s we move into what is supposed to be our glorious sunny summer months, we asked for rain and we have certainly got it! On a brighter note, our foaling season at Watership and Kiltinan has drawn to an end and we have plenty of quality foals to look forward to over the coming few months.
We have welcomed a number of special arrivals during the past couple of months. None more so than Dar Re Mi, who foaled an outstanding filly foal on April 17th by Juddmonte’s classic winning miler, Kingman. This filly was one of four by the stallion to be foaled at Kiltinan. Dar Re Mi’s two-year-old filly has been recently named, Darmoiselle.
We were all delighted to see Bjorn Nielsen’s Stradivarius back to his winning ways. He looked a picture, and he still clearly possesses a lightening turn of foot. He looks firmly on track for his shot at a fourth Gold Cup later this year.
Bjorn also looks to have an exciting prospect in Gloria Mundi. The three-year-old Galileo filly is out of the G3 placed, King’s Best mare Bufera. Gloria Mundi won first time of asking for the Gosden duo and came second by a neck in the Listed Fillies Trial as Newbury on May 15th. The mare was rested in 2020 and has an outstanding Dubawi colt foal foot and she visits Kingman this time.
A prominent pedigree update for our relatively recently acquired mare Gale Force was welcomed, when her three-year-old son of Frankel, Hurricane Lane won the G2 Dante Stakes in fine style. The mare was purchased in foal to Australia in 2019, from the Tattersalls Part Dispersal of Normandie Stud sale and is visiting Too Darn Hot this year. Hurricane Lane retains his perfect record of 3/3 and looks to be a strong contender for next month’s Cazoo Derby.
Further Group success was gained this month, this time by Spanish Mission (Noble Mission) who won the G2 Yorkshire Cup stakes on May 14th. As a result, the five-year-old surpassed the million-pound mark in earnings for owners Team Valor & Gary Barber. Spanish Mission is out of St Elias’ stables owned mare Limonar who is subsequently in foal to Noble Mission’s full-brother Frankel.
Homebred success came in the shape of Silver Gunn, a three-year-old son of Claba Di San Jore by Lope De Vega. He went one better than his previous start to secure the Sky 415 Handicap at Yarmouth. He has now won and been placed twice from only four starts. The mare visits Darley’s Derby victor, Masar this year.
Too Darn Hot has enjoyed some rave reviews about his first foals, with over a hundred on the floor to date. The European Champion is really stamping his stock and seems to be passing on his bay gene. His foals look strong, athletic and have been described as ‘mini Dubawi’s’ with delicate heads and not too much white. The highest rated three-year-old in 2019 is set to shuttle to Darley Australia for his second season standing in the southern hemisphere with an exciting book of mares to look forward too.
Photo of Too Darn Hot.
