Arrowfield Stud's super sire Snitzel flexes his muscles in Saturday's Group III Pago Pago Stakes with three sons vying for the golden ticket to the Golden Slipper, including the most expensive yearling of 2021.
The Michael Wayne and John Hawkes-trained Magic created a massive impression on debut when he charged home for second behind the unbeaten Best Of Bordeaux, also by Snitzel, in the Group II Silver Slipper at Rosehill on February 19.
The son of Snitzel started at $19 that day, but he will be considerably more popular on Saturday.
Bred by Arrowfield and Katsumi Yoshida's Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd, the handsome chestnut was knocked down to Team Hawkes for $2,500,000 at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Sale.
He is the second foal of the Group 1 AJC Oaks heroine Rising Romance, whose first foal, Yearning, a sister to Magic, carried the Arrowfield colours to victory in the Group 1 MRC One Thousand Guineas.
Also trained by Team Hawkes, Yearning is a popular pick to give her dam a memorable double on Saturday when she contests the Group II Kewney Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
Rising Romance has been a frequent visitor to Snitzel, being covered by the multiple champion Australian stallion in her first five seasons
She, unfortunately, missed last spring but has a colt that looks sure to light up the ring at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April.
Bred by John Carter, Rising Romance won five and placed in 12 of her 39 starts with earnings of $2,253,245.
In New Zealand she won the Group II Royal Stakes and the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial and was runner-up in the Group II Avondale Guineas and the Group 1 NZ Derby ( Gr1 ), both times to Puccini, as well as the Group 1 NZ Stakes, to Sakhee's Soldier, and was third in the Group 1 Eight Carat Classic.
Trainer Donna Logan crossed the Tasman with the daughter of Ekraar (USA), who debuted with a fourth in the Group 1 Vinery Stakes won by Lucia Valentina.
A fortnight later, Rising Romance defeated Zanbagh and Lucia Valentina in the ATC Oaks.
Although there were several notable performances, she raced a further 29 times for just one win at Ellerslie.
That spring, she ran Admire Rakti (IRE) to a neck in the Caulfield Cup, but she was in the David Hayes stable a year later. She finished second to Falkner in the Makybe Diva Stakes and separated Gailo Chop (FR) and Contributer (IRE) in the Mackinnon Stakes.
Purchased privately for a reported $900,000 after her race career, Rising Romance has quickly made that look a bargain.
Carter bred Rising Romance when sending to Postponed (USA) filly Post Romance to Group 1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club winner Ekraar (Red Ransom).
Post Romance was purchased for John Carter by Paul Moroney for $52,000 at the 2005 Select Yearling Sale.
The winner of an Avondale maiden in eight starts, Post Romance is out of the stakes-placed Sir Tristram mare Pretty Wicked, a daughter of Something Wicked (Sackford), a sister to the Group 1 Queensland Oaks and Group 1 AJC Flight Stakes winner A Little Kiss.
Pretty Wicked was bred by David Paykel, the nephew of Sir Woolf Fisher, whose Ra Ora Stud imported A Little Love (USA), the dam of A Little Kiss and Something Wicked.
A daughter of J.O. Tobin, A Little Love's descendants, regularly feature in stakes races.
She is the third dam of Champion Hong Kong Miler Able One, fourth dam of Victoria Derby winner Rebel Raider, and third dam of cult hero Jungle Edge.
A Little Love (USA) is a fourth-generation descendent of Marguery (Sir Gallahad III), a sister to Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox, and granddam of Margarethen, the dam of the top-class Triilion, the dam of champion Triptych.
