What do you think of this gelding Cyc. Very impressive in the Fairetha Stakes at Ascot today. Has now won 4 from 4 and goes for the W.A. Guineas at Ascot - Sat, 22 Nov 2014 Interesting pedigree Sire Reset has 91 winners from 173 runners this season, including Set Square who won the Group I VRC Oaks at Flemington and Victoria Derby winner Rebel Raider. Back in the pedigree on Reset's sire line we find Sir Ivor and Nureyev. The dam's sire, Testa Rossa, is a grandson of Danzig and has 128 winners from 267 runners I know nothing of the rest of the pedigree. Any class in there?
Testa Rossa's sire is a half-brother to Sadler's Wells. Dam's family traces back to Monsoon, dam of Festoon (1000G + Coronation Stakes: J Arthur Rank's last classic winner).
Ron, to be honest, until you mentioned the horse, I'd not heard of him. He looks half decent though. He won his maiden over 1000m in a country, well funded race. He was on the pace and came home the final 600m in a blistering 32:52 to win easily. He then won another 1000m race before being entered in the Listed Belgravia Stakes over 1200m. He was eighth at the 400m and won by a couple of lengths. The then blew away the 1400 Listed Fairetha coming from tenth on the bend. From what gather, they really like him in the West. Reset was a very talent 3yo who was bred in the purple. His dad was Zabeel, one of the great sires from this part of the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabeel And his mum Assertive Lass was a sensational filly winning G1 races against her age and open company. Her foals have on a couple of occasions fetched more than a million dollars. Darley bought her not long ago for $2.2m and shipped her off to the UK. She has some speed blood in her lines. Testa Rossa his a handy sire line, being by Danzig who's dad was a no namer called Northern Dancer. His dam's grand daddy was the great Vain, one of the finest sprinters ever produced here. Disposition's dam's sire line traces back the Ksar, a serious horse from Normandy in the early 1920. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ksar_(horse)
Cheers Cyc. Looks like he's bred for the job then. It will be interesting to see how he copes in the Guineas on the 22nd Nov
Cyc, this Assertive Lass keeps popping up everywhere. About a month ago you filled me in on info about her when her latest son, Conflicting Advice, made her debut for the Queen/Stoute. Didn't run too badly. He's by Iffraaj. Iffraaj is a son of Zafonic out of a half-sister to Cape Cross. Probably more likely to be a miler?
Bustino, you'd know more about Zafonic than me. All I know is that he won a couple of sprint G1s in France before the 7 furlong G1 Dewhurst in 1992. Then at his second last run, he won the 2000 Guineas. I know next to nothing about his off spring. As for Assertive Lass, She has come down a brilliant sprinting line, stretching back to the sharp 2yo Showdown who won both the Coventry Stakes and Middle Park Stakes in 1963. He also won the Queen Ann as a 4yo. He wasn't wanted in the UK so was shipped to Australia in 1965, I think. Once here, he blended right in with the local speed scene. He produced some really brilliant types who between then, over the years, have won just about all the big sprints here. As you know, there can be stayers bred from a quick sire, this has happened here with Showdown, but for the most part he was a sprint sire. Assertive Lass' sire Zedative was a crack sprinter and the son of another brilliant quick one, The Judge, he being a son of Showdown. Most of the stock seem to be animals that usually top out at about 7f, but there have been some serious types who do get a strong mile, Assertive Lass included. With Iffraaj being a sprinter, I guess an Iffraaj - Assertive Lass son might get a mile or so, but maybe 7f might be he go. It's hard to say Bustino, with UK breeding slanted toward staying, maybe mile races there might be a more dour affair there than here. In Australia, with the tracks we have it's seems easier for a sprinter to get a mile than in the UK. I could be wrong, but to me it looks as though 10f form in the UK lends itself to better milers. We step up, whereas you step down. I don't know what the plans are for Assertive Lass, but seeing as she's dropped a Iffraaj colt, it looks as though the plan for the moment is sprinting. Whether they get it right with Conflicting Advice, who knows? It's like the name they've given the horse is a hint at what might be going through the breeder's minds.
Thanks Cyc. Here's a comment Tamerlo made about Showdown's dam about 10 months ago. The mare, Zanzara, must have been in my passive memory because, as soon as I saw the name, I recalled her son, Showdown, who romped away with the Coventry Stakes as a 2 year old. Everyone thought he was a cert for the 2000 Guineas, but he had a poor three year old season- and then was top miler as a four year old. Zanzara also sired Sam Armstrong's Nunthorpe winner, Matatina, who was later heavy odds on for the July Cup but was edged out by Scobie on Daylight Robbery for Arthur Budgett. Meon Valley stud bought into a grand-daughter of Zanzara who produced for them (to sell) the Oaks winner Lady Carla. It's a tough family. Zafonic never won over further than 8f but you'd feel from his pedigree that he'd possibly get 9-10f horses at times. His full brother, Zamindar, wasn't as fast but sired the Arc winner Zarkava. But I think you are right 8f may be his trip.
