-brother, The Right Stuff (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), posted a 3 3/4-length victory for Holly and David Wilson in an allowance optional claimer at Turf Paradise.

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