One of the more interesting lots catalogued for the upcoming Classic Yearling sale is Arrowfield Stud’s filly by the Japanese-based stallion Kinshasa No Kiseki.
An Australian-bred son of the Japanese shuttler Fuji Kiseki (JPN), Kinshasa No Kiseki was a 2-time winner of the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and was honoured as the Champion Sprinter/Miler in Japan in 2010.
Now a successful stallion in Japan, Kinshasa No Kiseki is out of the unraced Pleasant Colony mare Keltshaan (USA) a daughter of the royally bred Lyphard mare Featherhill.
A half-sister to the Group 1 winners Indian Rose (Prix Vermeille), Le Nain Jaune (Grand Prix de Paris) and Vert Amande (Prix Ganay), Featherhill proved an outstanding producer leaving three stakes winners.
The best was her first foal, Groom Dancer. The son of Blushing Groom won the 1987 Group 1 Prix Lupin beating the subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Trempolino.
Groom Dancer covered the globe as a stallion. He started at Haras d'Etreham in France, then was sold to the Yoshida family’s Shadai Farm in Japan. He shuttled for one season to Widden Stud then to New Zealand standing at the Ra Ora and Trelawney Studs before ending his career at Cheveley Park in England.
The Yoshida clan can take credit for Groom Dancer’s only stakes winner from the 41 live foals he left at Widden.
That was the Group III STC NE Manion Cup winner Saturday Fever a son of the Group III VATC Angus Armanasco Stakes winner Not On Friday (At Talaq).
A year after foaling Saturday Fever, Not On Friday produced Weekend Beauty (Helissio) who would find fame as the dam of the champion Weekend Hussler.
Keltshaan (USA) was the ninth foal of Featherhill and the first not to see a racetrack.
But she has made up for it at stud.
Besides Kinshasa No Kiseki, Keltshaan (USA) is the dam of the 4-time winner Catshaan (Catrail) who is the dam of Group 1 SAJC Schweppes Oaks winner Abbey Marie and Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks winner Absolutely who are both by Redoute’s Choice.
Another winner for Keltshaan (USA) was the stakes-placed Feather Duster (End Sweep) who is the dam of the stakes-winning mare She’s Clean (Redoute’s Choice) as well as the unraced Flying Spur mare Ebony Wand.
The first foal of Ebony Wand is the Charge Forward colt Ollivander (photo Grant Courtney ), a $20,000 weanling who was knocked down to Ellerton Zahra Racing for $70,000 out of the Newgate draft at the 2017 Classic Yearling Sale.
A fortnight before Ollivander made a hugely impressive winning debut in the Super VOBIS 2yo Plate at Caulfield on December 16, Ebony Wand passed away.
Her final foal is a yearling coly by More Than Ready (USA).
At his most recent start, Ollivander was a luckless second behind the unbeaten Fastnet Rock colt Long Leaf in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield on January 21.
The son of Charge Forward gets his chance to atone in Saturday’s $200,000 Group III Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) at Caulfield.
