It’s not often that a broodmare produces two stakes-winners in one day, but it happened on Saturday for Steve and Louise Gillard’s Rose of Mulan when Scallopini won the Listed VRC Sofitel Stakes and then exciting mare Shades of Rose beat a high class field to win the Group II ATC Sheraco stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
While Scallopini was sold as a yearling in the Yarraman draft at Magic Millions to Proven Thoroughbreds for $200,000, Shades of Rose was retained to race and sent to Bjorn Baker with happy results.
The four year-old daughter of Rubick starter her career with maiden and Class 1 wins at Bathurst in January and February of this year before rapidly working her way through the grades.
Shades of Rose reeled of three consecutive wins at Rosehill in Benchmark races leading into the Sheraco Stakes and despite taking on a field of proven Group winning mares was sent out favourite.
She led all the way for Rachel King and hung on to win by a head taking her overall record to seven wins and a second from nine starts with prizemoney just shy of $450,000.
“Big congratulations to Steve Gillard and his wife Louise, who have been big supporters,” Bjorn Baker said.
“I was very nervous about today, it was a hard race and you never take it for granted. You’re jumping up against proper Group and Group I mares so she’s done a remarkable job and the big question is where to now from here.”
Baker is in no rush to move forward with Shades of Rose, who has scaled the mountain this preparation so will see how she pulls up before any decisions are made.
As a Group II winner, Shades of Rose is now the best of three winners from Rose of Mulan, an unraced More Than Ready (USA) daughter of former brilliant Group II winning filly Lady Mulan, who has passed on her striking blaze and physique to her grand-daughter.
Rose of Mulan is based at Yarraman Park for the Gillard’s and both of her stakes-winners were foaled and raised at the Mitchell family owned farm.
Rose of Mulan has already foaled this spring producing a filly by Hellbent after missing and slipping in the two previous seasons.
Shades of Rose continues the fast start to the season for Swettenham Stud’s Rubick and is his seventh stakes-winner.
