Sir Peter Vela’s Pencarrow Stud is a prolific source of outstanding female families, and perhaps its most esteemed bloodlines are the ones that trace back to Richebourg (NZ) (Vice Regal).
Richebourg herself won the Group Three Tranquil Star Stakes (1600m), but she is best known as a dam, granddam and great-granddam of dozens of outstanding performers over the last few decades. She is the dam of six individual winners, including black-type stars and sensational broodmares Romanee Conti (NZ) (Sir Tristram) and Grand Echezeaux (NZ) (Zabeel).
Romanee Conti won seven races, four at Group level including the Queen of the Turf Stakes (1500m) in Sydney and the Hong Kong International Cup (1800m). She is the dam of seven winners, most famously the legendary Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm), who won four Group Ones including the Caulfield Cup (2400m)-Melbourne Cup (3200m) double in 2001.
Ethereal herself is the dam of four stakes performers, while the unraced Sopra Tutto (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy) has produced Group One performers Eleonora (NZ) (Makfi) and Supera (NZ) (Savabeel). Eleonora has taken that dynasty into a new generation this season, with her two-year-old daughter Ethereal Star (Snitzel) winning the Listed 2YO Challenge Stakes (1100m) and finishing second in the $1m DoubleTree by Karaka Million 2YO (1200m).
Romanee Conti’s three-quarter-sister Grand Echezeaux won the Group One Australasian Oaks (2000m) and is the dam of four stakes performers, including the $1.1 million yearling Darci Brahma (NZ) (Danehill), who won five Group One races and became a leading sire. Burgundy (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) was a $1.3 million yearling, won five stakes races, placed at Group One level and also had significant success at stud.
Buyers will have access to this top-class family through five members of Pencarrow’s Karaka 2023 draft – Lots 69, 112, 145, 567 and 573.
