Winless for almost two years, the horse that defeated the likes of Anamoe, Jigsaw, Kallos, Extreme Warrior and Hitotsu in the 2021 Blue Diamond Prelude gets his chance to break back into the winner's circle in Saturday's Group III Aurie's Star Hcp (1200m) at Flemington.
General Beau exploded onto the scene with three wins and a second in five starts at two, but the newly turned 5yo entire has not won since his second start at three over 1000m at Caulfield in September 2021.
The Mathew Ellerton-trained son of Brazen Beau came close to breaking a 15-start drought at his most recent start in the Group III Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield when run down late by Ingratiating.
With the defection of that son of Frosted (USA) to the Group II Missile stakes at Rosehill, General Beau looks well-placed to be rewarded for his consistency this time in and advance his earnings to just shy of $1,000,000.
Bred and raced by David and Jenny Moodie and Nick and Gayle Psaltis, General Beau is one of three winners from six to race for the lightly raced Lonhro mare Phosphorescence.
A half-sister to stakes-placed Double Jeopardy (Exceed and Excel), Phosphorescence is out of the top-class Nediym's Glow (General Nediym), whose four wins included the Group III Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes and Group III Blue Diamond Prelude.
Also trained by Mathew Ellerton, Nediym's Glow has a similar profile to General Beau. She was among the best of her generation at two. In addition to her two Group III triumphs, Nediym's Glow finished second to the flying Gold Edition in the Group II Reisling Slipper at Rosehill with the trailing pack including future Group 1 winner Anamato (Redoute's Choice), who would earn lasting fame through her son Anamoe.
A half-sister to Group III winner Red Colossus, Nediym's Glow is a granddaughter of Starlit Queen (Sir Tristram), a sister to the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks heroine Starline out of the flying Star Kingdom mare Starlit.
A half-sister to WRC Wellington Stakes winner Floodlit, Starlit numbered the WRC Telegraph Handicap, ARC Great Northern Foal Stakes, Great Northern Champagne Stakes, and MwtuRC Manawatu Challenge Stakes in a career of seven wins and nine placings from 30 starts.
Phosphorescence has a 2yo brother to General Beau but has not had much luck recently, slipping in 2021 and 2022.
General Beau is one of 37 stakes winners worldwide for Godolphin's Group 1 Newmarket Hcp and Group 1 Coolmore Stud's Stakes hero Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible), who stands for $44,000 in 2023.
