Our ‘Breed to Race’ stories have been very popular highlighting affordable stallions priced under $10,000 and a winner at Rosehill on Wednesday has the potential to be a new stakes-winner for a sire that has been well found by this sector of the market.
Standing at Noor Elaine Farm in Victoria, Ilovethiscity was originally a Sydneysider winning the Group I ATC Randwick Guineas at three, but his stud career has been forged in Victoria.
He featured on Wednesday as the sire of the Jason Coyle trained mare Pippali, who was sent out favourite for Benchmark 72 event over 1500m having been beaten a little over three lengths in her previous run behind Vangelic in the Group II ATC Golden Pendant.
She ran right up to that form to score a stylish victory under 58.5kg, withstanding a late charge from runner-up Elusive Jewel, who had a 4kg pull in the weights.
Third in the Group III Kembla Grange Classic at her final run as a three year-old, Pippali is well capable of measuring up to Black Type races as her preparation unfolds and may turn into a valuable broodmare for her owner breeders the Esplin family.
Pippali is the lone winner from stakes-placed Polaway, a half-sister by Giant’s Causeway (USA) to stakes-winner Lillemor from Golden Slipper winner Polar Success.
Pippali is one of seven stakes horses for Ilovethiscity and five of them are stakes-winners headed by Group I winner El Dorado Dreaming.
Despite limited numbers earlier in his career, Ilovethiscity has posted impressive stats with 62% winners to runners and 5% stakes-winners to runners.
In his first six seasons at stud, Ilovethiscity never covered a book of more than 50 mares, but in his last three seasons he’s covered 253 mares!
That tells us that Ilovethiscity is no longer a secret and that the best is clearly still to come.
Completely free of Danehill blood being by Magic Albert from a New Zealand female family, Ilovethiscity is an outcross sire for the budget breeder that actually works and at $8,800 is real value.
